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A M fenfible that the more Judicious and Learned may, with a great deal of Reafon, condemn me, as guilty of an unpardonable Rashness, in attempt ing a Province fo extremely above my Abilities, the Writing the Hiftory of a Society, whofe Learning and Wit have juftly made fo confiderable a Figure in the World; yet I muft, with Vanity enough, own, that the Nobleness of the Undertaking has born me up fo far above any Apprehenfions, that (like a Soldier who refolves on fome brave Action) 1 caft off all thoughts of thofe Obitacles, which might frigh ten a cooler Confiderer. And fince 'tis confefs'd, that to aim, at noble Ends is enough to merit Applaufe, had rather undergo the Severity of the Cri

ticks. (who, I have reafon to think, will not be fo favourable, as to forgive the Faults of the Performance for the Greatness of the Design) than lofe the Glory of having first offer'd at it. I will agree with them, that it is to be wish'd, that the Great SPRAT would oblige the Age with a SecondBef History of the Second Beft Inftitution, for the promotion of Learning, and removing that Epidemick Ignorance, which exercifes fo incredible a Tyranny over the more numerous part of Mankind: From fuch à Pen the World might expect Satisfaction, and the Athenian Society Justice; the Charms of his Stile would engage all to read, and his Wit and Variety of Learning give them proportionable Ideas of thofe Excellencies he would commend to

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them. And indeed none but he (whofe Thoughts are fo true and fine, and whofe Language fo clearly and fully expreffes his Conceptions) or a whole SOCIETY learned as themselves, can be thought capable of acquitting fo illuftrious a Task with that Strength and Perfection it deferves.

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This Confideration would not a little difcourage me, if I had not this to obviate the Difficulties it brings; That great part of this Book fhall be drawn from the incomparable Works of this Society, who are indeed their own Hiftorians, and moft worthy to be fo for their whole Defign is not only to improve Knowledg in Divinity and Philofophy, in all their parts, as well as Philology in all its latitude; but alfo to commend this Improvement to the Publick, in the best method that can be found out for Inftruction which is, or ought to be the end of Every Writer, unless he aim rather at Amusement than Information.

If the World would be fo favourable, as to admit of what I have faid for an Excufe, I hope the Gentlemen that compole this Society will pardon my Boldness in prefuming to give an account of their Undertaking, who am not at all concern'd in it, and have not the Happiness of being acquainted with one Member of it; fince what I fhall here advance proceeds from an Efteem of their Defign, and the great Value I fet upon their Performances, which are fufficient to convince thofe (among which

number I my felf was at first) who were ftartled with the feeming Impoffibility of the Project, that notwithstanding it was fo difficult, yet they have fully come up to what they first pretended to.

The Defign, as well as Performance, feems fo extraordinary, that when I reflect on it, I often admire that the general, nay univerfal Advantage it brings, fhould never have infpir'd any one to have thought of it before now; till I confider, that the Good of Mankind was not the Aim of the Grecian Philofophers, so much as their own perfonal Glory and Pride, which they built on their own knowing more than the reft of the World, who had not the Leifure and Abilities to spend their whole Life in Difquifitions or difputable Notions: and to maintain this, 'twas neceffary for them not to communicate Learning to a~~ ny but their immediate Hea rers, who by word of mouth were to deliver it to their Succeffors in the Schools. This made all their Doctrines confin'd to their Gymnafia, their Porches, and Gardens.

Some of them were fo fearful of having their Sentiments known, that they wrapp'd all their Notions up in Myfteries, as hard to be understood by any but their own Scholars, as thofe Chymical Tracts we have now, which treat of the great Hermettick Work. This was the caufe of the different Reprefentations of the Philofophy of Pythagoras in particular; and I think 'tis not doubted by the

Learned,

Learned, but that most (if not all) of those Abfurdities, which are attributed to him, proceed only from the uncertain Gueffes of his Oppofers and Enemies, who were never admitted into his School, or had a true knowledg of his Opinions: tho' perhaps the Pythagoreans themfelves did much contribute (notwithstanding their great Veneration for his Memory) by their Ignorance, to the lgnominy of their Mafter; for they learnt chiefly by Tradition, to which we may reafonably suppose that every Succeffor, in their School, (who was an arbitrary Difpenfer of thefe Mysteries) added, at least by way of Comment; which, in a Generation or two, incorporated with it, and all paft for his.

If we pass from Greece to Rome, tho' Politeness and Learning diffus'd themselves into a larger compass there, yet their principal Studies were Oratory, and the Art of War, on which all the Preferments of that Commonwealth turn'd; for, as for Philofophy, it was built upon the Greek Bottom, and Cicero was the first that brought the Roman Language acquainted with it. Both before and after him, they that were that way inclin'd went to Athens, then the only Univerfity (if I may call it fo) of Europe, or had Malters from Greece; as Plutarch, and his Nephew Sextus, and Apollonius,may witness, who were all three Tutors to Emperors, and all three Grecians, befides many others whom I emit. The Vanity and great

Value thefe Philofophers, who were fent for to inftruct the Romans, fet upon themselves, fatisfies me, that I have no great caufe to wonder, that in Rome this Project was never thought of; fince the Learned, whofe Province this must have been, would have loft that Eteem they then poffefs'd, by making what they knew common to as many as were capable and willing to understand them: whereas their Singularity in Knowledge gave them priviledge to the highest Infolence. For when the abovemention'd Apollonius was fent for by the Emperor Antoninus Pius, from Chalcedon to Rome, to read Philofophy to his adopted Son Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (firnam'd The Philofopher) after his arrival at that City, he' never went to wait on the Emperor; and being fent for by him,

return'd this Answer, That it was not fit the Mafter (hould attend the Scholar, but the Scholar the Mafter. This Pride of his was fo temperately born by that generous Prince (in that more a Philofopher than Apollonius) that he only fmil'd, and faid to his Servants, Does he then think it farther from his Lodging to my Palace, than from Chalcedon to Rome?

From hence is evident what Honour was paid them (by the higheft Powers on Earth) for the Opinion of their Knowledg, and alfo what Satisfaction and Pride they took in it fo that it is not ftrange, that they fhould perfuade it as neceffary to their Followers, and by confequence deprive them of all

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