PREFACE.

I T would, doubtless, be a Piece of Rash-ness, in any one, who has the Ambitionof appearing something more than a com-mon Scribler, or a meer Transcriber of otherMens Works, to presume to lay his Thoughtsbefore the Publick, on a Subject like this,whereon so many Volumes are already ex-tant, could he not point out, at the sametime, some real Advantages to be reapedtherefrom, or, at least, persuade himself in-to a Belief, that he had made such Improve-ments as might intitle him to hope for afavourable Reception.

As to the Motives that gave Birth to theensuing Work, I freely own, they were not somuch any extravagant Hopes I could form tomyself of greatly extending the Subject by theAddition of a large Variety of new Improve-ments, though, possibly, the Reader may meetwith some Things here more than he hasyet seen, and perhaps than he expects, as