J

THE

EDITOR’S

PREFACE.

A Respect for the Memory of worthy An-cestors, and a Desire of communicating use-ful Knowledge to the Public, were theMotives which prompted my Father to compile thisWork, partly biographical, and partly fcientifical,a Work honourable to the Deceased, as placingtheir Virtues in a fair.Light, and perpetuating theirComposures; tending likewise to the Advancementof Literature, not only by their Treatises and Let-ters, but by their Example; a strong Incentive, as it(hews what unbounded Acquisitions are to be ob-tained by Study and Speculation.

The Variety of Subjects contained in this Perfor-mance evidence in the Compiler an extensive Compassof Knowledge both in the Languages and Sciences, andan Accuracy of Judgment necessary to avoid Errors andConfusion; and regularly to conduct such a Multitudeof Facts, and detached Particulars, to a just Period,

without inserting any thing trifling or superfluous.

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