collected in the _Spring_, dried in a Shade, or in proper Furnaces, and preserved in pretty large Vessels, close stopped, in order to prevent the free Access of the Air." If any one should find fault with me for describing _Tea_, both as an Herb, and as a Kind of Copse, or small Shrub; I can vindicate myself, by desiring him to compare each of these Descriptions with the different Accounts given by all the before-cited Authors, whose Veracity cannot be called in Question. But, perhaps, it may be objected, that _Bontius_ asserts, that _Tea_ is an Herb, and describes it as such, and consequently, that I corrupt what I intended to correct, which happened to _Epicurus_, attempting to rectify the Doctrines of _Democritus_: I answer, that _Bontius_, through an Affectation of laconic Brevity, darkened his Description of _Tea_, by comparing its Leaves, which are crenated, to those of the _Daisy_, which have small Incisions: Whereas, he might, with more Justice, have compared them to the Leaves of any Shrub, or Copse: But the Reader will, possibly, condemn me for _Pyrrhonism_, or _Scepticism_, and upbraid me with treating of Things, without coming to any fixed and final Conclusion. But, in answer to this Charge, I affirm, in the Words of _Vossius de Sect. Philosoph. Cap._ 20. "That _Scepticism_ is not absolutely to be condemned; since, though many Things are certain, yet far more are uncertain; and these latter combined and interwoven with the former, impose on the Mind by their Similitude to Truth; so that it is necessary to use all Diligence in distinguishing Truth from Error." _Cicero_, in _Lib. 1. de Natur. Deor._ professes himself of the same Opinion: "I am none of those, _says he_, to whom nothing appears true; but I affirm, that Truth and Falshood are sometimes so intimately mixed, and bear so near a Resemblance to each other, that there is hardly any Criterion for distinguishing them." But, leaving all dubious Ratiocinations, we shall now declare our Sentiments in an explicit Manner, and come to a fixed and determinate Conclusion. For this Purpose, let us compare the Descriptions which _Dodonæus_ gives us of the Herb _Betony_, and of the Shrub _Chamelæagnus_, with those two I have given of the _Chinese Tea_: I am then intirely free from Partiality, when I think that the Properties ascribed to these two, especially to the _Chamelæagnus_, exactly agree to the _Chinese Tea_; nor, considering how far I am advanced in Years, do I care how much I may be ridiculed for maintaining such an Opinion, since I have long ago formed my Mind upon those noble and exalted Sentiments, which _Epictetus_, in _Enchirid. Cap. 29._ expresses in the following beautiful Manner: "If thou inclinest to commence the Study of Wisdom and Virtue, thou must forthwith prepare thyself for future Reproach and Contempt, since many will hiss thee, upbraid thee with becoming a Philosopher all on a sudden, and sneeringly ask