THE

BOOKSELLER to the READER.

I

Tis now fix Years fince thefe Papers came firft to my Hand, which feems to have been about a Twelvemonth after they were writ. For the Author tells us in his Preface to the firft Treatife, that he bath calculated it for the Year 1697; and in feveral Paffages of that Difcourfe, as well as the Second, it appears they were written about that Time.

AS to the Author, I can give no Manner of SatisfaEtion; however, I am credibly informed, that this Publication is without his Knowledge; for he concludes the Copy is loft, having lent it to a Perfon fince dead, and being never in Poffeffion of it after. So that whether the Work received his laft Hand, or whether he intended to fill up the defective Places, is like to remain a Secret.

IFI fhould go about to tell the Reader, by what Ac cident 1 became Mafter of thefe Papers, it would, in this unbelieving Age, pass for little more than the Cant or Jargon of the Trade. I therefore gladly fpare both him and myself fo unnecessary a Trouble. There yet remains a difficult Queftion, Why I published them no fooner? I forbore upon two Accounts: Firft, because I thought I had better Work upon my Hands; and, fecondly, because I was not without fome Hope of hearing from the Author, and receiving his Directions. But I have been lately alarmed with Intelligence of a furreptitious Copy, which a certain great Wit had new polished and refined; or, as our prefent Writers express themselves, fitted to the Humour of the Age; as they have already done, with great Felicity, to Don Quixote, Boccalini, La Bruyere, and other Authors. However, I thought it fairer Dealing, to offer the whole Work in its Naturals. If any Gentleman will please to furnish me with a Key, in order to explain the more difficult Parts, I fhall very gratefully acknowledge the Favour, and print it by itself.

THE

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EPISTLE DEDICATORY,

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His Royal Highness

Prince POSTERITY.

SIR,

HERE prefent your Highness with the Fruits of a very few leifure Hours, ftoln from the short Intervals of a World of Bufinefs, and of an Employment quite alien from fuch Amusements as this ; the poor Production of that Refufe of Time which has lain heavy upon my Hands, during a long Prorogation of Parliament, a great Dearth of foreign

The Citation out of Ireneus in the Title-page, which feems. to be all Gibberish, is a Form of Initiation used antiently by the Marcofian Hereticks W. Wotton,

It is the ufual Style of decried Writers, to appeal to Pofte rity, who is here reprefented as a Prince in his Nonage, and Time as his Governor ; and the Author begins in a Way very frequent with him, by perfonating other Writers, who fometimes offer fuch Reafons and Excufes for publifhing their Works, as they ought chiefly to conceal, and be ashamed of.

News, and a tedious Fit of rainy Weather. For which, and other Reasons, it cannot chufe extremely to deserve fuch a Patronage as that of your Highness, whofe numberless Virtues in fo few Years, make the World look upon you as the future Example to all Princes. For although your Highness is hardly got clear of Infancy, yet has the univerfal learned World already refolved upon appealing to your future Di tates with the loweft and moft refigned Submission Fate having decreed you fole Arbiter of the Produ Etions of human Wit, in this polite and most accomplished Age. Methinks, the Number of Appellants were enough to fhock and ftartle any Judge of a Genius lefs unlimited than your's. But, in order to prevent fuch glorious Trials, the Perfon, it feems, to whofe Care the Education of your Highness is committed, has refolved, as I am told, to keep you in almost an univerfal Ignorance of our Studies, which it is your inherent Birth-right to infpect.

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Ir is amazing to me, that this Perfon fhould have Affurance, in the Face of the Sun, to go about perfuading your Highness, that our Age is almost wholly illiterate, and has hardly produced one Writer upon any Subject. I know very well, that when your Highnefs fhall come to riper Years, and have gone through the Learning of Antiquity, you will be too curious to neglect inquiring into the Authors of the very Age before you. And to think that this Infolent, in the Account he is preparing for your View, defigns to reduce them to a Number fo infignificant as I am ashamed to mention; it moves my Zeal and my Spleen for the Honour and Intereft of our vast flourishing Body, as well as of myself, for whom know, by long Experience, he has profeffed and ftill continues a peculiar Malice.

1

Tis not unlikely, that when your Highness will one Day perufe what I am now writing, you may be ready to expoftulate with your Governor upon the

Credit

Credit of what. I here affirm, and command him to fhew fome of our Productions. To which he will anfwer, (for I am well informed of his Designs), by afking your Highness, Where they are? and, What is become of them? And pretend it a Demonflration that there never were any, because they are not then to be found. Not to be found!. Who has mif laid them? Are they funk in the Abyss of Things? 'Tis certain, that in their own Nature they were light enough to fwim upon the Surface for all Eternity. Therefore the Fault is in him, who tied Weights fo heavy to their Heels, as to deprefs them to the Centre. Is their very Effence deftroyed? Who has annihilated them? Were they drowned by Purges, or martyred by Pipes? Who adminiftred them to the Pofteriors of But, that it may no longer be a Doubt with your Highness, who is to be the Author of this univerfal Ruin, I befeech you to obferve that large and terribles Scythe which your Governor affects to bear continually about him; \ be pleased to remark the Length and Strength, the Sharpness and Hardness of his Nails and Teeth; confider his bane-ful abominable Breath, Enemy to Life and Matter, infectious and corrupting; and then reflect whether it be poffible for any mortal Ink and Paper of this Generation to make a fuitable Refiftance. Oh ! that your Highnefs would one Day refolve to difarm this ufurping Maitre du palais * of his furious Engines, and bring your Empire hors de page to

IT were endless to recount the feveral Methods of Tyranny and Deftruction which your Governor is. pleafed to practife upon this Occafion. His inveterate Malice is fuch to the Writings of our Age, that of feveral Thousands produced yearly from this renowned City, before the next Revolution of the Sun, there is not one to be heard of: Unhappy Infants,

Comptroller.

+ Qut of Guardianship.

A z

many

many of them barbarously destroyed, before they have fo much as learned their Mother-tongue to beg for Pity. Some he ftifles in their Cradles; others he frights into Convulfions, whereof they fuddenly die i Some he flays alive, others he tears Limb from Limb: Great Numbers are offered to Moloch; and the reft, tainted by his Breath, die of a languishing Confumption.

BUT the Concern I have most at Heart, is for our Corporation of Poets; from whom I am preparing a Petition to your Highness, to be fubfcribed with the Names of One hundred thirty fix of the firft Rate; but whofe immortal Productions are never likely to reach your Eyes, though each of them is now an humble and an earnest Appellant for the Laurel, and has large comely Volumes ready to fhew for a Support to his Pretenfions. The never-dying Works of these illuftrious Perfons, your Governor, Sir, has devoted to unavoidable Death; and your Highness is to be made believe, that our Age has never arrived at the Honour to produce one fingle Poet.

WE Confefs Immortality to be a great and powerful Goddefs: But in vain we offer up to her our Devotions and our Sacrifices, if your Highness's Governor, who has ufurped the Priesthood, muft, by an unparallelled Ambition and Avarice, wholly intercept and devour them.

To affirm that our Age is altogether unlearned, and devoid of Writers in any kind, feems to be an Affertion fo bold and fo falfe, that I have been some Time thinking the contrary may almoft be proved by uncontroulable Demonstration. 'Tis true indeed, that although their Numbers be vaft, and their Productions numerous in Proportion; yet are they hurried fo haftily off the Scene, that they efcape our Memory, and delude our Sight. When I first thought of this Addrefs, I had prepared a copious

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