ETYMOLOGY,
Reading edition
AS IT HAS BEEN TOO GENERALLY HANDLED.
Αλλα θεοι των μεν μανιην απετρεψατε γλωσσης, Εκ δ' ὁσιων στοματων καθαρην οχετευσατε πηγην. Και σε, πολυμνηστη, λευκωλενε παρθενε, μουσα, Αντομαι, ὡν θεμις εστιν εφημεριοισιν ακουειν. Πεμπε παρ' ευσεβιης ελαουσ' ευηνιον ἁρμα.——Empedocles.
It may appear invidious to call to account men of learning, who have gone before me in inquiries of this nature, and to point out defects in their writings: but it is a task which I must, in some degree, take in hand, as the best writers have, in my opinion, failed fundamentally in these researches. Many, in the wantonness of their fancy, have yielded to the most idle surmises; and this to a degree of licentiousness, for which no learning nor ingenuity can atone. It is therefore so far from being injurious, that it appears absolutely necessary to point out the path they took, and the nature of their failure; and this, that their authority may not give a sanction to their mistakes; but, on the contrary, if my method should appear more plausible, or more certain, that the superiority may be seen upon comparing; and be proved from the contrast.