Buch 
Silva or,a Discourse of Forest-Trees and the Propagation of Timber in His Majesty's Dominions...together with an historical account of the Sacredness and Use of Standing Groves : Terra, A Philosophical essay of Earth... to which is annex'd Pomona: Or an Appendix concerning Fruit-Trees.... / by John Evelyn
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xij TO THE RE A. D ER..

possible to conceive, how so honest , and worthy• a Design shouldhave found so few Promoters, and cold a Welcome' in a Nationwhose Eyes are Jo wide open : We see how greedily the French,and other Strangers embrace and cultivate the Design : Whatsumptuous Buildings,, well furnish’d Observatories, ample Appoint-ments, Salaries, and Accommodations, they have eretfed to carryon the Work ; whilst we live precariously, and spin the Web outof our own Bowels. Indeed, we have had the Honour to be thefirst who led the Way, given the Ferment,- which like a Train.has taken Fire, and warm’d the Regions all about us. This Glory,doubtless, shall none take from us: But , whilst they flourish soAbroad, we want the Spirit should dissuse it- here at Home, andgive Progress to so hopeful a Beginning : But, as we said , theEnemy of Mankind has done us this He spite ; it is his Interestto impeach {in any fort) what e'er opposes his Dominion; whichis to lead, and settle Men in Errors as well in Arts and NaturalKnowledge, as in Religion ; and therefore ■ would be glad, theWorld should still be groping after both. ’Tis he that sets theBuffoons, and empty Sycophants, to turn all that’s Great and Vir-tuous into Raillery and Her ism ’Tis therefore to encounter these,Neh.iv. , 7 .that tike those resolute Builders, whilst we 'employ one Hand hithe Work, we, with the other, are obliged to hold our Weapon,till some bold and gallant Genius deliver us 'and raise the Siege.How gloriolifly would such Benefactor Jbifie ! What a Constel-lation would he make ! How great a Name establish s For mineown part (religiously I profess it ) were I not a Person, who( whilst I stood expelling when others more worthy , and able thanmy/elf should have snatch’d the Opportunity os signalizing a Workworthy of Immortality ) had long since given Hostages to Fortune,and Jo put myself out of a Capacity of shewing my Affection toa Design so glorious ; I would not only most chearfully have con-tributed towards the freeing it from the Straits it has so longstruggled under ; but sacrificed all my Secular Interests in theirService: But , as I staid , this is reserved for that gallant Hero{whoster it be) that truly weighing the "Hoble tind ’UniversalConsequence of so high an Enterprize, shdll at last free it of theseReproaches ; and either set it above the Reach of Envy,, or con-vert it to Emulation, shis were indeed to 1 consult an honest Fame,and to embalm the Memory of a greater Name than any has yetappeared amongst all the Benefactors Of the Disputing Sects : Letit suffice to affirm, that next the Propagation of our most HolyFaith, and its Appendants ( nor can his Majesty or the Nationbuild their Fame on a more lasting, a more glorious Monument;the Propagation of Learning, and useful Aris, having always fur -

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