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england_n	book_n	church_n	write_v	2,919	5	5.8866	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42744	The history of the Athenian Society for the resolving all nice and curious questions / by a gentleman who got secret intelligence of thir whole proceedings ; to which are prefixed several poems, written by Mr. Tate, Mr. Motteux, Mr. Richardson, and others.	Gildon, Charles, 1665-1724.; R. L.	1691 (1691)	Wing G730; ESTC R35698	78,195	42

to a Fault degrading both their Industry and Abilities in terming what they do as a Representation of other mens Thoughts and that all the improvement they make is only the communicating them to those that knew 'em not before But I wrong them in not transcribing their own words which are these 'T is true in some sence Nil dictum quod non dictum prius the World is Learned and we wish it were more so the finest things that can be said are little else than old Sence with a new Turn and if ye deny this all the Orators in it must stand still and neither Divines nor Lawyers get any more than our Athenian Mercury Yet still what one man knows another man does not and a diffusing Knowledg is a sort of improving of it perhaps the best way And a little after in the same Question ` Besides we are pretty confident there are very many Questions here some of moment which were never before publicly decided especially in Morality which is by far the most useful part of Knowledg And 't would be no shame for us should we own our chief aim in this design were to convey under a pleasant Dress Notions of Virtue and Honour into the Commonalty and rather make them better than wiser tho' indeed in one we do both and cannot doubt in the mean while but the curious and ingenious Spirits will seldom take up our Paper but they 'll find something or other in 't that both may divert and please them For the less candid Judges they have done all they can against it already but avail nothing the Paper still lives and is still like to do so in spight of all their ill nature and finds that reception which we will say the Design thereof deserves I have thought fit to conclude with this Quotation out of the Works of the Society because it is a Recapitulation of all that I have said both as to their Design and Performances with a short modest Vindication of both if not a prophetical Assurance of its surpassing all the Oppositions it has or may meet with The THIRD PART of the History of the Athenian Society HAving in the First Part run through the Rise and Advantages of this Society in the Second their Performances that are already extant with a much greater Brevity than the nobility and copiousness of the Subject required I shall here anticipate their future Endeavours or at least give the World a Prospect of those beneficial Efforts it will soon be blest with from the matchless Industry and Learning of the Athenan Society which when compared with what has been already seen will justly raise all mens Expectation of those yet unthought of Discoveries the successful Progress of their Labors will in time produce when such great Attempts have been aimed at and effected in so little a time after their first Rise Their Care seems to have been to provide Means for the improvement of their Knowledg as I have observed in the First Part who had not the Abilities of Purse to arive to learned Education and to purchase all those voluminous Books which treat of those several Arts and Sciences which are required to the composing a Scholar This tho' the Weekly Mercuries would in time effect yet more speedily to occurr to the Impatience of some who perhaps may be uneasie in perusing so many things which tend to the satisfaction of others to find amongst them what themselves desire the Society have taken care for the compiling a Book entituled The young Student's Library containing the Substance and Pith of all that 's valuable in most of the best Books printed in England and in the foreign Journals from the year 65 to this present time to which will be added an Introduction to the use of Books in a new Essay upon all sorts of Learning written by the Athenian Society The Proposals sufficiently shew that this Work is to be a Translation from the Universal Historical Bibliotheque the Paris Iournal des scavan●… the Acta Eruditorum Lypsiae the Giornali de Litterali and other foreign Iournals to which the Society will add what is most considerable in the Extracts made by their own Countrymen that so to use their own words by going backward as well as forward we may render our account of Books compleat The Preface to the Proposals of printing this Book shew abundantly the usefulness of it Extracts having received Encouragement from the Ingenious of all Nations ever since they have been set on foot being necessary not only for them that cannot go to the price of the Books themselves or have not time to peruse so many large Volumes but also for all the Learned who in a little time may here find the Desi●…n of every Book and some observation in the Performance from whence they may frame a Judgment what Book to buy and what not if they are not fully satisfied with it in little for the chief Force and Matter of most Books lies in a little compass the ornamental parts of Language generally making up the bulk But I shall give you a concise account of this Book from Mr. De la Crose's Works of the Learned who having been formerly an Antagonist with the Society on account of Extracts may reasonably be supposed not to flatter any of their Performances especially in that kind His words are these in his Book for Ianuary 1692. It consists says he of the young Student's Library of Abstracts of Books in several Faculties as Divinity Critics History Geography Philosophy Law Physic c. many of which are collected out of the Iournals des Scavans of Paris and the Universal Bibliotheque and as I hear accurately translated but the most considerable tho' not the biggest part are two original pieces The first is written by a Divine a Member of the Athenian Society who has spent several years in the study of the Hebrew Tongue and shews a great deal of Learning and Piety in maintaining the Antiquity of the Point-Vowels against Lewis Capel and his Followers He pretends they are at least as ancient as Ezra The second Original Piece is an Essay upon all sorts of Learning as Divinity Physic History Poetry Geometry Architecture Music Civil Law Canon Law Optics Dyalling Thus far Mons. De la Crose And I have nothing to add of the main Substance of the Book but that there will be two English Abstracts added by the Society and that they will as the Proposals inform me supervise the Translations but of these things you 'l be farther informed in the Preface to it which is now almost finished And I 'll only add this Remark That the Abstract of the Works of the Learned wholy owes its Rise and Progress to this Society all things of that nature having been entirely forgotten in England tho' of such great use as appears ' at large in the Preface to the First Volume and I suppose will be yet set in a clearer Light in

Impartiality in the World and constantly without omitting any thing worth taking notice of 't is no wonder that so few were found void so much of Sense as to buy their trifles the more pardonable indeed for being so very short when they might have a view of all that was valuable in them in the Athenian Mercury and that too with great Additions So may they thrive who interfere with an others design I must not here among the other Oppositions they have met with forget the Endeavours of their Enemies to cast an Imputation of Fanaticism on the Members of this SOCIETY But it is so evident from what they have writ that they are of the Church of England that blind Malice it self cannot deny it I shall trespass so much on ●…he patience of the Reader for once to prove that the Sun shines at noon day or that there is such a thing as Motion or at least that this Religion of this Society is of the Church of England as by Law establishd tho' out of many I will choose but two places the first ' Volume 3d. Number 28. and Quest. 4. The Query is this What Community in your opinion comes nearest to the Doctrine of our Blessed Saviour the Apostles and Primitive Fathers The Answer is Undoubtedly it is our Opinion that the Communion we our selves are of and hope to live and die in namely that of the Church of England is the best in the World and nearest to the Doctrine of our Saviour his Apostles and Primitive Fathers and unless we thought so we shou'd be very ill Men to continue in it I desire the Reader wou'd consult this place I have quoted where he will find evident beyond evasion the distinctive Medium betwixt Popery and other Protestant opinions particularly as to the Liturgy and Episcopacy c. at large set down which were too long for me to transcribe here Number 25. of the same Volume Quest. 4. is a farther Confirmation of this The Query is I desire your Opinion what Book you wou'd advise me to for my private Devotions as being a single Person Pray Reader mind well the Answer Answ. What so many great and good Men have been concern'd in the Composing of viz. The LITURGY of the Church of ENGLAND if the Labours of one Man then Dr. Taylor 's Composures The Whole Duty of Man This I am sure is enough to convince any reasonable Man of what Church the Members of this Society are 'T was no impollitic part how dishonest soever it were of their opposers to cast an Odium upon them in the Affairs of Religion since too many are carry'd away with a VIOLENT PREIUDICE against any thing that shall be offer'd by one of an other perswasion thinking to supply all their other defects by a blind and unreasonable Zeal But as the Oppositions this Noble design met with were many as appears from what I have said so were the Encouragements too from all parts of England Some parts beyond Sea and from great and learned Men as is evident from the Gentleman I lately mention'd who has join'd himself to them on the account of the Natural Rarities and that worthy Divine mention'd in the beginning of this last part so skilful in Rabinical Learning nor is that less which the Approbation of the ingenious Gentlemen of Received Wit and Reputation have given them in the Verses prefixt to this History nor must I omit the Judgment of a very ingenious Gentleman which he sent in a Letter to the ATHENIAN SOCIETY which being now in the Press I got a sight of It begins thus Gentlemen I happ●…n'd to read that sheet of your ATHENIAN MERCURY in which you resolv'd a Query concerning some Actions of ●…RUT ES that resemble Reason your Discourse there was so very acute and solid that it envited me to peruse divers others which without flattery gave me that esteem for you that I resolv'd to lend my best assistance to render your Endeavours beneficial to the World which I ought to suppose is the Mark you Aim at I look on your Undertaking as one of the most laudable Projects our Age has invented and if prudently manag'd the most conducing to improve Knowledge in the generality of Mankind according to their several Capacities after this he proceeds to some very good advice for which I refer you to the 12. Numbers which compleat the 6th Volume besides 〈◊〉 general and encreasing Applause of all the Nation all 〈◊〉 together has made them surmount all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotent Endeavours of their past and present 〈◊〉 and fixt them beyond the power of those 〈◊〉 ●…OODING ENVT shall produce hereafter Having thus run through all the points I propos'd to my self upon my resolution of Writing of this History with a much greater brevity I confess than what the well handling a Subject of this extent 〈◊〉 I shall here conclude with a short View of what I have done In the first part I have represented the NOVELTY occasion and manner of its Invention the Advantages it afforded the World as the making that familiar to many which was before confin'd within too narrow a compass and recommending the beauty of Knowledge to them who were frightned from it by the Mercenary Schools whereas its easie Charms in the Athenian Dress will excite many to the study of Wisdom they at least whose necessary Business will not permit a more tedious Disquisition may gather good notions of things by a meer cursory reading of the weekly Mercuries which will be no small improvement of Civility and Conversation Farther I shew'd that it was unreasonable that they to whom Nature had given a noble Genius should be denied when grown up the improvement of it without the tedious Discipline of the School because their Parents had neglected or their Circumstances hinder'd it when young that they who naturally slight Learning will do so still since this Design is to improve not alter Nature that it were an Injustice that they who value it should be deprived of it because confin'd to Languages Nor is it reasonable that a Pedant should esteem himself above others for one without the other I shall only add here to these Considerations that whereas this was begun in War tho' Peace is generally the Mother of new Arts and Sciences so it has several Advantages proper to the Temper and Exigencies of such a hurrying and martial time when Arms and Stratagems take up too much of our hours to permit us to spend many in the Enquiries into Truth and all sorts of Learning by the perusal of voluminous Tracts Nor did I forget the Difficulties which presented themselves to the Members of the Society to hinder their engaging in this Affair first as to answering all Quaeries well and to the satisfaction of those that pretend to follow Reason for their Rule all Sciences being so very d●…iputable as also from the Envy and Malice of others and lastly from the different Humors of the Quaerists Nor

but the Names of all those that have flourished in every Science and Art in this famous City From what I have here produc'd will sufficiently appear that since all the Arts and Learning of the old World owed their Beginning nay and perhaps Perfection too though afterward lost in the Inundation of Barbarity which from the North over-run all Europe to Athens with just Reason did this Learned Society make choice of that Appellation whose Aim it is to advance all Knowledge and diffuse a general Learning through the many and by that civilize more now in a few years than Athens it self did of old during the Ages it flourished THE SECOND PART OF THE HISTORY OF THE Athenian Society IN the First part of this History I have given you an account of the Novelty Advantage Inventor and occasion of this Noble Undertaking I have touched upon the Difficulties that attend it the Noble Daring of the first Author and lastly I have advanc'd some Reasons why this Society assumed the Title of Athenian In That I brought you to its beginning in This I shall with all the Brevity the Copiousness of the Subject will allow proceed to its Infancy and Growth and from thence pass to the Manly Performances of the Society when established Though the whole design of this Institution may be gathered from what has been said in the First Part yet I think it necessary to premise an entire Prospect of it here since that will not a little contribute to the satisfaction of the Reader by avoiding Obscurity and Confusion setting things in as clear a Light as possible and in that form which the decency of Order requires That which they first proposed to themselves was not only to answer all manner of nice and curious Questions in Divinity Physick Law Philosophy History Poetry Mathematics Trade and all other Questions proposed by either Sex or in any Language but also to give an account of the most considerable Books printed in England or transmitted to them from foreign parts and to accomplish this effectually the Undertaker resolving to spare no Charges to gratifie the Ingenious setled a Correspondence beyond Sea And tho' all this were enough to expect from the extraordinary Parts and Industry of any Society of no greater extent yet they resolving to spare no Labour proceeded farther by inserting the Conferences and Transactions of several English Virtuoso's and whatever the Genius of our Nation would relish in the Acta Eruditorum Lipsiae the Paris Iournal des Scavans the Giornali de Litterali printed at Rome the Universal Historical Bibliotheque and other learned and ingenious Essays of other Nations That so as our Merchants supplied us with the Manufactures and Commodities of all Countries we should not want that Production so much more valuable in its self and in the esteem of every wise man their Wit and Learning whatever the curious and brisk Genius of the French the Floridness of the Italian and the Industry of the German the Gravity of the Spaniard should from time to time gratifie their several Countries with this Great SOCIETY have generously and successfully imported into England and by that means made all Nations contribute to the Power and Glory of our Empire of Wit as the conquered World did of old to the Grandeur and Wealth of Rome this a far more noble Tribute and a far more exalted Glory every man in Justice therefore ought to honour them with the august Name of Patriots above most that stand blustering Candidates for it Yet farther to make their Endeavours the more satisfactory to all men this Society have all along invited every one that has any Experiment or curious Instance which they know to be Truth and Matter of Fact circumstantiated with time and place to send them to them These Experiments and Instances they not only promis'd to insert in their Mercuries but also endeavour to find out a Demonstration for those which the Senders could not So great is their admirable Zeal for the Good of the Public and the Satisfaction of all curious Enquirers into natural Speculations All these great Parts of this Mighty Design could not possibly be brought into the weekly Mercuries which had not room to contain the hundredth part of the Answers to those Quaeries which they soon receiv'd therefore for the speedier satisfaction of Quaerists and the publication of all these Curiosities I have spoke of they judged it absolutely necessary at the compleating every eighteen Numbers to print twelve more of Answers to Quaeries by that means if possible to obviate the Impatience of some of those who sent their Doubts and Curiosities to be resolv'd These made up one Volume to which as a Supplement that is to perfect their Design is added I mean to the four first the Abstracts of all Books of value both domestic and foreign with curious and diverting Dissertations upon several nice Subjects The fifth Supplement to comply further with their Quaerists Importunities for speedier Answers is composed of the Resolution of Doubts as the single Mercuries are What shall be the Subject of their future Supplements I shall have occasion to speak of in the third and last part of this History Though what I have mentioned already may seem the Labour of Ages yet they still went farther and we find very early their Resolution of gratifying the World with a new System of Philosophy a thing as much desir'd as wanted that of Aristotle being so false and that of Descartes so imperfect I shall say no more of this Work here because I shall have occasion to speak of it again in the third part But that the World might be fully acquainted with this whole Design they have frequently published it both in the Mercury Volumes and Supplements and any one that desires may read it summ'd up all together in their Fifth Supplement So that none can plead Ignorance that shall intrench upon their Design and Method and none can be dissatisfied that they have not a full account of so many Advantages they may reap from the several Endeavours of this SOCIETY Here it will not be improper for me to give some account of the Method they propos'd to themselves for the prosecution of their Design for that is indeed a necessary part of it That Order which Justice required they made choice of that is that those Quaeries that came first should be first answered unless a greater Good interposed as the answering any Popular Quaery that might be of service to the Government for the Public Good is granted by all men I think to be preferred to the Private Or some curious Accident or remarkable Providence that 's Matter of Fact and wants a demonstration Here too the general Advantage comes in and then 't is but fit that Particulars of less consequence should expect a little and give way Next some extraordinary Scruple of Conscience which wants a speedy Answer And for the satisfaction of such I think no reasonable