登陆注册
15743600000004

第4章

It will possibly be censured as a great piece of vanity or insolence in me, to pretend to instruct this our knowing age; it amounting to little less, when I own, that I publish this Essay with hopes it may be useful to others. But, if it may be permitted to speak freely of those who with a feigned modesty condemn as useless what they themselves write, methinks it savours much more of vanity or insolence to publish a book for any other end; and he fails very much of that respect he owes the public, who prints, and consequently expects men should read, that wherein he intends not they should meet with anything of use to themselves or others: and should nothing else be found allowable in this Treatise, yet my design will not cease to be so; and the goodness of my intention ought to be some excuse for the worthlessness of my present. It is that chiefly which secures me from the fear of censure, which I expect not to escape more than better writers. Men's principles, notions, and relishes are so different, that it is hard to find a book which pleases or displeases all men. I acknowledge the age we live in is not the least knowing, and therefore not the most easy to be satisfied. If Ihave not the good luck to please, yet nobody ought to be offended with me. I plainly tell all my readers, except half a dozen, this Treatise was not at first intended for them; and therefore they need not be at the trouble to be of that number. But yet if any one thinks fit to be angry and rail at it, he may do it securely, for Ishall find some better way of spending my time than in such kind of conversation. I shall always have the satisfaction to have aimed sincerely at truth and usefulness, though in one of the meanest ways. The commonwealth of learning is not at this time without master-builders, whose mighty designs, in advancing the sciences, will leave lasting monuments to the admiration of posterity: but every one must not hope to be a Boyle or a Sydenham; and in an age that produces such masters as the great Huygenius and the incomparable Mr. Newton, with some others of that strain, it is ambition enough to be employed as an under-labourer in clearing the ground a little, and removing some of the rubbish that lies in the way to knowledge;-which certainly had been very much more advanced in the world, if the endeavours of ingenious and industrious men had not been much cumbered with the learned but frivolous use of uncouth, affected, or unintelligible terms, introduced into the sciences, and there made an art of, to that degree that Philosophy, which is nothing but the true knowledge of things, was thought unfit or incapable to be brought into well-bred company and polite conversation. Vague and insignificant forms of speech, and abuse of language, have so long passed for mysteries of science; and hard and misapplied words, with little or no meaning, have, by prescription, such a right to be mistaken for deep learning and height of speculation, that it will not be easy to persuade either those who speak or those who hear them, that they are but the covers of ignorance, and hindrance of true knowledge. To break in upon the sanctuary of vanity and ignorance will be, I suppose, some service to human understanding; though so few are apt to think they deceive or are deceived in the use of words;or that the language of the sect they are of has any faults in it which ought to be examined or corrected, that I hope I shall be pardoned if I have in the Third Book dwelt long on this subject, and endeavoured to make it so plain, that neither the inveterateness of the mischief, nor the prevalency of the fashion, shall be any excuse for those who will not take care about the meaning of their own words, and will not suffer the significancy of their expressions to be inquired into.

I have been told that a short Epitome of this Treatise, which was printed in 1688, was by some condemned without reading, because innate ideas were denied in it; they too hastily concluding, that if innate ideas were not supposed, there would be little left either of the notion or proof of spirits. If any one take the like offence at the entrance of this Treatise, I shall desire him to read it through;and then I hope he will be convinced, that the taking away false foundations is not to the prejudice but advantage of truth, which is never injured or endangered so much as when mixed with, or built on, falsehood.

In the Second Edition I added as followeth:-The bookseller will not forgive me if I say nothing of this New Edition, which he has promised, by the correctness of it, shall make amends for the many faults committed in the former. He desires too, that it should be known that it has one whole new chapter concerning Identity, and many additions and amendments in other places. These Imust inform my reader are not all new matter, but most of them either further confirmation of what I had said, or explications, to prevent others being mistaken in the sense of what was formerly printed, and not any variation in me from it.

I must only except the alterations I have made in Book II. chap.

xxi.

同类推荐
  • 天元五歌

    天元五歌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 葬书

    葬书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 意拳拳谱

    意拳拳谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 续红楼梦

    续红楼梦

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 衣钵名义章

    衣钵名义章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 王妃不认输

    王妃不认输

    林晓攸本是一个官宦小姐,却因为不受宠的缘故,五岁就被送给一个无名老僧当弟子。如今突然来人接她回去当小姐,一场阴谋就此打乱她平静自由的生活。青梅足马的师兄,一段爱恨交织刻骨铭心的感情。洒脱桀骜的王爷,一场机缘巧合君子协议的婚姻。经历突变的打击,犹如浴火重生,以王妃之名归来,往昔种种,誓必讨回。在这个爱恨纠葛,阴谋争斗的漩涡中,友情,爱情,亲情,谁真谁假?从青涩单纯到心思缜密,处变不惊的淡定。且看王妃不认输,一个女子坚强的成长历程。
  • 思恋小语(少男少女文摘修订)

    思恋小语(少男少女文摘修订)

    《少男少女文摘丛书》汇集的是近年来写得最优美真切、生动感人的少男少女作品。这里有少男少女们初涉爱河的惊喜、迷惘、痛苦和走出“误区”挽手无怨的历程,有对五彩纷呈的世界特殊的感受和选择,有在升学压力之下压弯了腰的哀怨和对父辈们关于人生关于命运关于社会的认从与反叛。
  • 九万里苍穹

    九万里苍穹

    试问禅关,参求无数,往往到头虚老。磨砖作镜,积雪为粮,迷了几多年少?毛吞大海,芥纳须弥,金色头陀微笑。悟时超十地三乘,凝滞了四生六道。谁听得绝想崖前,无阴树下,杜字一声春晓?蓬莱路远,九天云深,万里瀛洲缥缈。千丈冰崖,五叶莲开,古殿帘垂香袅。那时节,识破源流,便见龙王三宝。
  • 武玄炎天

    武玄炎天

    修炼一途,本是逆天而为,与人斗,于天斗。一位来自天玄世家少年,逐渐踏上巅峰,演绎无敌的传说。
  • 医心方

    医心方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 混沌冥帝

    混沌冥帝

    一人得道鸡犬升天,从凡人到神的华丽转变,一路斩妖除魔称霸大陆,以及上古洪荒各种神兽魑魅光怪陆离的故事...(本故事纯属虚构,如有雷同,纯属巧合,不当之处,请多包涵!)
  • 小人物成仙传

    小人物成仙传

    东谷、南域、西海、北塞以及中州将整个人界瓜分而开,修真大宗,魔道巨枭多如牛毛,---------然而,在北塞的终北之地一个小人物凭借一颗绿色珠子慢慢成长起来。仙家秘术,魔道神通,种种奇遇,历经万载,成就小人物木青的成仙之路。
  • 中华句典1

    中华句典1

    本书共收录名言警句、歇后语、谜语、对联、俗语、谚语等上万条。这些鲜活的语言文字语简意赅,大多经过千锤百炼,代代相传,才流传至今。这些语句,或寓意深长,或幽默风趣,有着过目难忘的艺术效果。本书以句句的实用性、典型性和广泛性为着眼点进行编排,所选的句句时间跨度相当大,从先秦时期的重要著作,到当代名人的智慧言语均有涉及;所选的名句范围非常广,从诗词曲赋、小说杂记等文学体裁,到俗谚、歇后语、谜语等民间文学都有涉猎。除此之外,书中还提及了一些趣味故事。通过这些或引人发笑、或让人心酸的故事,可以使读者更为深刻地理解和掌握名句。
  • 强宠青梅:腹黑竹马来

    强宠青梅:腹黑竹马来

    “先生,夫人抱回来一只猫。”先生一向最讨厌猫了。“恩,再去给她买一只,凑一对。”“先生,夫人要离家出走。”“恩,她到哪里就把哪里买下来,不能让她住酒店。”“先生,夫人要给你戴绿帽子。”“恩,我戴。”本专心批阅文件的龙睿猛地抬头,“是谁?那顶帽子在哪?找个人把他弄弯了!”当龙睿回到家望着娇妻怯怯的模样,心情顷刻间变得舒畅无比:知道会顾忌我的心情啦,有进步!而季无忧却在心里暗暗的想着:哼哼,刚把卧室的锁换了,敢把我专心物色的小鲜肉变弯,今天不让你进房。晚上,当龙睿站在卧室门前,望着紧闭的房门,语气温柔的说着“老婆,乖,把门打开!”两分钟之后,“管家,拿电钻过来......”
  • 带个宠物闯天下

    带个宠物闯天下

    “我的父母是传说中的人物,那我呢?”--陆小海陆小海的父母是第一次次元战争里的英雄,这也让他自小就背负着‘英雄的儿子’‘传说的后裔’各种各样的标签,使得刚刚初二的他有些不堪压力。在同学、老师的眼中一直都是天才的他却一直都没有觉醒‘次元力’,渐渐地,他开始对父母的说教开始有了抵触感,于是他做出一个最疯狂的举动--翘家。带着我的小猫咪,一同去闯天下。