PREFACE.

made in the late edition of his Principia, so there would have leen7>iany more if there had been a sufficient time. Put whatever os thiskind may bethought wanting) I stall endeavour to supply in my com-ment on that book. I had reason to believe he expelledsuch a thingfrom me) and I intended to have publisted it in his life time) after Ihad printed the following discourse, and a mathematical treatise SirIsaac Newton had written a long while ago x containing thefirst principles of fluxions, for I had prevailed on him to let that piecego abroad. I had examined all the calculations, and prepared partof the figures; but as the latter part of the treatise had never beenfinished, he was about letting me have other papers, in order tosupply what was wanting. Put his death put a stop to that de-sign. As to my comment on the Principia, I intend there to de-monstrate whatever Sir Isaac Newton has set down withoutexpress proof, and to explain all such expressions in his book, as Istalljudge necestary. shis comment 1 stall forthwith put to the press,joined to an englist translation of his Principia, which I havehad some time by me. A more particular account of my whole de-sign has already been publisted in the new memoirs of literature forthe month of march 1727.

I have presented my readers with a copy of verses on Sir IsaacNewton, which I have just received from a young Gentleman,whom I am proud to reckon among the number of my dearest friends •If I had any apprehenfion that this piece of poetry stood in need ofan apology, I stould be desirous the reader might know, that theauthor is but sixteen years old, and was obliged to st hist his composi-tion in a very stort space of time. Put 1 stall only take the libertyto observe, that the boldness of the digressions will be best judged of1 y those who are acquainted with Pindar.

A POEM