TO THE HEADER.

envy, that, living far from the physician, he should, In case of necefsity,consult the Reverend Druid, his Oaks*, and his Elm, Birch, or Elder,for a short breath, a green wound, or a sore leg, casualties incident to hishard labour. These are the chief particulars of this ensuing work, andwhat it pretends hitherto of singular, in which, let me be permitted tosay, there is sufficient for instruction, and more than is extant in anycollection whatsoever (absit verbo invidia) in this way, and upon thissubject, abstracting things practicable, of solid use, and material, fromthe ostentation and impertinences of divers writers, who, receiving allthat came to hand on trust, with a view to swell their monstrous volumes,have hitherto imposed upon the credulous world, without conscience orhonesty. I will not exasperate the adorers of our ancient and late natu-ralists, by repeating what our Verulam has justly pronounced concerningtheir rhapsodies, because I likewise honour their painful endeavours, andam obliged to them for much of that I know; nor will I, with some,reproach Pliny , Porta, Cardan, Mizaldus, Cursius, and many others ofgreat name, whose writings I have diligently consulted, because of theknowledge they have imparted to me on this occasion; but I mustdeplore the time which is, for the most part, *so miserably lost in pursuitof their speculations, where they treat upon this argument. The worldis now advised, and, blefsed be God , infinitely redeemed from that baseand servile submifsion of our noblest faculties to their blind traditions.

* Ne Silvasquidem, hoi-ridiorque na-ture facies,medicinis ca-rent, facra iliaparente rerumomnium, nui-quam non re-media difpo-nente homini,ut medicinafie ret etiamsolitudo ipsa.

Hinc nataMedicina.Iisc sola na-turaplacueratefse remediaparata vu'lgcyinventu faci-lia, ac sine im-pendio, & qui-bus, vivhnus.Plin. fib. xxvt,cap, i.

This, you will be apt to say, is a haughty period; but whilst I affirm it ofthe past, it justifies and does honour to the present industry of our age;and of which there cannot be a greater and more emulous instance thanthe pafsion of his Majesty to encourage his subjects, and of the RoyalSociety , (his Majesty’s Foundation) who receive and promote his dictates,in all that is laudable and truly emolnmental of this nature.

It is not therefore that I here presume to instruct him in the manage-ment of that great and august enterprize of resolving to plant and repairhis ample forests, and other magazines of timber, for the benefit of hisRoyal Navy , and the glory of his kingdoms; but to present to his SacredMajesty, and to the world, what advices I have received from others,observed myself, and most industriously collected from a studious propen-sity to serve as one of the least intelligences in the ampler orb of ourillustrious Society, and in a work so necefsary and important.

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