XIV

TO THE'READER,

tries, Jhould speak, and write thus out of Flattery, much less ofIgnorance ; being Men of the moji refined Universal Knowledge,'as well as Ingenuity : But I should never end, were I to put*-'sue this fruitful Topick. I have but one Word more to add, toconciliate the Favour and Esteem of our own Universities, to ah\.Assembly of Gentlemen, who from them acknowledge so have dep-rived all their Abilities for these laudable Undertakings ; andwhat above all is most sinning in them of most Christian, Moraland otherwise conspicuous, as from the Source and Fountain, towhich, on all Occastons, they are not only ready to pay the Tri-bute and Obsequiousness of humble Servants, but of Sons, and du-tiful Alumni. There is nothing verily which they more desirethan a fair and mutual Correspondence between so near Relationsand thdt they may be perpetually flourishing and fruitful in bring-ing forth (as still they do) Supplies lo Church and State in itllF.ptsthws its great Capacities * Finally, that they would regard the Royalfnd publish- Societ y as a Colony of their own planting, and augure it Success,ed, the uni- jdnd if in these Labours, and arduous Attempts, fe'Oeral InventionsfirdZ^tof present Vje and Service to Mankind ( either detesting Errors,tested 'ifjttusirating and asserting Truths, or propagating 1 Knowledge inciety for the natural Things, and the visible Works of God ) have been difio^o P f°S ver'd, as they enVy not the communicating them to the World *mLailnL-fo Jhotitd they be wanting to the Society, and to the Honour ■'ofledge, in con- divers Learned and Ingenious Persons ( who are the Soul and Body{ Royd sockty, of it ) not to. vindicate them from the ambitious Plagiary, the In.they °f scoffers and injurious Men : Certainly, Ter Jons of right

mutual cor- Noble and Jubatted Principles, that were Lovers of their Country,men- should be otherwise affected ; and rather strive to encourage, andsomÆlT P romoU Endeavours tending to so generous a Design, than decry™whad so it ; especially, when it costs them nothing but their Civility to sovoucdupoc-many: obliging Persons, though they should hitherto have entertain'dsess divers t ^ em ^ w j t /j r ome innocent Diversionsi-j; tfo conclude , we envv

Members of J 'J

the uniyer- none their Dues; nay, we gratefully acknowledge any Light whichreceive either from Home, or from Abroad : We celebratefh!n d ,eT an ^ r<?cord t ^ eir ' Namfes am ngst' our Benefactors ; recommend themthainhe un- to lAf'Publick , and what we thus freely! giye, we hope as freely

derminineof, , ’ <?. ■ ' ■ 1 , . '

that, and o- ^ rLCCIVC.

ther iiiustri- have I endeavoured to vindicate/^ Royal Society from

ous Acade - . - \ . , , 1 , , J . ; ^

miss, and some Aspersions and iLncroacnments tt hwherto has Jfojfered ; uisdso hl far m pre C - d shewed under what Weights and Pressure this Palm does still emerge:

vail’d, as to . ‘ ' . - i , :

breed a real Jealousy for some considerable Time: But as this was 'npyei; in the Thpughts of thetiety (which had ever the Universities in greatest Veneration ) fd theJjWvoeency and XJsefulhefs df_r ft*Institution has at length disabus’d them, vindicated their Proceedings, dissipated all Surmises, and .fine, produced an ingenuous, friendly, and candid Onion and Corfesponcence between them. 'A a

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