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whereas, in the Ages preceding, it had most commonly been deliver’d in a poetical, fabulous, and obscure manner.
The Writings of the Authors cotemporary with him, are now in a manner all loft; nor have we any Account of them, but at fecond hand, from fuch as liv’d long after. Experience daily teaches us, that the greateft Part of Mankind are inclin’d, by a certain natural mean Envy, to detradl from the Praife of others, and efpecially of thofe who are the moft illuftrious,- by malicious or falfe Afperfions, whilft many others are induc’d, through Stupidity and Ignorance, to imagine and believe fiich Aspersions true, altho’ they are without Foundation, and absurd. It is alfo obfervable, that obfcure and allegorical Expreflions are always liable to be interpreted according to the literal Meaning of the Words, and in a manner very different from the Intention of the Author.
Hence it is, that in the Courfe of so many Ages, the History of Pythagoras is
