Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana, or, A fabrick of science natural, upon the hypothesis of atoms founded by Epicurus repaired [by] Petrus Gassendus ; augmented [by] Walter Charleton ...

SECT. I.

IF we look back into the Monuments or Remains of Antiquitie,* 1.1 we shall observe as many several SECTS of Philosophers, as were the Olym∣piads in which Greece wore the Imperial Diadem of Letters; nay, perhaps, as many as she contained Academies, and publike Professors of Arts and Sciences: Each Ma∣ster affecting to be reputed the principal Secretary of Nature; and his Disciples (their minds be∣ing deeply imbued with his princi∣ples) admiring him as the Grand Oracle of Divinitie, and the infallible Dictator of Scientifical Maxims. The chiefest, most diffused, and most memorable of these Sects, were the Pythagorean, the Stoick, the Platonist, the Academick, the Peripate∣tick, the Epicurean, and what, derided all the rest, the Pyrrhonian, or Sceptick; which feircely contended for the Laurel, by subtle disputati∣ons on the side of absolute Ignorance, and aspired to the Monarchy of Wisdom, by detecting the vanitie and incertitude of all Natural Sci∣ence. As for the Megarick, Eretrick, Cyreniack, Annicerian Theodorian, Cynick, Eliack, Dialectick, and others less famous; Diogenes Laertius, (de vita Philosophor.) hath preserved not only a faithful Catalogue of them, but hath also recorded their originals, declinations, periods, opinions.

* 1.2If we enquire into the Modern state of Learning, down even to our present age, we cannot but find not only the same Sects revived, but al∣so many more New ones sprung up: as if Opinion were what mysterious Poets intended by their imaginary Hydra; no sooner hath the sword of Time cut off one head, but there grows up two in the place of it; or, as if the vicissitudes of Corruption and Generation were in common as well to Philosophy, as the subject of it, Nature. Insomuch as that Adage, which was principally accommodated and restrained to express the infinite dissention of Vulgar and Unexamining Heads, Tot sententiae quot homines; may now justly be extended also to the Scholiarchs and professed enquirers into the Unitie of Truth. To enumerate all these Modern dissenting Doctors (the most modest of all which hath not blushed to hear his pedantique Disciples salute him with the magni∣ficent Attributes of a Despot in Physiologie, and the only Cynosure by which the benighted reason of man may hope to be conducted over the vertiginous Ocean of Error, to the Cape of Veritie) is neither useful to our Reader, nor advantageous or pertinent to our present Design. But, to reduce them to four General Orders, or range them into four principal Classes; as it may in some latitude of interest, concern the satisfaction of those who are less conversant among Books: so can it in no wise affront the patience of those, whose studies have already acquainted them with the several kinds of Philosophy now in esteem.

* 1.31 Some there are (and those not a few) who in the minority of their Understandings, and while their judgments are yet flexible by the weak fingers of meer Plausibilitie, and their memories like Virgin wax, apt to retain the impression of any opinion that is presented under the specious disguise of Verisimilitie only; become constant admirers of the first Au∣thor, that pleaseth them, and will never after suffer themselves to be di∣vorced from his principles, or to be made Proselytes to Truth; but make it the most serious business of their lives to propugne their Tutors authoritie, defend even his very errors, and excogitate specious subter∣fuges against those, who have with solid Arguments and Apodic••ical reasons, clearly refuted him. These stifle their own native habilities for disquisition, believe all, examine nothing; and, as if the Lamp of their own Reason were lent them by their Creator for no use at all, resign up their judgments to the implicite manuduction of some other; and all the perfection they aim at, is to be able to compose unnecessary, and perhaps erroneous Commentaries upon their Masters text. This easie Sect may, without much either of incongruitie or scandal, be named Secta 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the FEMAL Sect; because as women constantly retain their best affections for those who untied their Virgin Zone; so these will ne∣ver be alienated from immoderately affecting those Authors who had the Maiden▪ head of their minds. The chiefest Chair in this Classis ought to be consigned to our Iunior Aristoteleans, who villifie and despise all doctrine, but that of the Stagirite, and confidently measure all mens deviations from truth, by their recessions from his dictates. This we say not to derogate from the honour due to so great a Clerk; for we hold it our duty to pay him as large a tribute of Veneration, as any man that ever read his excellent Writings, without prejudice, and esteem him as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the greatest and brightest stars in the sphere of Learning; nay we dare assert, that He was the Centre in which all the choicest spe∣culations

and observations of his Praedecessors were united, to make up as complete abody of Natural Science, as the brain of any one single person, wanting the illumination of Sacred Writ, seems capable of, in this life of obscuritie: and that He hath won the Garland from all, who have laboured to invent and praescribe a general Method for the regu∣lation and conduct of mens Cogitations and Conceptions. But, that I am not yet convicted, that his judgment was superior to mistake; that his Writings, in many places more then obscure, can well be interpreted by those who have never perused the Moniments of other Ancients; nor, that it can consist with Ingenuity to institute a Sacrament in Philosophy, (i. e.) to vow implicite vassalage to the Authoritie of any man, whose maxims were desumed from no other Oracle, but that of Natural Reason only; and to arrest all Curiositie, Disquisition, or Dubitation, with a meer 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Hither may we refer also the patient Interpreters of Scotus; the vain Ido∣laters of Raimund Lully; but, above all, the stupid admirers of that Fana∣tick Drunkard, Paracelsus. In whose whole life, the only Rarities any so∣ber man can discover were his Fortune, and his Impudence. His Fortune, in that he being an absolute bankrupt in merit, could be trusted with so large a stock of Fame: his Impudence, in that, being wholly illiterate (for in stead of refining, He much corrupted his mother-tongue) He should praetend to subvert the Fundamentals of Aristotle and Galen, to reform the Common-weal of Learning, consummate the Arts and Sciences, write Commentaries on the Evangelists, and enrich the world with Pansophy in Aphorisms.

(2) Others there are (and those too few) whose brests being filled with true Promethean fire, and their minds of a more generous temper,* 1.4 scorn to submit to the dishonourable tyranny of that Usurper, Autority, and will admit of no Monarchy in Philosophy, besides that of Truth. These ponder the Reasons of all, but the Reputation of none; and then conform their assent, when the Arguments are nervous and convincing; not when they are urged by one, whose Name is inscribed in Golden Characters in the Legend of Fame. This Order well deserves the Epithite, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and therefore we shall Christen it, The Order of the ASSER∣TORS OF PHILOSOPHICAL LIBERTY; in re∣gard, they vindicate the native privilege of our Intellectuals, from the base villenage of Praescription. Of this Order, Gratitude it self doth ob∣lige us to account the Heroical Tycho Brahe, the subtle Kepler, the most acute Galilaeus, the profound Scheinerus, the miraculous because universal∣ly learned Kircherus, the most perspicacious Harvey, and the Epitome of all, Des Cartes. In honour of each of these Hero's, we could wish (if the con∣stitution of our Times would bear it) a Colossus of Gold were erected at the publick charge of Students; and under each this inscription:

Amicus Plato, amicus Aristoteles, magis amica veritas.

(3) The third Classis is possessed by such, who,* 1.5 without either totally neglecting or undervaluing the Inventions and Augmentations of the Mo∣dern; addict themselves principally to research the Moniments of the Ancients, and dig for truth in the rubbish of the Grecian Patriarchs. These are the noblest sort of Chymists, who labour to reform those once-excellent Flowers out of their Ashes: worthy Geometricians, that give us the true

dimensions of those Giant Wits, by the measure of their Feet: and ge∣nuine ••ons of Aesculapius, who can revive those, whom the fleet chariot of Time hath dragg'd to pieces, and recompose their scattered fragments into large and complete bodies of Physiologie. The Course of these Worthies in their studies doth denominate them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, RENOVATORS.

For, being of opinion, that Philosophy as well as Nature doth conti∣nually decline, that this is the Dotage of the World, and that the minds of men do suffer a sensible decay of clarity and simplicity; they reflect their thoughts upon the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Epoche of Physical Writings, ransack the urns of Athens to find out the medal of some grave Philosopher, and then with invincible industry polish off the rust, which the vitriolate dampness of Time had superinduced; that so they may render him to the greedy eyes of Po∣sterity in his primitive splendor and integrity. The uppermost seats in this infinitely-deserving Classis justly belong to Marcilius Ficinus, who from many mouldy and worm-eaten Transcripts hath collected, and interpreted the semidivine Labors of Plato: to Copernicus, who hath rescued from the jawes of oblivion, the almost extinct Astrology of Samius Aristarchus: to Lucretius, who hath retrived the lost Physiologie of Empedocles: to Magne∣nus, who hath lately raised up the reverend Ghost of Democritus: to Mersen∣nus, who hath not only explained many Problems of Archimed; but reno∣vated the obsolete Magick of Numbers, and charmed the most judicious ears of Musitians, with chiming Pythagoras Hammers, in an Arithmetick Harmony: and to the greatest Antiquary among them, the immortal Gas∣sendus; who, out of a few obscure and immethodical pieces of him, scattered upon the rhapsodies of Plutarch and Diogenes Laertius, hath built up the despised Epicurus again, into one of the most profound, temperate, and voluminous among Philosophers.

Our Fourth Classis is to be made up of those, who indeed adore no Au∣thority,* 1.6 pay a reverend esteem, but no implicite Adherence to Antiquity, nor erect any Fabrick of Natural Science upon Foundations of their own laying: but, reading all with the same constant Indifference, and aequani∣mity, select out of each of the other Sects, whatever of Method, Princi∣ples, Positions, Maxims, Examples, &c. seems in their impartial judg∣ments, most consentaneous to Verity; and on the contrary, refuse, and, as occasion requires, elenchically refute what will not endure the Test of either right Reason, or faithful Experiment. This Sect we may call (as Potamon Alexandrinus, quoted by Diogenes Laertius, long before us) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the ELECTING, because they cull and select out of all others, what they most approve.

Herein are Chairs provided for those Worthies, Fernelius, Sennertus, and most of the junior Patriots and Advancers of our Art. And the low∣est room, we ask leave to reserve for our selves. For▪ we profess our selves to be of his perswasion, who saith; Ego quidem arbitror, re diu perpensâ, nullius unquam scientiam fore absolutam, quin Empedoclem, Platonem, Ari∣stotelem, Anaxagoram, Democritum adjungat Recentioribus, & ab un••quoque quod verum est, rejectis falsis, eligat. His enim Principibus peculi••ri ratione Coeleste Lumen affulsit: & quamvis Corporis imbecilitate multa corruperint; plurima tamen, quae Fidei lumine discernimus, scripsêre verissima He can never make a good Chymist, who is not already an excellent Galenist, is proverbial among us Physicians: and as worthy the reputation of a Pro∣verb is it among Professors in Universities▪ He can never clearly understand

the Moderns, who remains ignorant of the doctrines of the Antients. Here to declare our selves of this Order, though it be no dishonour, may yet be censured as superfluous: since not only those Exercises of our Pen, which have formerly dispersed themselves into the hands of the Learned, have already proclaimed as much; but even this praesent Tractate must soon discover it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Art. 1. The principal Sects of the ancient Greci∣an Philoso∣phers, only e∣numerated.
• * 1.2

  Art. 2. The same re∣vived among the Moderns, with en••rease.
• * 1.3

  Art 3. Who are re∣duced either to the Pedan∣tique or Fe∣male Sect.
• * 1.4

  Art. 4. Or, to the As∣sertors of Philo∣so••hical Liberty▪
• * 1.5

  Art. 5. Or, to the Renov••tors.
• * 1.6

  Art. 6. Or to the Electors.