Foscarini, Paolo Antonio
,
An epistle to fantoni
,
1661
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ſeems) not onely to Phyſical Reaſons, and Common Principles
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received on all hands (which cannot do ſo much harm) but alſo
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(which would be of far worſe conſequence) to many Authori
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ties of ſacred Scripture: Upon which account many at their
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firſt looking into it, explode it as the moſt fond Paradox and
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Monſtrous
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Capriccio
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that ever was heard of. </
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>Which thing pro
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ceeds only from an antiquated and long confirmed Cuſtome,
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which hath ſo hardened men in, and habituated them to Vul
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gar, Plauſible, and for that cauſe by all men (aſwell learned as
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unlearned) Approved Opinions, that they cannot be removed
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one ſtep from them: So great is the force of Cuſtome (which
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not unfitly is ſtiled a ſecond Nature) prevailing over the whole
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World, that touching things men are rather pleaſed with, de
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lighted in, and deſirous of thoſe, which, though evil and obnox
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ious, are by uſe made familiar to them, than ſuch, wherewith,
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though better, they are not accuſtomed and acquainted. </
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>So in
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like manner, and that chiefly, in
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Opinions,
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which when once they
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are rooted in the Mind, men ſtart at, and reject all others
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whatſoever; not only thoſe that are contrary to, but even all
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that ever ſo little diſagree with or vary from theirs, as harſh to
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the Ear, diſcoloured to the Eye, unpleaſant to the Smell, nauſe
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ous to the Taſt, rough to the Touch. </
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>And no wonder: For
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Phyſical Truths are ordinarily judged and conſidered by men,
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not according to their Eſſence, but according to the preſcript of
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ſome one whoſe deſcription or definition of them gaines him
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Authority amongſt the vulgar. </
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>Which authority nevertheleſs
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(ſince 'tis no more than humane) ought not to be ſo eſteemed, as
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that that which doth manifeſtly appear to the contrary, whether
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from better Reaſons lately found out, or from Senſe it ſelf, ſhould
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for its ſake be contemned and ſlighted; Nor is Poſterity ſo to be
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confined, but that it may, and dares, not only proceed farther,
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but alſo bring to light better and truer Experiments than thoſe
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which have been delivered to us by the Ancients. </
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<
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>For the
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Ge
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nius's
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of the Antients, as in Inventions they did not much ſur
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paſs the Wits of our times; ſo for the perfecting of Inventions
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this Age of ours ſeems not only to equal, but far to excell former
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Ages; Knowledge, whether in the Liberal or Mechanical Arts,
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daily growing to a greater height. </
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>Which Aſſertion might be
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eaſily proved, were it not that in ſo clear a caſe, there would be
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more danger of obſcuring, than hopes of illuſtrating it with any
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farther light.</
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>But (that I may not wholly be ſilent in this point) have not the
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ſeveral Experiments of Moderns, in many things, ſtopped the
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mouth of Venerable Antiquity, and proved many of their great
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teſt and weightieſt Opinions, to be vain and falſe? </
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<
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>The Doctrine </
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