TO THE READER.

45

see the numerous congratulations of the most learned foreigners, celebra-ting the happinefs of our institution ; and that whilst other nations arestill benighted under the dusky cloud, such a refulgent beam should giveday to this blefsed isle: And, certainly, it is not to b.e supposed that allthese learned persons, of so many and divers interests as well as countries,should speak and write thus out of flattery, much lefs out of ignorance,,being men of the most refined universal knowledge, as well as ingenuity;but I should never end were I to pursue this fruitful topic.

I have but one word more to add to conciliate the favour and esteemof our own Universities to an afsembly of gentlemen, who, from them, .acknowledge to have derived all their abilities for these laudable Under-takings : Whatever is shining in them of most Christian, moral, and other-wise conspicuous, they confefs as derived from that source and fountain,to which, on all occasions, they are not only ready to pay the tributeand obsequiousnefs of humble servants, but of sons and dutiful alumni.There is nothing verily which they more desire than a fair and mutualcorrespondence between so near relations, and that they may be per-petually flourishing and fruitful in bringing forth, as they still do, suppliesto Church and State in all its great capacities*. Finally, that they wouldregard the Royal Society as a colony of their own planting, and augurits succefs : And if, in these labours and arduous attempts, several inven-tions of present use and service to mankind (either detecting errors,illustrating and afserting truths, or propagating knowledge in naturalthings, and the visible works of God, ) have been discovered; as theyenvy not the communicating them to the world, so should they bewanting to the Society, and to the honour of divers learned and ingenious

* Since this Epistle was first written and published, the University of Oxford has insti-.tuted and erected a Society for the promoting of Natural and experimental Knowledge inconcert with the Royal Society , with which they keep a mutual correspondence. This Imention, for that some .malevolents had so far endeavoured to pofsels divers Members ofthe University, as if the Society designed nothing lefs than the undermining of that andother illustrious academies, and which indeed so far prevailed, as to breed a real jealousyfor some considerable time; but as tliis was never in the thoughts of the Society , whichhad ever the Universities in the greatest veneration, lb the hmocency and usefulness of itsinstitution has at length disabused them, vindicated their proceedings, dilsipated all fur-mises, and, in fine, produced an ingenuous, friendly, and candid union and correspondencebetween them.

G