73
TO THE
READER
READER
HAving had the Honor to be continually with
my Lord, in compiling of this Work; and
to be employed therein, I have thought it not
amiß, (with his Lordſhips good leave and
liking) for the better ſatisfaction of thoſe that
ſhall read it, to make known ſomewhat of his Lordſhips inten-
tions, touching the ordering and publiſhing of the ſame. I
have heard his Lordſhip often ſay, That if he ſhould have
ſerved the glory of his own Name, he had been better not to
have publiſhed this Natural Hiſtory; for it may ſeem an
indigeſted heap of Particulars, and cannot have that luſtre
which Books caſt into Methods, have: But that be reſolved
to prefer the good of Men, and that which might best ſecure
it, before any thing that might have relation to himſelf. And,
he knew well, that there was no other way open to unlooſe Mens
44[Handwritten note 4]55[Handwritten note 5] mindes, being bound; and (as it were) Maleficiate, by the
charms of deceiving Notions and Theories; and thereby
44[Handwritten note 4]55[Handwritten note 5] made impotent for Generation of Works: But onely no where
to depart from the Senſe and clear experience, but to keep cloſe
to it, eſpecially in the beginning. Beſides, this Natural
Hiſtory was a Debt of his, being deſigned and ſet down for
a third Part of the Inſtauration. I have alſo heard his
Lordſhip diſcourſe, That Men (no doubt) will think many
of the Experiments contained in this Collection, to be
my Lord, in compiling of this Work; and
to be employed therein, I have thought it not
amiß, (with his Lordſhips good leave and
liking) for the better ſatisfaction of thoſe that
ſhall read it, to make known ſomewhat of his Lordſhips inten-
tions, touching the ordering and publiſhing of the ſame. I
have heard his Lordſhip often ſay, That if he ſhould have
ſerved the glory of his own Name, he had been better not to
have publiſhed this Natural Hiſtory; for it may ſeem an
indigeſted heap of Particulars, and cannot have that luſtre
which Books caſt into Methods, have: But that be reſolved
to prefer the good of Men, and that which might best ſecure
it, before any thing that might have relation to himſelf. And,
he knew well, that there was no other way open to unlooſe Mens
44[Handwritten note 4]55[Handwritten note 5] mindes, being bound; and (as it were) Maleficiate, by the
charms of deceiving Notions and Theories; and thereby
44[Handwritten note 4]55[Handwritten note 5] made impotent for Generation of Works: But onely no where
to depart from the Senſe and clear experience, but to keep cloſe
to it, eſpecially in the beginning. Beſides, this Natural
Hiſtory was a Debt of his, being deſigned and ſet down for
a third Part of the Inſtauration. I have alſo heard his
Lordſhip diſcourſe, That Men (no doubt) will think many
of the Experiments contained in this Collection, to be