case Some powerful Faction right or wrong embrace Or starve and die without a Place H. Avoid you rout of Noisy fools Once more you are not in our Rules Cou'd we but please the Learn'd few Which send from far we cou'd dispense with you I. Whither lost wretches Whither wou'd you run By guilt or by unhappy Love undone What need you perish or despair If you 'd have aid an Angel shews you where K. This Query's quickly understood He only Asks d' ye think his Coffee good Yet wou'd crowd in tho' just by th' door Or vow'd he 'd take our Letters in no more L. These dainty Nuts I must not loose Nor burn my Paws b' your leave dear puss If those that put them there enquire 'T was you not I that rob'd the fire How sweet is Interlopers Hire M. All England's Rarieties are gather'd here From unknown Earth Fire Water Air Thousands agree in such a glorious strife Or else a moments Work wou'd last a Life N. With Beak and Talons I infest Those Cuckoes that invade my Nest And if Minerva yet supply My Ancient gift in Prophecy All Scab'd and Old they in some hollow Tree shall die I am ignorant who design'd this Emblem as well as who compos'd the Verses I have here quoted which tho'they come not up to those of this Society yet naturally enough express what they are design'd for perhaps much better than if they had been in loftier Numbers Emblematists seldom thinking it proper to regard the Maâ—…osty of Stile and Thought when their aim is only a bare narratory Explication This any one that has convers'd with that kind of Writing will grant and that Book of Emblems made upon the Emperors confirms my Position So that the Poet as ev'ry Writer ought considered here the nature of the thing he writ and adapted his Thought Numbers and Language to the Subject Having thus given you an account of the young Students Library I shall proceed to the other things of as great if not greater consequence as a new Systeme of experimental Philosophy upon the four Elements tho' this will be some while before it see the World both because time will be taken for the immediate Experiments and also because this new Project of the artificial and natural Rarities of England Wales Scotland and Ireland with the Foreign Plantations thereunto belonging will employ them on a more general and entertaining Subject so that they cannot have leisure till they have with the great assistance they are like to have from the Ingenious rid their hands pretty well of it The Reason they deferr'd the Natural History so long was because several ingenious Gentlemen well skill'd in those affairs to use their own expression generously offer'd them their assistance upon which account that their undertaking might be the more serviceable to the Public which they have always chiefly in their eye they waited those supplies from other hands which they were promis'd for there are several new Assistants join'd themselves to this Society for the speedier and better carrying on of this new Project if I can call that New which depended upon the former for the World is oblig'd to the first Atheniun Project for this Undertaking since the first rise of it was from a Query sent the Natural result of the Societies design to answer all sorts of Questions on that subject so that it seems indeed to be but a New branch that is sprung from the first design which may in the same manner give birth in time to a great many other admirable Improvements in all sorts of Knowledge This Project will not be a bare Collection of what the best Authors of our Nation have writ of Rarieties Natural Artificial and Civil but also of what ever Observations the curious Gentlemen of all England shall make and communicate to this Society as besides their own diligent enquiries into all things that fall under those heads first in the Regions of the Air All sorts of strange Appearances and their several Forms Qualities and Circumstances Noises and their several Kinds Tompâ—…sts Thunder and Lightning Strange Winds their different Natures and Qualities with their several dependances of weather c. Rains Hail Mists Dews Frosts Heats extraordinary in any particular as to form quantity colour or effects Subterraneal-Steams or Exhalations that issue out of the Earth as to their Quality and Manner and Effects c. Next as to fresh Waters their several Springs as to quality medicinal or other hot or cold extraordinary in colour or any peculiar property as oily or petrifying what Fish does each afford most c. as also Salt waters their different nature places of difference and degrees of saltness their depths c. as to Currents Edies Concourses of Tides Species of Fishes c. where and how Next as to the Earths what sorts of Ochres Chalks Marles Clays c. their Qualities and Use Truâ—…s Coal dugg c. remarkable figures of Hills c Minerals their quality and where prepar'd in like manner all sorts of Metals c. Farther concerning Plants and Trees that are unusual and extraordinary in Growth Fruit Leaves or time of Blossoming Gardening and all the curious Observations that can be made as to the Insects Diseases Cures proper to each Vegetable or common to more or all Next as to Husbandry what unsual Grains Grafts c. are sow'n in each Country Improvements on all sorts of Land and other Curiosities in Husbandry new Inventions as to Plowing preservation of Corn peculiar ways of opening and draining Marshes Boggs Fens c Farther concerning Animals Observations on Insects in their several Species who has observ'd their Origin Perfection Corruption Diseases and Cures the like of all sorts of Birds Reptiles and Fishes and Beasts unusual qualities of each as to Generations and Bigness c. strange accidents befalling Men or Women prodigious or numerous Births similitude of Persons extraordinary any thing remarkable for excess or defect in all and every of their Parts and Circumstances and all the singular Occurrances that make either Man or Woman or Families more than commonly remark able Farther as to what Arts are either improv'd or invented and where extraordinary buildings of all sorts Persons skâ—…lful and in what chiefly c. Lastly concerning Antiquities Seats of Kings Priories Abbies c. Castles Fortifications Banks of Land Barrows Monuments of Stone and any thing remarkable of any or every of them Of Councils Parliaments and Terms held and where Old Episcopal Sees Battles fought Armour old Money Urns Lamps Lachymatories Pavements Bracelets Rings c. found and in whose possession immemorial Customs and all other Curiosities which may be serviceable to the public or to private Persons In the Third Number of the Seventh Volume you will find all these Queries here inserted which are by the Society propos'd to all the Ingenious Gentlemen of each Nation concern'd whose Contributary help they desire and will
but the Names of all those that have flourished in every Science and Art in this famous City From what I have here produc'd will sufficiently appear that since all the Arts and Learning of the old World owed their Beginning nay and perhaps Perfection too though afterward lost in the Inundation of Barbarity which from the North over-run all Europe to Athens with just Reason did this Learned Society make choice of that Appellation whose Aim it is to advance all Knowledge and diffuse a general Learning through the many and by that civilize more now in a few years than Athens it self did of old during the Ages it flourished THE SECOND PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE Athenian Society IN the First part of this History I have given you an account of the Novelty Advantage Inventor and occasion of this Noble Undertaking I have touched upon the Difficulties that attend it the Noble Daring of the first Author and lastly I have advanc'd some Reasons why this Society assumed the Title of Athenian In That I brought you to its beginning in This I shall with all the Brevity the Copiousness of the Subject will allow proceed to its Infancy and Growth and from thence pass to the Manly Performances of the Society when established Though the whole design of this Institution may be gathered from what has been said in the First Part yet I think it necessary to premise an entire Prospect of it here since that will not a little contribute to the satisfaction of the Reader by avoiding Obscurity and Confusion setting things in as clear a Light as possible and in that form which the decency of Order requires That which they first proposed to themselves was not only to answer all manner of nice and curious Questions in Divinity Physick Law Philosophy History Poetry Mathematics Trade and all other Questions proposed by either Sex or in any Language but also to give an account of the most considerable Books printed in England or transmitted to them from foreign parts and to accomplish this effectually the Undertaker resolving to spare no Charges to gratifie the Ingenious setled a Correspondence beyond Sea And tho' all this were enough to expect from the extraordinary Parts and Industry of any Society of no greater extent yet they resolving to spare no Labour proceeded farther by inserting the Conferences and Transactions of several English Virtuoso's and whatever the Genius of our Nation would relish in the Acta Eruditorum Lipsiae the Paris Iournal des Scavans the Giornali de Litterali printed at Rome the Universal Historical Bibliotheque and other learned and ingenious Essays of other Nations That so as our Merchants supplied us with the Manufactures and Commodities of all Countries we should not want that Production so much more valuable in its self and in the esteem of every wise man their Wit and Learning whatever the curious and brisk Genius of the French the Floridness of the Italian and the Industry of the German the Gravity of the Spaniard should from time to time gratifie their several Countries with this Great SOCIETY have generously and successfully imported into England and by that means made all Nations contribute to the Power and Glory of our Empire of Wit as the conquered World did of old to the Grandeur and Wealth of Rome this a far more noble Tribute and a far more exalted Glory every man in Justice therefore ought to honour them with the august Name of Patriots above most that stand blustering Candidates for it Yet farther to make their Endeavours the more satisfactory to all men this Society have all along invited every one that has any Experiment or curious Instance which they know to be Truth and Matter of Fact circumstantiated with time and place to send them to them These Experiments and Instances they not only promis'd to insert in their Mercuries but also endeavour to find out a Demonstration for those which the Senders could not So great is their admirable Zeal for the Good of the Public and the Satisfaction of all curious Enquirers into natural Speculations All these great Parts of this Mighty Design could not possibly be brought into the weekly Mercuries which had not room to contain the hundredth part of the Answers to those Quaeries which they soon receiv'd therefore for the speedier satisfaction of Quaerists and the publication of all these Curiosities I have spoke of they judged it absolutely necessary at the compleating every eighteen Numbers to print twelve more of Answers to Quaeries by that means if possible to obviate the Impatience of some of those who sent their Doubts and Curiosities to be resolv'd These made up one Volume to which as a Supplement that is to perfect their Design is added I mean to the four first the Abstracts of all Books of value both domestic and foreign with curious and diverting Dissertations upon several nice Subjects The fifth Supplement to comply further with their Quaerists Importunities for speedier Answers is composed of the Resolution of Doubts as the single Mercuries are What shall be the Subject of their future Supplements I shall have occasion to speak of in the third and last part of this History Though what I have mentioned already may seem the Labour of Ages yet they still went farther and we find very early their Resolution of gratifying the World with a new System of Philosophy a thing as much desir'd as wanted that of Aristotle being so false and that of Descartes so imperfect I shall say no more of this Work here because I shall have occasion to speak of it again in the third part But that the World might be fully acquainted with this whole Design they have frequently published it both in the Mercury Volumes and Supplements and any one that desires may read it summ'd up all together in their Fifth Supplement So that none can plead Ignorance that shall intrench upon their Design and Method and none can be dissatisfied that they have not a full account of so many Advantages they may reap from the several Endeavours of this SOCIETY Here it will not be improper for me to give some account of the Method they propos'd to themselves for the prosecution of their Design for that is indeed a necessary part of it That Order which Justice required they made choice of that is that those Quaeries that came first should be first answered unless a greater Good interposed as the answering any Popular Quaery that might be of service to the Government for the Public Good is granted by all men I think to be preferred to the Private Or some curious Accident or remarkable Providence that 's Matter of Fact and wants a demonstration Here too the general Advantage comes in and then 't is but fit that Particulars of less consequence should expect a little and give way Next some extraordinary Scruple of Conscience which wants a speedy Answer And for the satisfaction of such I think no reasonable
from holding ev'n here in England through all for there are a great many who in spite of the Tyranny of Custom will steal some Minutes from the Needle to improve their Minds and this Society without doubt will with their performances envite a great many more to the same when they shall see the Beauties of Philosophy in so sweet and easie a Dress and then their Conversation would be far more agreeable to the wiser part of the World than the impertinent Chatt too many not by their own faults are now guilty of This is evident to any man that has ever been in France and convers'd with the Women of the better quality there whose Apprehensions are more quick and discourse upon any Subject or in any Science I will not except the most profound parts of Philosophy more à propos and ingenious than the Men their Wit and Notions are indeed extreamly surprizing I am confident by the acquaintance I have had the honor to have with some of the Refin'd of that Sex here that our English Women would not be inferior to them in any qualification of the Mind if they were but bless'd with as happy an Education Nay I am apt to think they would as far surpass the French Ladies in Knowledg as in Beauty The entertaining Notions of Philosophy are not the only Subjects of the Ladies Studies in France Madam de Maintenon will prove that the weighty movements of State-affairs are not above the direction of that Sex And she that writ the Memoirs of the Court of Spain shews that they are capable of making politic Observations on the nicest Occurrences Madam Dacier is an extraordinary Proof that the most crabbed Studies are not look'd into by them without the greatest success Her Endeavours on Plautus Terence and Horace shew that Women are capable of being as nice and critical Judges of Sence and Learning as Men nay those Essays I have mention'd of this French Lady excel all that has been done in that kind particularly all the Pedantic Labors of those plodding Iesuites who have publish'd Notes upon the Classic Authors for the use of the Dolphin I am not ignorant that some will urge that she was beholden to her Husband for those upon Horace yet these Gentlemen cannot deny that Plautus and Terence were publish'd when she was yet Madam la Fevre I cannot but mention the Lady Donna Oliva Sabuco reckoned amongst the greatest Scholars she advancing in her Studies c. to the end Spain and the whole World might receive some Advantage thereby she began a new and most ingenious method of Physic she wrote to the most august Philip II to obtain the establishing of her Followers as the Public Physicians and in her Treatise called The New Physic she learnedly Dialogue wise censures the Physic of the Ancients and most famous Authors have since laid claim to many things boasting themselves the first Discoverers of them whereof she had full knowledg and long before did publish them in her learned Books For a farther Proof of this point I shall in a few words touch upon some of the eminent Women of Antiquity I will pass over the Politic Semiramis the valiant and no less politic Thamyris Queen of Scythia who not only engaged Cyrus but overcame him by outwitting him destroying him by his own Stratagem Nor will I instance Sempronia mention'd by Salust in his Catiline's Conspiracy as learned and witty Nor will I particularize the fifteen eminent Women that taught in the School of Pythagoras All that will be necessary here will be a short enumeration of the Names of some of most Ages as Magalostrate a Mistriss worthy of Acman a Lyric Poet that flourish'd in the 27th Olympiade the often celebrated Sappho great in Lyric Elegy and all manner of Poetry in the 42d ' Olympiade with her Friend Erinna and contemporary Demophila Theano the Wife of Pythagoras both a Philosophress and Poetess in the 56th Olympiade Cleobulina about the 70th Olympiade Corinna Telestia Praxilla betwixt the Battel of Marathon and the Peace of Antalcidas Aspasia between that Peace and the taking of Athens by Lysander Cornificia among the Romans Sister to Cornificius the Poet in the second year of the 184th Olympiade Athenais afterward Eudoxia in the Reign of Theodosius the younger and Pulcheria Sister to the same Theodosius Among the modern Italians Angela Daughter to Anthony de Nugaroles Modesta Lucretia Marinella who writ a Poem on the Nobility of Womankind Olympia Clara Magdalena Acciaiolia Valeria Miainia Anna Maria Schurman a Flemming To these I might add of our own Nation in the time of Henry VIII Sir Thomas Moor's Daughter who translated several of her Father's Latin Works Mrs. Elizabeth Carew Mrs. Ann Asoue Mrs. Elizabeth Weston Nor must I forget Queen Elizabeth her self who was not only a politic but learned Princess and nearer our own times Mrs. Katherina Philips commended by the great Cowly and of my own knowledg Mrs. Behn who was not only an excellent Poetess but discoursed very refinedly on any Subject that came in her way I could name another that surpasses all these if I feared not to offend her Modesty by publishing her name This is enough to satisfie the World that the Society have advanced nothing but Truth in that Affirmation before quoted and therefore that their deference to the fair Sex merits not that Condemnation some of the moroser part of the Town are pleased to give them Nor is it at all derogatory to the Reputation of a Philosopher to meddle with Questions of Love c. since the contemplative and refin'd Plato and Socrates to omit other Philosophers have writ so many soft things on that Subject that Maximus Tyrius no small Admirer of Plato says That he is amaz'd to find Plato and Socrates banishing Homer out of their Cities for containing light and amorous things when they themselves have writ far more light and amorously Yet I find this not objected by any of the Opposers of these Philosophers as a Crime or Defect they being only here condemn'd by Tyrius because they forbid the reading of Homer for what they thought fit to mingle in their own Works This short View of their Performances makes it evident what Advantage the Public will reap from their Endeavours and how much Knowledg will be in a little time improv'd For as they very modestly express it a diffusing that Knowledg to many which is already familiar to the Learned is an improvement of it I will produce their own words being a very moderate and much too civil Answer which they give to a very conceited and impertinent Quaerist The Quaery is this Why you pretend to such strange things and yet in effect tell the World no more than what we all know already This Quaery so worthy of Contempt and Laughter deserv'd no other Answer than Silence but after they had wittily rally'd it they give a serious Return with a great deal of Ingenuity and Modesty even
to a Fault degrading both their Industry and Abilities in terming what they do as a Representation of other mens Thoughts and that all the improvement they make is only the communicating them to those that knew 'em not before But I wrong them in not transcribing their own words which are these 'T is true in some sence Nil dictum quod non dictum prius the World is Learned and we wish it were more so the finest things that can be said are little else than old Sence with a new Turn and if ye deny this all the Orators in it must stand still and neither Divines nor Lawyers get any more than our Athenian Mercury Yet still what one man knows another man does not and a diffusing Knowledg is a sort of improving of it perhaps the best way And a little after in the same Question ` Besides we are pretty confident there are very many Questions here some of moment which were never before publicly decided especially in Morality which is by far the most useful part of Knowledg And 't would be no shame for us should we own our chief aim in this design were to convey under a pleasant Dress Notions of Virtue and Honour into the Commonalty and rather make them better than wiser tho' indeed in one we do both and cannot doubt in the mean while but the curious and ingenious Spirits will seldom take up our Paper but they 'll find something or other in 't that both may divert and please them For the less candid Judges they have done all they can against it already but avail nothing the Paper still lives and is still like to do so in spight of all their ill nature and finds that reception which we will say the Design thereof deserves I have thought fit to conclude with this Quotation out of the Works of the Society because it is a Recapitulation of all that I have said both as to their Design and Performances with a short modest Vindication of both if not a prophetical Assurance of its surpassing all the Oppositions it has or may meet with The THIRD PART of the History of the Athenian Society HAving in the First Part run through the Rise and Advantages of this Society in the Second their Performances that are already extant with a much greater Brevity than the nobility and copiousness of the Subject required I shall here anticipate their future Endeavours or at least give the World a Prospect of those beneficial Efforts it will soon be blest with from the matchless Industry and Learning of the Athenan Society which when compared with what has been already seen will justly raise all mens Expectation of those yet unthought of Discoveries the successful Progress of their Labors will in time produce when such great Attempts have been aimed at and effected in so little a time after their first Rise Their Care seems to have been to provide Means for the improvement of their Knowledg as I have observed in the First Part who had not the Abilities of Purse to arive to learned Education and to purchase all those voluminous Books which treat of those several Arts and Sciences which are required to the composing a Scholar This tho' the Weekly Mercuries would in time effect yet more speedily to occurr to the Impatience of some who perhaps may be uneasie in perusing so many things which tend to the satisfaction of others to find amongst them what themselves desire the Society have taken care for the compiling a Book entituled The young Student's Library containing the Substance and Pith of all that 's valuable in most of the best Books printed in England and in the foreign Journals from the year 65 to this present time to which will be added an Introduction to the use of Books in a new Essay upon all sorts of Learning written by the Athenian Society The Proposals sufficiently shew that this Work is to be a Translation from the Universal Historical Bibliotheque the Paris Iournal des scavanâ—… the Acta Eruditorum Lypsiae the Giornali de Litterali and other foreign Iournals to which the Society will add what is most considerable in the Extracts made by their own Countrymen that so to use their own words by going backward as well as forward we may render our account of Books compleat The Preface to the Proposals of printing this Book shew abundantly the usefulness of it Extracts having received Encouragement from the Ingenious of all Nations ever since they have been set on foot being necessary not only for them that cannot go to the price of the Books themselves or have not time to peruse so many large Volumes but also for all the Learned who in a little time may here find the Desiâ—…n of every Book and some observation in the Performance from whence they may frame a Judgment what Book to buy and what not if they are not fully satisfied with it in little for the chief Force and Matter of most Books lies in a little compass the ornamental parts of Language generally making up the bulk But I shall give you a concise account of this Book from Mr. De la Crose's Works of the Learned who having been formerly an Antagonist with the Society on account of Extracts may reasonably be supposed not to flatter any of their Performances especially in that kind His words are these in his Book for Ianuary 1692. It consists says he of the young Student's Library of Abstracts of Books in several Faculties as Divinity Critics History Geography Philosophy Law Physic c. many of which are collected out of the Iournals des Scavans of Paris and the Universal Bibliotheque and as I hear accurately translated but the most considerable tho' not the biggest part are two original pieces The first is written by a Divine a Member of the Athenian Society who has spent several years in the study of the Hebrew Tongue and shews a great deal of Learning and Piety in maintaining the Antiquity of the Point-Vowels against Lewis Capel and his Followers He pretends they are at least as ancient as Ezra The second Original Piece is an Essay upon all sorts of Learning as Divinity Physic History Poetry Geometry Architecture Music Civil Law Canon Law Optics Dyalling Thus far Mons. De la Crose And I have nothing to add of the main Substance of the Book but that there will be two English Abstracts added by the Society and that they will as the Proposals inform me supervise the Translations but of these things you 'l be farther informed in the Preface to it which is now almost finished And I 'll only add this Remark That the Abstract of the Works of the Learned wholy owes its Rise and Progress to this Society all things of that nature having been entirely forgotten in England tho' of such great use as appears ' at large in the Preface to the First Volume and I suppose will be yet set in a clearer Light in
without doubt obtain of all such who have the least desire to bestow any of their time for the Honour and Glory of their Country Nature has been extreamly fruitful of Wonders in these Kingdoms that compose the British Monarchy and 't is pitty Gentlemen of Estates shou'd be carry'd away with a desire of seeing the Novelties of other Countries before they have any tolerable insight into their own where they were born Certainly every Patriot will not think his time ill spent which is imploy'd for the discovery and knowledge of our selves or at least our Country of which each is but part This Generous desire has inspir'd several Learned Gentlemen to offer their service already as I have observ'd above tho' I am ignorant of all of them except ohe of whom by accident I gain'd this account He was the first that offer'd his Endeavours for the carrying on of this design with which he was so extreamly pleas'd at the first notice that was given of it to the World and indeed England I believe affords not a Gentleman better qualify'd for this Undertaking being first accomplish'd with variety of Learning having great skill in Experimental Philosophy and scarce his Equal in Chymistry a Science which is Mother of strange and wonderful Discoveries to all these acquir'd Excellences Nature has added a strong and admirable Judgment a nice and curious Fancy and an extreamly happy Memory with a Temper that is agreeable and generous and fortune or rather Heav'n for when I see Merit bless'd with a Competency I conclude it the effect of a wiser Dispoâ—…r than partial Chance has crown'd all for so it is in spite of Philosophy with a handsome Estate all which concurring he seems to me The Phenix Boyl reviv'd This Reader is all the account I am capable as yet of giving thee as to their present and future performances which as they have gain'd them no little Fame and Repâ—…tation so has that fame contracted Enimies and ungenerous Opposers Vertue when expos'd to the Eyes of the World seldom being without Enemieâ—… whose aim has been at least of the 〈◊〉 part of them to deprive the Publick of those many advantages I have made it appear it receives from this Undertaking and the Performances of the present Members of the Athenian Society by using what means they can to discourage the gain of the Bookseller that so he may let fall so beneficial a Project tho' they cou'd never yet Effect it The first Opposers they met with were the Anabaptists who I have shew'd were silenc'd by the Society th en the demure Quaker put in for his share tho' to as little purpose and among the Opposers I must not forget tho' one of the most inconsiderable was the Vindicator of Mr. Iones on the subject of Usury But all these were upon particular Controversies and made Enemies by their being disoblig'd because the Society wou'd not Complement them so far as to subscribe to their Opinions But on the first of February I find in the Advertisement of the Athenian Mercury that some body else set up a Paper interfereing with their Design but it seems that the Author of that Paper became soon sensible of the Injustice of his undertaking and therefore was not asham'd in a public manner to acknowledge his Error for I find in the fifth Mercury of the sixth Volume a Letter from him to the Gentlemen of the Athenian Society which I shall transcribe To the Gentlemen of the Athenian Society BEing at length convinc'd that the Design I was lately engag'd iâ—… did not reach up to that Morality I aim at I thought my self oblig'd to desire you to insert this short Letter in your Mercury to satisfie the World of the Injustice as well as fruitless endeavour of such an undertaking If a breach of the Golden Rule may be term'd Injustice this must be so since I believe no Man that is the first Designer of any thing which by his Industry alone has turn'd to account will say he wou'd be content to have another make use of his Project and run away with the profit of his Labors But I am perswaded the Endeavours of any to interfere with you wou'd prove in a small time of as little advantage as the Attempt deserves For the Town will not give it self the trouble of perusing both when it may meet with all in one But if the Love which the World generally has for contention shou'd give a Temporary encouragement yet the clashing and Answers and Replies from one to an other wou'd divert both from the bus'ness and end of these Mercuries when they shall be fill'd up with Reflections Errors Mistakes and Recriminations the Answers to Queries will find but small room and the impatient Querists be forc'd to wait much longer for a Solution of his Niceties which must end in the destruction of both Undertakers In the small time I have been engag'd in this affair I have had a sufficient Experience of the uneasiness of the Wits and Woud be Wits that will be at the expence of sending in their Queries One peremptorily demands an answer in a time prefixt Another will not be content barely to demand a speedy reply to a Catalogue of Queries of half a Sheet of Paper but threatens upon neglect some mighty effort of Indignation And in a little time whoever shall go upon this design will find his hands so full of Bus'ness that he must incur the dissatisfaction of his Querists for one day brings in more Work than a Month can dispose of unless instead of half a sheet of Paper he wou'd publish weekly two Twelve penny Books for 25 and 30 Queries in a day were much within the Number I in that little time receiv'd To conclude since from the beginning of Learning to this day no body started this design but your selves for the weekly diversion of the Curious I hope you may for the future enjoy the benefit of it for I am satisfy'd the profit of any other will never compensate his trouble Yours to Command c. This Letter well observes the immorality of such an attempt since 't is evident that tho the Law take not hold of it yet it is of equal guilt to the Robbing of a Man's House or shop of his Goods with which he drives his Trade for a Project of this nature is a Commodity in which Booksellers deal and tho' it evades the Penalty that is laid on those of that Trade that shall print another Man's Copy yet it has nothing to justify it self but Impunity like several other Mischiefs which the Law has not yet provided against this will appear a little plainer by a comparison Our Laws have provided a greater punishment for those that counterfeit our English Coin than for such who do the same to any Foreign Money yet certainly no man that will pretend to thought will thence conclude that therefore the Cheat is less in one than the other since the Injustice that
Impartiality in the World and constantly without omitting any thing worth taking notice of 't is no wonder that so few were found void so much of Sense as to buy their trifles the more pardonable indeed for being so very short when they might have a view of all that was valuable in them in the Athenian Mercury and that too with great Additions So may they thrive who interfere with an others design I must not here among the other Oppositions they have met with forget the Endeavours of their Enemies to cast an Imputation of Fanaticism on the Members of this SOCIETY But it is so evident from what they have writ that they are of the Church of England that blind Malice it self cannot deny it I shall trespass so much on â—…he patience of the Reader for once to prove that the Sun shines at noon day or that there is such a thing as Motion or at least that this Religion of this Society is of the Church of England as by Law establishd tho' out of many I will choose but two places the first ' Volume 3d. Number 28. and Quest. 4. The Query is this What Community in your opinion comes nearest to the Doctrine of our Blessed Saviour the Apostles and Primitive Fathers The Answer is Undoubtedly it is our Opinion that the Communion we our selves are of and hope to live and die in namely that of the Church of England is the best in the World and nearest to the Doctrine of our Saviour his Apostles and Primitive Fathers and unless we thought so we shou'd be very ill Men to continue in it I desire the Reader wou'd consult this place I have quoted where he will find evident beyond evasion the distinctive Medium betwixt Popery and other Protestant opinions particularly as to the Liturgy and Episcopacy c. at large set down which were too long for me to transcribe here Number 25. of the same Volume Quest. 4. is a farther Confirmation of this The Query is I desire your Opinion what Book you wou'd advise me to for my private Devotions as being a single Person Pray Reader mind well the Answer Answ. What so many great and good Men have been concern'd in the Composing of viz. The LITURGY of the Church of ENGLAND if the Labours of one Man then Dr. Taylor 's Composures The Whole Duty of Man This I am sure is enough to convince any reasonable Man of what Church the Members of this Society are 'T was no impollitic part how dishonest soever it were of their opposers to cast an Odium upon them in the Affairs of Religion since too many are carry'd away with a VIOLENT PREIUDICE against any thing that shall be offer'd by one of an other perswasion thinking to supply all their other defects by a blind and unreasonable Zeal But as the Oppositions this Noble design met with were many as appears from what I have said so were the Encouragements too from all parts of England Some parts beyond Sea and from great and learned Men as is evident from the Gentleman I lately mention'd who has join'd himself to them on the account of the Natural Rarities and that worthy Divine mention'd in the beginning of this last part so skilful in Rabinical Learning nor is that less which the Approbation of the ingenious Gentlemen of Received Wit and Reputation have given them in the Verses prefixt to this History nor must I omit the Judgment of a very ingenious Gentleman which he sent in a Letter to the ATHENIAN SOCIETY which being now in the Press I got a sight of It begins thus Gentlemen I happâ—…n'd to read that sheet of your ATHENIAN MERCURY in which you resolv'd a Query concerning some Actions of â—…RUT ES that resemble Reason your Discourse there was so very acute and solid that it envited me to peruse divers others which without flattery gave me that esteem for you that I resolv'd to lend my best assistance to render your Endeavours beneficial to the World which I ought to suppose is the Mark you Aim at I look on your Undertaking as one of the most laudable Projects our Age has invented and if prudently manag'd the most conducing to improve Knowledge in the generality of Mankind according to their several Capacities after this he proceeds to some very good advice for which I refer you to the 12. Numbers which compleat the 6th Volume besides 〈◊〉 general and encreasing Applause of all the Nation all 〈◊〉 together has made them surmount all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotent Endeavours of their past and present 〈◊〉 and fixt them beyond the power of those 〈◊〉 â—…OODING ENVT shall produce hereafter Having thus run through all the points I propos'd to my self upon my resolution of Writing of this History with a much greater brevity I confess than what the well handling a Subject of this extent 〈◊〉 I shall here conclude with a short View of what I have done In the first part I have represented the NOVELTY occasion and manner of its Invention the Advantages it afforded the World as the making that familiar to many which was before confin'd within too narrow a compass and recommending the beauty of Knowledge to them who were frightned from it by the Mercenary Schools whereas its easie Charms in the Athenian Dress will excite many to the study of Wisdom they at least whose necessary Business will not permit a more tedious Disquisition may gather good notions of things by a meer cursory reading of the weekly Mercuries which will be no small improvement of Civility and Conversation Farther I shew'd that it was unreasonable that they to whom Nature had given a noble Genius should be denied when grown up the improvement of it without the tedious Discipline of the School because their Parents had neglected or their Circumstances hinder'd it when young that they who naturally slight Learning will do so still since this Design is to improve not alter Nature that it were an Injustice that they who value it should be deprived of it because confin'd to Languages Nor is it reasonable that a Pedant should esteem himself above others for one without the other I shall only add here to these Considerations that whereas this was begun in War tho' Peace is generally the Mother of new Arts and Sciences so it has several Advantages proper to the Temper and Exigencies of such a hurrying and martial time when Arms and Stratagems take up too much of our hours to permit us to spend many in the Enquiries into Truth and all sorts of Learning by the perusal of voluminous Tracts Nor did I forget the Difficulties which presented themselves to the Members of the Society to hinder their engaging in this Affair first as to answering all Quaeries well and to the satisfaction of those that pretend to follow Reason for their Rule all Sciences being so very dâ—…iputable as also from the Envy and Malice of others and lastly from the different Humors of the Quaerists Nor