Men in general; to the Christian Religion, to the Church of England; to all Manual Trades; to Physic; to the Nobility, and Gentry; and the Universal Interest of the whole Kingdom.
In all which Particulars, I hope I shall represent this Model, to be inoffensive to all the various ways of living, already in use: and thereby I shall secure all the ancient Proprietors in their Rights: A work as necessary to be done, in raising a new Philosophy, as we see it is in building a new London.
Sect. II. Experiments will not injure Education.The First prejudice I am to wipe away, concerns the usual ways of Education. For it is an obvious doubt, whether so great a change in Works, and Opinions, may not have some fatal consequence, on all the former Methods of Teaching, which have been long settled, and approv'd by much Custom. And here many Good Men of severe, and ancient manners, may seem to have reason, when they urge against us; that the Courses of Training up of Youth, ought to be still the same; that if they be subverted, or multiply'd, much confusion will follow; and that this our universal Inquiry into things hitherto unquestion'd, can never be made, without disturbing such establish'd Rules of Discipline, and Instruction.
For a General Answer to this, it might suffice to declare, that in this Institution, Men are not ingag'd in these Studies, till the Course of Education be fully compleated: that the Art of Experiments is not thrust into the hands of Boys, or set up to be perform'd by Beginners in the School; but in an Assembly of Men of Ripe years: who while they begin a new Method of Knowledge, which shall consist of Works, and is therefore most proper for Men: