affiftance gratis towards penning a dedication to himself. I defired him, however, to give a fecond guefs; why then, faid he, it must be I, or my lord Sommers. From thence I went to several other wits of my acquaintance, with no fmall hazard and wearinefs to my perfon from a prodigious number of dark, winding ftairs; but found them all in the fame ftory, both of your lordship and themfelves. Now your lordship is to understand, that this proceeding was not of my own invention; for I have fomewhere heard, it is a maxim, that thofe, to whom every body allows the fecond place, have an undoubted title to the first.

This infallibly convinced me, that your lordship was the perfon intended by the au thor. But, being very unacquainted in the ftyle and form of dedications, I employed thofe wits aforefaid to furnish me with hints and materials towards a panegyric upon your lordship's virtues.

In two days they brought me ten fheets of paper filled up on every fide. They fwore to me, that they had ranfacked whatever could be found in the characters of Socrates, Ariftides, Epaminondas, Cato, Tully, Atticus, and other hard names, which I cannot now recollect. However, I have reafon to believe, they impofed upon my ignorance; because, when I came to read over their collections, there was not a fyllable there, but what I and every body else knew as well as themselves; therefore I grievously fufpected a cheat; and that thefe authors of mine ftole and transcribed every

every word from the univerfal report of mankind. So that I look upon myself, as fifty fhillings out of pocket to no manner of purpofe.

If, by altering the title, I could make the fame materials ferve for another dedication (as my betters have done) it would help to make up my lofs; but, I have made several perfons dip here and there in those papers, and, before they read three lines, they have all affured me plainly, that they cannot poffibly be applied to any perfon befides your lordship.

I expected, indeed, to have heard of your lordship's bravery at the head of an army; of your undaunted courage in mounting a breach, or fcaling a wall; or, to have had your pedigree traced in a lineal defent from the house of Auftria; or, of your wonderful talent at drefs or dancing; or, your profound knowledge in algebra, metaphyfics, and the oriental tongues. But to ply the world with an old beaten ftory of your wit, and eloquence, and learning, and wisdom, and justice, and politeness, and candour, and evenness of temper in all scenes of life; of that great difcernment in discovering, and readiness in favouring deferving men; with forty other common topics: I confefs, I have neither confcience, nor countenance to do it. Because, there is no virtue, either of a public or private life, which fome circumftances of your own have not often produced upon the ftage of the world; and thofe few, which,

for

for want of occasions to exert them, might otherwise have paffed unseen or unobferved by your friends, your * enemies have at length brought to light.

It is true, I should be very loth, the bright example of your lordship's virtues fhould be loft to after-ages, both for their fake and your own; but chiefly, because they will be fo very neceffary to adorn the hiftory of a late + reign; and that is another reason, why I would forbear to make a recital of them here; because I have been told by wifemen, that, as dedications have run for fome years past, a good hiftorian will not be apt to have re course thither in fearch of characters.

There is one point, wherein I think we dedicators would do well to change our meafures; I mean, instead of running on fo far upon the praife of our patrons liberality, to fpend a word or two in admiring their patience. I can put no greater compliment on your lordfhip's, than by giving you fo ample an occafion to exercife it at prefent. Though perhaps I fhall not be apt to reckon much merit to your lordship upon that score, who having

C 3

been

* In 1701, lord Sommers was impeached by the commons, who either finding their proofs defective, or for other reasons, delayed coming to a trial, and the lords thereupon proceeded to the trial without them, and acquitted him.

+ K. William's; whofe memory he defended in the H. of Lords against some invidious reflexions of the E. of Nottingham,

4

been formerly used to tedious harangues and fometimes to as little purpose, will be the readier to pardon: especially, when it is offered by one, who is with all respect and veneration,

1

MY LORD,

Your lordship's most obedient,

and moft faithful servant,

The Bookfeller.

*Sir John Sommers was attorney general; then made lord keeper of the feals in 1692, and lord high chancellor and baron of Evesham in April 1697.

The

The Bookfeller to the Reader.

T now

* fix years fince these papers came first to my hand, which feems to have been about a twelvemonth after they were written; for, the author tells us in his preface to the first treatise, that he hath calculated it for the year 1697, and in several paffages of that discourse, as well as the second, it appears, they were written about that

time...

As to the author, I can give no manner of fatisfaction; 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 fo that, whether the work received his laft hand, or, whether he intended to fill up the defective places, is like to remain a fecret.

If I fhould go about to tell the reader, by what accident I became mafter of thefe papers, it would in this unbelieving age pafs for little more than the cant, or jargon of the trade. I therefore gladly spare both him and myself fo unneceffary a trouble. There yet remains a difficult question, why I published them no fooner. I forebore upon two accounts: first, 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

* The Tale of a Tub was first published in 1704.