By these degrees and rules of protraction, without any considerable trouble did he come to a ripe and early knowledge, and was able to write Man, long before the perfect date of his childhood was expired, and was fitter to have been received into an University, before he came thither, then some that had sweat and toiled under a degree there; into which place he was received with such approbation, as if he had come warranted under the discipline of a Seneca, or a Cato: and it ⟨p. 104⟩might well be so, since he never went without the Testimonials of Demosthenes and Cicero in his company. The Academy looked upon him, not only as one of her natural, but most legitimate children, and it could be no lessening of his interest in your family, that he thought himself most at home, when he was most from you; He was made up of so gentle, and composed a temper, as that he would not commit a force upon his learning, neither needed he to take in the ⟨p. 105⟩Arts and Sciences by storm or violence, which came in most willingly, as it were, to sow themselves in a piece of ground so manured and tilled, to their receiving, in hopes thereby, in so dry and barren a time, to receive a profitable return, by a more fruitful and plentiful Harvest. Wherein they were not at all mistaken, for it was inconsistent with his generosity, to continue long indebted under the obligation of so ingenuous and free a bounty: Nature was no ⟨p. 106⟩more beholding to Aristotle, then Aristotle was to him; whose exploded language and Philosophy had never been repealed, but by so perfect a scholar of his own; and it was more news, and welcomer, to hear him dispute upon him out of the Original, then ever the Original was without such a Commentor. By his care were the Ethics made more intelligible, and by his life a more moral Philosophy: He taught the Geographer a nearer way to his journeys ⟨p. 107⟩end, and could have showed him, not only where his terra incognita was, but how to have possest it also: He was Master of so profound a Reason, that he was a Logician without Art, and was so addicted to the seeking and dispensing of the truth, that he made conscience of using a fallacy in his Arguments.
By these degrees and rules of protraction, without any considerable ttouble did he come to a ripe and early knowledge, and was able to write Man, long before the perfect date of his childhood was expired, and was fitter to have been received into an University, before he came thither, then some that had sweat and toiled under a degree there; into which place he was received with such approbation, as if he had come warranted under the discipline of a Seneca, or a Cato: and it ⟨p. 104⟩might well be so, since he never went wirhout the Testimonials of Demosthenes and Cicero in his company. The Academy look't upon him, not only as one of her natural, but most legitimate children, and it could be no lessening of his interest in your family, that he thought himself most at home, when he was most from you; He was made up of so gentle, and compos'd a temper, as that he would not commit a force upon his learning, neither needed he to take in the ⟨p. 105⟩Arts and Sciences by storme or violence, which came in most willingly, as it were, to sowe themselves in a piece of ground so manur'd and till'd, to their receiving, in hopes thereby, in so dry and barren a time, to receive a profitable return, by a more fruitful and plentiful Harvest. Wherein they were not at all mistaken, for it was inconsistent with his generosity, to continue long indebted under the obligation of so ingenuous and free a bounty: Nature was no ⟨p. 106⟩more beholding to Aristotle, then Aristotle was to him; whose exploded language and Philosophy had never been repealed, but by so perfect a scholar of his own; and it was more newes, and welcomer, to hear him dispute upon him out of the Original, then ever the Original was without such a Commentor. By his care were the Ethicks made more intelligible, and by his life a more moral Philosophy: He taught the Geographer a nearer way to his journeys ⟨p. 107⟩end, and could have shewed him, not only where his terra incognita was, but how to have possest it also: He was Master of so profound a Reason, that he was a Logician without Art, and was so addicted to the seeking and dispensing of the truth, that he made conscience of using a fallacy in his Arguments.
