Page:Lettersconcerni01conggoog.djvu/142

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
the English Nation.
117

Phyſician and Surgeon who attended him in his laſt Moments.

We may admire Sir Iſaac Newton on this Occaſion, but then we muſt not cenſure Des Cartes.

The Opinion that generally prevails in England with regard to theſe new Philoſophers is, that the latter was a Dreamer, and the former a Sage.

Very few People in England read Deſcartes, whofe Works indeed are now uſeleſs. On the other Side, but a ſmall Number peruſe thoſe of Sir Iſaac, becauſe to do this the Student muſt be deeply ſkill'd in the Mathematicks, otherwiſe thoſe Works will be unintelligible to him. But notwithſtanding this, theſe great Men are the Subjeſt of every One's Diſcourſe. Sir Iſaac Newton is allow'd every Advantage, whilſt Des Cartes is not indulg'd a ſingle one. According to ſome, 'tis to the former that we owe the Diſcovery of a Vacuum, that the Air is a heavy Body, and the Invention of Teleſcopes. In a Word, Sir Iſaac Newton is here as the Hercules of fabulous Story, to whom the Ignorant

I 3
aſcrib'd