3LET. I.

Of astronomy.

I?

circle. He even divests this Pseudo Philosopher ofall the common feelings of humanity, and makeshim as insensible to the wants of his family, asto the distresses of his neighbours. ,

Such fictions are as applicable to the speculatorupon morals, as to the speculator upon mathe-matics. There are Quixotes and pedants inevery profession: but instead of attempting toridicule a science of which he was totally igno-rant, he wduld have done well to have learnt ithimself. The mere theorist, whatever be hispursuit, is but of little use to society; but weshould be careful, when we laugh at the absur-dities of a visionary pretender, not to depreciatethe science to which he has unhappily directedhis attention. Swift ridicules mathematicians,and mathematicians enjoy the satire; not becauseit is founded in truth, but because it has witand humour.

The learned Joseph Scaliger proceeded in astill more singular manner; he was a man thataimed at universal knowlege; and being parti-cularly desirous of eminence in the sciences, hepublished a large volume of mathematics, inwhich he professed to have solved all the dissi-cult problems, which had been considered asthe master-pieces both of ancient and modernproficients: but when this work came to beexamined, it was found that he was utterlyC unacquainted