13. AS these things set forth the great absurdity of proceeding in philosophy on conjectures, by informing us how far the operations of nature are above our low conceptions; so on the other hand, such instances of success from a more judicious method shew us, that our bountiful maker has not left us wholly without means of delighting our selves in the contemplation of his wisdom. That by a just way of inquiry into nature, we could not fail of arriving at discoveries very remote from our apprehensions; the Lord ~BACON~ himself argues from the experience of mankind. If, says he, the force of guns should be described to any one ignorant of them, by their effects only, he might reasonably suppose, that those engines of destruction were only a more artificial composition, than he knew, of wheels and other mechanical powers: but it could never enter his thoughts, that their immense force should be owing to a peculiar substance, which would enkindle into so violent an explosion, as we experience in gunpowder: since he would no where see the least example of any such operation; except perhaps in earthquakes and thunder, which he would doubtless look upon as exalted powers of nature, greatly surpassing any art of man to imitate. In the same manner, if a stranger to the original of silk were shewn a garment made of it, he would be very far from imagining so strong a substance to be spun out of the bowels of a small worm; but must certainly believe it either a vegetable substance, like flax or cotton; or the natural covering of some animal, as wool is of sheep. Or had we been told, before the invention of the magnetic needle among us, that another people was in possession of a certain contrivance, by which they were inabled to discover the position of the heavens, with vastly more ease, than we could do; what could have been imagined more, than that they were provided with some fitter astronomical instrument for this purpose than we? That any stone should have so amazing a property, as we find in the magnet, must have been the remotest from our thoughts[33]. 14. BUT what surprizing advancements in the knowledge of nature may be made by pursuing the true course in philosophical inquiries; when those searches are conducted by a genius equal to so divine a work, will be best understood by considering Sir ~ISAAC NEWTON~ discoveries. That my’s reader may apprehend as just a notion of these, as can be conveyed to him, by the brief account, which I intend to lay before him; I have set apart this introduction for explaining, in the fullest manner I am able, the principles, whereon Sir ~ISAAC NEWTON~ proceeds. For without a clear conception of these, it is impossible to form any true idea of the singular excellence of the inventions of this great philosopher.