Sir,
I Perceive by what you intimate, that your Friends, Dr. W. and Mr. N. think it very strange, that I, whom they are pleas’d to look upon as a diligent Cultivater of Experimental Philosophy, should be a concern’d Embracer of the Christian Religion; tho’ divers of its Articles are so far from being Objects of Sense, that they are thought to be above the Sphere of Reason. But, tho’ I presume they may find many Objects of the like wonder, among those with whom I am compriz’d by them, under the name of the New Virtuosi; and among These, they may meet with divers persons more able than I, to ease them of their wonder; yet, since they are pleas’d by singling me out, as it were to challenge me to do it, I shall endeavour to make them think it at least less strange, That a great Esteem of Experience, and a high Veneration for Religion, should be compatible in the same person. Wherefore I shall not deny, that I am now and then busied in devising, and putting in practice, Tryals of several sorts, and making Reflections upon them: And I own too, that (about natural things) I have a great Reverence for Experience, in comparison of Authority. But withal, I declare, that to embrace Christianity, I do not think I need to recede from the value and kindness I have for Experimental Philosophy, any thing near so far as your Friends seem to imagin. And I hope it will appear, that, If the Experimental way of Philosophising I am addicted to, have any things in it that indispose a man to assent to the Truth, and live according to the Laws, of the Christian Religion; those few things are more than countervail’d by the peculiar Advantages, that it affords a Man of a well-dispos’d mind, towards the being a good Christian.
I said, a man of a well-dispos’d mind; that is, one, that is both docile, and inclin’d to make pious applications of the Truths he discovers; because such a Qualification of Mind, I hope, God, through his Goodness, has vouchsaf’d me; and the occasion given by your friends to the following Discourse, relating peculiarly to me, a personal account of my Opinions, and reasons of them, ought to suffice. And ‘twill be ex abundanti, (as they speak,) if my Discourse be found, as it often will be, to extend much farther. Which Reflection, I desire you would frequently have in your thoughts, to prevent mistaking the Design of the following Epistle.
I doubt not, but the Popular Prejudices, that I perceive your two Friends, among many other more devout than well-inform’d Persons, have entertain’d, will make them think, that what I have now deliver’d needs good proof, and perhaps better than it is capable of. And therefore I hope you will easily allow me the liberty, I am going to take, of briefly premising some things, to clear the way for the principal Points, design’d to be discours’d of in this Letter.
I know you need not be told, that the Philosophy· which is most in request among the modern Virtuosi, and which by some is call’d the New, by others the Corpuscularian, by others the Real, by others (tho’ not so properly) the Atomical, and by others again the Cartesian, or the Mechanical, Philosophy; is built upon two foundations, Reason and Experience. But it may not be impertinent to observe to you, that although the Peripatetick, and some other Philosophies, do also pretend to be grounded upon Reason and Experience; yet there is a great difference betwixt the use that is made of these two Principles, by the School-Philosophers, and by the Virtuosi. For those, in the framing of their System, make but little use of Experience; contenting themselves for the most part to employ but few and obvious Experiments, and vulgar Traditions, usually Uncertain, and oftentimes False; and superstructing almost their whole Physicks upon Abstracted Reason; by which, I mean, The rational Faculty endowed but with its own Congenit or Common Notions and Idea’s, and with Popular Notices; that is, such as are common among men, especially those that are any thing Learned. But now, the Virtuosi I speak of, and by whom, in this whole Discourse, I mean those, that Understand and Cultivate Experimental Philosophy, make a much greater and better use of Experience in their Philosophical Researches. For they consult Experience both frequently and heedfully; and, not content with the Phaenomena that Nature spontaneously affords them, they are solicitous, when they find it needful, to enlarge their Experience by Tryals purposely devis’d; and ever and anon Reflecting upon it, they are careful to Conform their Opinions to it; or, if there be just cause, Reform their Opinions by it. So that our Virtuosi have a peculiar Right to the distinguishing Title that is often given them, of Experimental Philosophers.