viii T O T H E R ELVER. T

numerous and fair an Off-spring ; but as abundantly satisfied , thatafter all the hard Measure , and virulent Reproaches they hadfustain'd, for endeavouring by united Attempts, and at their ownCharges, to improve Real Philosophy ; they had , from Time toTime , cultivated that Province in so many useful and profitableInstances, as are already publilhed to the World, and will be easilyasserted to their Authors before all equitable Judges.

THI S being the sole Inducement of publishing this Apology,it may not perhaps seem unseasonable to disabuse some ( other-wise ) well-meaning Teople , who led away and perverted by theNoise of a few Ignorant and Comical Buffoons ( whose Malevo-lence or Impertinencies entitle them to nothing that is truly Greatand Venerable ) are, with an Insolence suitable to their Under-standing, still crying out , and asking , What have the Societydone ?

NOW , as nothing less than Miracles ( and unless God shouldevery T)ay repeat them at the Call of these Extravagants ) willconvince some Ter sons of the most Rational and Divine Truths( already so often and extraordinarily established) so , nor willany thing satisfy these unreasonable Men , but the Trodubhon *ofthe PhilosopherVStone, and Great Elixir j which yet were they Pos-sessors of they would consume upon their Luxury and Vanity.

IT is not therefore to gratify these magnificent Fops, whoseTalents reach but to the adjusting of their Perukes, courting aMiss, or, at the farthest , writing a smutty or scurrilous Libel(which they would have to pass for genuine Wit ) that I con-cern myself in these Papers; but, as well in Honour of our RoyalFounder, as the Nation, to assert what of other Countries hasbeen fiirreptitiousty arrogated, and by which they not only valuethemselves abroad, but (prevailing on the Modesty of that In -dnstrious Assembly ) seek the Deference of those, who whilst it re-mains still silent, do not Jo clearly discern this glorious Plumageto be purely ascititious, and not a Feather of their own. —— Butstill, What have they done ?

TH OS E who perfebtly comprehend the Scope and End of thatNoble Institution, which is to improve Natural Knowledge, andenlarge the Empire of Operative Philosophy, not by an Abolitionof the Old, but by the Real Effects of the Experimental; Collect- ”ing, Examining, and Improving their scatter’d Phænomena, to est a-blijh even the Received Methods and Principles of the Schools (asfar as were consistent with Truth and Matter of Fact ) thoughtit long enough, that the World had been imposed upon by thatNational and Formal Way of delivering divers Systems and Bo-dies of Philosophy (falsty so call’d) beyond which there was nomore Country to discover ; which being brought to the Test andTrial, vapours all away in Fume and empty Sound.

THIS