I might mention also upon this occasion another Genius and Disposition in Men, which often makes them improper for Philosophical Contemplations; not so much, it may be, from the Narrowness of their Spirit and Understanding, as because they will not take Time to extend them. I mean Men of Wit and Parts, but of short Thoughts and little Meditation, and that are apt to distrust every Thing for a Fancy or Fiction that is not the Dictate of Sense, or made out immediately to their Senses. Men of this Humour and Character call such Theories as these philosophick Romances, and think themselves witty in the Expression; they allow them to be pretty Amusements of the Mind, but without Truth or Reality. I am afraid if an Angel should write the Theory of the Earth, they would pass the same Judgment upon it; where there is Variety of Parts in a due Contexture, with something of surprizing Aptness in the Harmony and Correspondency of them, this they call a Romance; but such Romances must all Theories of Nature and of Providence be, and must have every Part of that Character with Advantage, if they be well represented. There is in them, as I may so say, a _Plot_ or _Mystery_ pursued thro’ the whole Work, and certain grand Issues or Events upon which the rest depend, or to which they are subordinate; but these Things we do not make or contrive our selves, but find and discover them, being made already by the great Author and Governor of the Universe: And when they are clearly discover’d, well digested, and well reason’d in every Part, there is, methinks, more of Beauty in such a Theory, at least a more masculine Beauty, than in any Poem or Romance; and that solid Truth that is at the Bottom gives a Satisfaction to the Mind, that it can never have from any Fiction how artificial soever it be. To enter no further upon this Matter, ’tis enough to observe, that when we make Judgments and Censures upon general Presumptions and Prejudices, they are made rather from the Temper and Model of our own Spirits, than from Reason; and therefore, if we would neither impose upon our selves, nor others, we must lay aside that lazy and fallacious Method of censuring by the Lump, and must bring things close to the Test of _True_ or _False_, to explicit Proof and Evidence; and whosoever makes such Objections against an _Hypothesis_, hath a Right to be heard, let his Temper and Genius be what it will. Neither do we intend that any thing we have said here should be understood in another Sense.