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sort_n can_v pretend_v to_o for_o nothing_o more_o true_a than_o this_o common_a word_n qui_fw-la velit_fw-la ingenio_fw-la cedere_fw-la rarus_fw-la erit_fw-la yet_o even_o those_o on_o who_o nature_n have_v bestow_v it_o most_o liberal_o be_v put_v to_o a_o stand_n and_o know_v not_o what_o to_o answer_v if_o you_o press_v they_o to_o determine_v what_o in_o realty_n it_o be_v but_o pretend_v sometime_o to_o know_v more_o than_o real_o they_o do_v and_o be_v resolve_v to_o say_v any_o thing_n rather_o than_o nothing_o they_o will_v endeavour_v to_o put_v you_o off_o with_o great_a and_o empty_a word_n splendid_a description_n tedious_a tautology_n affect_a metaphor_n and_o whatever_o may_v seem_v a_o sufficient_a veil_n to_o their_o ignorance_n what_o be_v it_o then_o we_o common_o call_v wit_n i_o confess_v i_o never_o either_o read_v or_o hear_v any_o thing_n on_o this_o subject_a that_o look_v like_o a_o satisfactory_a resolution_n of_o this_o question_n and_o perhaps_o what_o i_o 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machina_fw-la and_o beside_o no_o satisfactory_a answer_n you_o will_v i_o hope_v confess_v it_o be_v nothing_o else_o but_o a_o obscure_a and_o insignificant_a word_n invent_v only_o to_o heighten_v that_o too_o vain_a conceit_n we_o have_v of_o our_o own_o nature_n by_o depress_v that_o of_o other_o inferior_a creature_n for_o man_n consider_v the_o wonderful_a and_o most_o skilful_a and_o inimitable_a action_n of_o ape_n elephant_n swallow_n bee_n dog_n etc._n etc._n be_v loath_a to_o allow_v they_o to_o be_v endow_v with_o some_o kind_n of_o reason_n as_o if_o they_o shall_v thereby_o range_v themselves_o among_o the_o beast_n yet_o be_v force_v to_o give_v some_o account_n of_o these_o undoubted_a piece_n of_o wit_n we_o daily_o observe_v in_o that_o low_a sort_n of_o live_a creature_n they_o call_v subtle_o their_o most_o ingenious_a action_n the_o product_n not_o of_o reason_n but_o of_o instinct_n whereby_o if_o they_o understand_v nothing_o
great_a volume_n wherein_o we_o may_v read_v the_o wonderful_a effect_n of_o god_n infinite_a power_n and_o wisdom_n but_o you_o shall_v see_v no_o character_n there_o that_o express_v the_o contingency_n of_o thing_n to_o come_v and_o the_o occasional_a determination_n of_o our_o free_a wi_n for_o what_o connexion_n can_v any_o rational_a man_n imagine_v between_o the_o aspect_n of_o the_o star_n and_o a_o child_n be_v one_o day_n either_o a_o king_n or_o a_o emperor_n or_o to_o die_v such_o a_o death_n we_o know_v neither_o the_o nature_n property_n nor_o influence_n of_o the_o celestial_a body_n how_o can_v then_o a_o man_n not_o a_o mere_a fool_n presume_v to_o determine_v their_o contingent_a effect_n astronomy_n indeed_o be_v somewhat_o better_o ground_v but_o how_o many_o thing_n be_v we_o yet_o here_o ignorant_a of_o the_o quantity_n of_o the_o natural_a year_n shall_v never_o be_v exact_o determine_v because_o we_o can_v never_o know_v the_o critical_a minute_n of_o the_o 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specific_v if_o i_o chance_v to_o meet_v with_o two_o man_n i_o never_o see_v before_o i_o find_v myself_o more_o incline_v to_o serve_v the_o one_o than_o the_o other_o but_o why_o i_o be_o to_o seek_v as_o soon_o as_o the_o lamb_n come_v into_o the_o world_n it_o fly_v from_o before_o the_o wolf_n as_o from_o a_o know_a enemy_n now_o by_o what_o kind_n of_o impulse_n or_o impression_n it_o behave_v itself_o so_o rational_o i_o shall_v willing_o learn_v from_o any_o of_o the_o modern_a or_o ancient_a philosopher_n the_o strange_a effect_n of_o poison_n be_v but_o too_o well_o know_v whereof_o some_o be_v quick_a some_o be_v slow_a some_o cold_a and_o other_o hot_a but_o they_o all_o agree_v in_o this_o that_o they_o destroy_v at_o length_n the_o structure_n of_o our_o body_n i_o remember_v to_o have_v be_v present_a at_o the_o overture_n of_o a_o lady_n that_o have_v certain_o be_v poison_v which_o nevertheless_o we_o can_v not_o affirm_v by_o any_o visible_a impression_n make_v upon_o her_o inward_a part_n the_o alteration_n make_v by_o this_o subtle_a poison_n be_v quite_o insensible_a i_o be_o of_o opinion_n that_o in_o this_o life_n we_o shall_v never_o reach_v to_o a_o perfect_a knowledge_n of_o such_o odd_a piece_n of_o wonder_n let_v we_o then_o acknowledge_v that_o there_o be_v no_o true_a philosophy_n in_o the_o world_n but_o sceptisism_n not_o that_o i_o take_v sceptic_n here_o for_o man_n that_o doubt_v of_o every_o thing_n yea_o and_o of_o their_o own_o existency_n too_o for_o it_o be_v perhaps_o a_o vulgar_a error_n to_o believe_v that_o there_o be_v ever_o any_o such_o in_o the_o world_n and_o withal_o not_o mere_a fool_n i_o mean_v then_o by_o sceptic_n those_o that_o be_v come_v to_o such_o a_o pitch_n of_o knowledge_n as_o to_o doubt_v rational_o of_o every_o disputable_a matter_n because_o see_v nothing_o under_o one_o light_n only_o and_o look_v narrow_o into_o the_o reason_n of_o both_o side_n they_o discover_v but_o some_o few_o or_o more_o degree_n of_o probability_n without_o the_o very_a twilight_n of_o evidence_n sect_n viii_o the_o character_n of_o a_o great_a wit._n 1._o that_o there_o be_v few_o great_a wit_n 2._o who_o be_v not_o to_o be_v reckon_v among_o the_o great_a wit_n 3._o the_o true_a notion_n of_o a_o great_a wit._n 4._o that_o great_a wit_n be_v wary_a in_o their_o decision_n and_o not_o at_o all_o dogmatical_a 5._o the_o difference_n between_o aristotle_n and_o descartes_n 6._o thomas_n aquinas_n upon_o what_o account_n to_o be_v most_o esteem_v 1._o i_o doubt_v if_o i_o may_v not_o say_v of_o great_a wit_n what_o cicero_n say_v somewhere_o of_o great_a orator_n that_o scarce_o one_o be_v see_v in_o a_o age_n for_o as_o aristotle_n call_v little_a man_n comely_a but_o not_o beautiful_a so_o likewise_o i_o take_v the_o most_o part_n of_o those_o that_o the_o world_n admire_v most_o to_o be_v but_o jolly_a wit_n des_fw-fr esprits_fw-fr jolly_a as_o not_o thorough_o deserve_v because_o of_o some_o considerable_a deficiency_n a_o more_o honourable_a title_n or_o rather_o not_o fill_v in_o all_o sense_n what_o be_v in_o rigour_n mean_v by_o a_o great_a wit_n for_o i_o conceive_v none_o to_o be_v such_o who_o have_v receive_v but_o one_o talon_n though_o in_o a_o just_a measure_n thus_o a_o man_n may_v be_v a_o excellent_a poet_n a_o skilful_a astronomer_n a_o good_a geomatrician_n a_o subtle_a logician_n and_o yet_o unfit_a for_o all_o other_o science_n such_o a_o one_o than_o can_v be_v reckon_v but_o among_o the_o jolly_a wit_n and_o that_o be_v honour_n enough_o for_o he_o i_o do_v far_o less_o judge_v those_o to_o be_v great_a wit_n who_o understand_v nothing_o but_o what_o be_v beyond_o common_a sense_n and_o understanding_n as_o these_o metaphysical_a whymsy_n abstract_a idea_n and_o airy_a notion_n that_o fill_v the_o empty_a head_n of_o some_o speculative_a virtuoso_n neither_o can_v i_o ever_o have_v a_o great_a opinion_n of_o such_o as_o prefer_v themselves_o before_o the_o rest_n of_o the_o world_n condemn_v whatever_o flow_v not_o from_o their_o own_o pen_n or_o whatever_o be_v beyond_o the_o reach_n of_o their_o short_a capacity_n for_o this_o be_v no_o more_o than_o what_o the_o dull_a sort_n be_v equal_o capable_a of_o i_o be_o likewise_o somewhat_o out_o of_o conceit_n with_o most_o of_o our_o modern_a philosopher_n who_o will_v have_v none_o to_o be_v real_o witty_a and_o ingenious_a but_o such_o as_o understand_v perfect_o mechanism_n or_o the_o texture_n and_o structure_n of_o thing_n or_o how_o to_o knit_v weave_v and_o knead_v one_o corpuscle_n with_o another_o for_o at_o this_o rate_n apothecary_n smith_n and_o baker_n and_o the_o rest_n of_o the_o mechanical_a tribe_n be_v to_o be_v account_v true_a philosopher_n yet_o i_o ever_o conceive_v philosophy_n to_o be_v something_o beyond_o the_o reach_n of_o this_o common_a sort_n and_o will_v be_v very_o loath_a to_o become_v either_o a_o smith_n or_o a_o baker_n in_o order_n to_o gain_v the_o honourable_a name_n of_o a_o true_a philosopher_n i_o have_v a_o great_a respect_n and_o i_o be_o force_v to_o it_o by_o the_o very_a name_n for_o what_o we_o call_v in_o england_n divine_v yet_o i_o look_v not_o upon_o they_o as_o great_a wit_n because_o if_o they_o be_v good_a christian_n they_o must_v renounce_v the_o use_n of_o their_o wit_n and_o believe_v the_o most_o inconceivable_a mystery_n of_o religion_n upon_o no_o better_a ground_n than_o the_o simple_a sort_n that_o be_v upon_o the_o sure_a of_o all_o the_o authority_n of_o a_o divine_a though_o obscure_a revelation_n i_o conceive_v then_o to_o be_v short_a no_o other_o notion_n of_o a_o great_a wit_n than_o what_o sceptisism_n afford_v i_o not_o that_o i_o mean_v a_o man_n that_o doubt_v of_o every_o thing_n but_o rather_o one_o that_o can_v show_v demonstrative_o the_o incertitude_n of_o all_o disputable_a matter_n those_o of_o faith_n with_o which_o we_o meddle_v not_o lay_v aside_o the_o doubt_n of_o such_o man_n be_v not_o mere_a negative_a one_o for_o those_o be_v groundless_a but_o rational_a positive_a and_o ground_v upon_o such_o reason_n as_o may_v demonstrate_v our_o little_a capacity_n and_o insight_n into_o most_o disputable_a thing_n so_o as_o the_o great_a wit_n of_o angel_n consist_v in_o know_v the_o great_a wit_n in_o man_n consist_v in_o doubt_v whoever_o than_o after_o a_o due_a consideration_n of_o any_o difficulty_n in_o what_o subject_n soever_o see_v the_o pro_fw-la and_o the_o con_n or_o whatever_o may_v be_v find_v for_o maintain_v either_o part_n of_o the_o contradiction_n so_o clear_o that_o he_o be_v force_v to_o balance_v his_o understanding_n in_o the_o middle_n by_o a_o almost_o equal_a weight_n of_o counterpoize_a reason_n this_o man_n i_o say_v and_o no_o other_o may_v assume_v to_o himself_o without_o usurpation_n the_o name_n of_o a_o