we} YAL SOCIETY. 
2, a” & 
- P ‘ bw s 
+ c ~~ * 
FS . per t o 
J 3 * 
ZA , . 
Z at ts 
" + | 
40% Frer my Addre? to our Great Founder and Pa-’ 
ey tron, I could not. but think. my felf oblig’d , 
“in confideration of thofe many Invatecunte 
eey YOu have’ laid: upon me ,- to- offer thefe my 
PNT = *» poor Labours to - this MOS T+ KELP Us 
STRIOUS ASSEMBLY, YOU have-been 
pleas’d formerly to accept of thefe rude Draughts. ‘1 have fince 
added to them fome Defcriptions, and fome ConjeGiures of my — 
own, Andtherefore, together with YOUR Acceptance, I muft 
alfo beg YOUR pardon.The Rules YOU have prefcribd YOUR 
felves in YOUR Philofophical Progrefs do feem the beft that : 
have ever yet been’ prattis'd.: And particularly that of avoiding 
Dogmatizing , ‘and the efpoufal of any Hypothefis not fufficiently 
grounded and confirm’d by Experiments. This way feems the. 
moft excellent , and may preferye both Philofophy and Natural 
Hiftory from its former Corruptions.In faying which, I may feem : 
to condemn my own Courfe in this Treatife ; in which there 
may perhaps be fome Expreffions, which may ein more pofitive 
then YOUR Prefcriptions will permit: AndthoughIdefire 
to have them underftood only as Conjeftures and Queries which 4 
~ YOUR Method does not altogether difallow)yet ifeveninthofe 
I have exceeded, ’tis fit that I fhould declare, that it was not 
done by YOUR Direétions. For it is moft unreafonable, that 
YOU fhould undergo the imputation of the faultsof my Con- 
rir ing YOU cnn fo fall tome pia 
: : < sof f Fi : 
YOUR mot bumble and 
moft faithful Servant 
ROBERT HOOKE, 
iE ais Ie ie 
