skilfully kneaded up both together, with a layer of utile, and a layer of dulce.
When I consider how exceedingly our illustrious moderns, have eclipsed the weak glimmering lights of the ancients, and turned them out of the road of all fashionable commerce, to a degree, that our choice town-wits[1], of most refined accomplishments, are in grave dispute, whether there have been ever any ancients or not: in which point, we are likely to receive wonderful satisfaction, from the most useful labours and lucubrations of that worthy modern, Dr. Bentley: I say, when I consider all this, I cannot but bewail, that no famous modern has ever yet attempted a universal system, in a small portable volume, of all things that are to be known, or believed, or imagined, or practised in life. I am however forced to acknowledge, that such an enterprize was thought on some time ago by a great philosopher of O. Brazile[2]. The method he proposed, was, by a certain curious receipt, a nostrum, which after his untimely death I found among his papers; and do here, out of my great affection to the modern learned, present them with it, not doubting it may one day encourage some worthy undertaker.
You take fair correct copies, well bound in calfskin and lettered at the back, of all modern bodies
- ↑ The learned person, here meant by our author, has been endeavouring to annihilate so many ancient writers, that, until he is pleased to stop his hand, it will be dangerous to affirm, whether there have been any ancients in the world.
- ↑ This is an imaginary island, of kin to that, which is called the Painters wives island, placed in some unknown part of the ocean, merely at the fancy of the map maker.
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