of men's understandings absolutely considered in all times since
learning first began to be cultivated amongst mankind." But this is not
incompatible with the thesis that in some branches the ancients excelled
all who came after them. For it is not necessary to explain such
excellence by the hypothesis that there was a particular force of genius
evidently discernible in former ages, but extinct long since, and that
nature is now worn out and spent. There is an alternative explanation.
There may have been special circumstances "which might suit with those
ages which did exceed ours, and with those things wherein they did
exceed us, and with no other age nor thing besides."

But we must begin our inquiry by sharply distinguishing two fields
of mental activity--the field of art, including poetry, oratory,
architecture, painting, and statuary; and the field of knowledge,
including mathematics, natural science, physiology, with all their
dependencies. In the case of the first group there is room for variety
of opinion; but the superiority of the Greeks and Romans in poetry and
literary style may be admitted without prejudice to the mental equality
of the moderns, for it may be explained partly by the genius of their
languages and partly by political circumstances--for example, in the
case of oratory, [Footnote: This had been noted by Fontenelle in his
Digression.] by the practical necessity of eloquence. But as regards
the other group, knowledge is not a matter of opinion or taste, and
a definite judgement is possible. Wotton then proceeds to review
systematically the field of science, and easily shows, with more
completeness and precision than Perrault, the superiority of modern
methods and the enormous strides which had been made.

As to the future, Wotton expresses himself cautiously. It is not easy to
say whether knowledge will advance in the next age proportionally to
its advance in this. He has some fears that there may be a falling away,
because ancient learning has still too great a hold over modern books,
and physical and mathematical studies tend to be neglected. But he ends
his Reflexions by the speculation that "some future age, though perhaps
not the next, and in a country now possibly little thought of, may do
that which our great men would be glad to see done; that is to say, may
raise real knowledge, upon foundations laid in this age, to the utmost
possible perfection to which it may be brought by mortal men