[K] Natura infirmitatis humanae, tadiora sunt remedia
quam mala; & ut corpora lente augescunt, cito extinguuntur,
sic ingenia studiaque oppresseris, facilius quam revocaveris;
subit quippe ipsius inertiae dulcedo, et invisa primo desidia
postremo amatur. Tacit. Vit. Agricol. c. 3.

Though the Rules of Art may be of great Service to improve a
_Genius_, it is very prejudicial, in many Cases, to fetter it
self with these Rules, or confine itself within those Limits
which others have fixed. How little would Science have been
improv'd, if every new _Genius_, that applies himself to any
Branch of it, had made other Mens Light, his _ne plus_ _ultra_,
and resolved to go no farther into it, than the Road had been
beaten before him. No doubt there were Men of as good natural
Abilities in the Ages before the Revival of Learning, as there
have been since. But they were cramped with the Jargon of a wordy
and unintelligible Philosophy, and durst not give themselves the
Liberty to think in Religion, without the Boundaries fixed by the
Church, for fear of Anathemas, and an Inquisition. Till those
Fetters were broken, little Advance was made, for many Ages
together, in any useful or solid Knowledge. In truth, every Man
who makes a new Discovery, goes at first by himself; and as long
as the greatest Minds are Content to go in Leading-strings, they
will be but upon a Level with their Neighbours.

On the other Hand, Capacities of a lower size must be obliged to
more of Imitation. All their Usefulness will be spoiled by forming
too high Models for themselves. If they will be of Service, they
must be content to keep the beaten Road. Should they attempt to