BOOKSELLER

TO THE

READ E R.

T

HE following difcourfe, as it is unquestionably of the fame author, so it seems to have been written about the fame time with the former; I mean, the year 1697, when the famous difpute was on foot about antient and modern learning. The controversy took its rife from an effay of fir William Temple's upon that fubject; which was answered by W. Wotton, B.D. with an appendix by Dr. Bentley, endeavouring to deftroy the credit of fop and Phalaris for authors, whom fir William Temple had in the effay before-mentioned highly commended. In that appendix the doctor falls hard upon a new edition of Phalaris, put out by the honourable Charles Bayle (now earl of Orrery) to which Mr. Boyle replied at large with great learning and wit; and the doctor voluminously rejoined. In this difpute, the town highly refented to fee a perfon of fir Wil liam Temple's character and merits roughly used by the two reverend gentlemen aforefaid, and without any manner of provocation. At length, there appearing no end of the quarrel, our author tells us, that the BOOKS in St. James's library, looking upon themfelves as parties principally concerned, took up the controverfy, and came to a decifive battle; but the manufcript by the injury of fortune or weather being

in feveral places imperfect, we cannot learn to which fide the victory fell.

I must warn the reader to beware of applying to perfons, what is here meant only of books in the most literal fenfe. So, when Virgil is mentioned, we are not to understand the perfon of a famous poet called by that name; but only certain fheets of paper, bound up in leather, containing in print the works of the faid poet and fo of the rest.

THE

PREFACE

OF THE

S

AUTHOR.

ATYR is a fort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover every body's face but their own; which is the chief reafon for that kind reception it meets with in the world, and that fo very few are offended with it. But if it fhould happen otherwise, the danger is not great; and I have learned from long experience never to apprehend mischief from thofe understandings, I have been able to provoke: for, anger and fury, though they add strength to the fines of the body, yet are found to relax thofe of the mind, and to render all its efforts feeble and impotent.

There is a brain, that will endure but one scumming: let the owner gather it with difcretion, and manage his little stock with husbandry; but of all things let him beware of bringing it under the lab of his betters; because that will make it all bubble up into impertinence, and he will find no new fupply. Wit without knowledge being a fort of cream, which gathers in a night to the top, and by a skilful hand may be foon whipped into froth; but, once fcummed away, what appears underneath will be fit for nothing, but to be thrown to the hogs.