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[ 1148] Trades and occupations, the wisdom of our fore-fathers, in the invention and keeping them up.
IT is observable, that the Athenian Common-wealth prospered, so long as the People were in action and employment; but when they once tasted the pleasures of Darius Court, and brought home Persian gold, then they fell to wantonnesse, and so to nothing.* 1.1 Whilst the Assyrians did set forth themselves, they flourished; but when Sardanapalus (whom Boccace would have to be the first, that brought idle∣nesse into the world) began to invert the course of Nature, by turning daies into nights, and nights into daies, in riot and excesse, then the Commonwealth be∣gan to decline.* 1.2 And such was the condition of the Roman State, when they had vanquished the Carthage••ians. It was therefore the great prudence of our fore-fa∣thers, to find out the knowledge of the Liberall Arts and Sciences, and to institute Mechanicall Trades and Occupations, well knowing, that it is Action which gives a well-being to every living creature, that Industry hath raised the most flourishing Common-wealths out of the dirt, and Idlenesse levelled them with the dust, and brought them to nothing.