The Preface. 
of this Subje to write upon; one of the mof No- 
ble and the moft Copious parts of Philofophy ; and 
Juch an one, as bath bitberto lain uncultivated. And 
you bave been very fuccefsful in yonr first Attempt 
about it, in fo many remarkable Obfervations and 
Difcoveries, as you have made already. I could 
heartily, wifo,- that gon: would: Still apply your Jelf 
to this kind of Enquiries. You all find thar Ad- 
ditionals will come in more copiomly and. eafily.\ And 
it is nobifit, that any. «one, [bould, by. bas. Super- 
firnions, carry away the praife: from bim,. sb was 
the first Inventor, and who laid the Foundations, 
wherein the greatest difficulty doth confit, Kc, 
Having thus fubmitted my felf to the Judgment of 
many Learned Men; ‘I faw that my Journey muft not 
here end. So that, like‘one who is got into a Wood, I 
thought I might as fairly find my way out, by going 
on, as by making a retreat. Whereupon, I began to 
draw up a Scheme of the whole Defign. 
While + I was doing ‘this, I received news from Lon- 
don, that the fame day, December 7. 1671, in which 
my Book, then printed, was prefented to the Royal So- 
ciety: there was alfo prefented a Manuferipe ( with- 
out Figures ) from Seignior Malpighi, upon the fame 
Subject; dated at Bononia, November, 1% 1671. the 
fame, which Mr. Oldenburge, when it came to be prin- 
ted, calleth his Idea. And of this, entry was made in 
their Journal Book. So that the Royal Society having now 
a Profpeét of the good fervice of an Ancient Member, 
and one, who had highly merited by his Works then 
extant ; from thence forward, I looked upon my felf to 
be excufed: 
„But foon ‚after, receiving. another Letter- from the 
Bihop of Chefter, dated at London, Febr. 18. 1672. I 
found 
