The PREFACE. 
and others,who are fome of the moft confiderable in their feveral Profelfions, 
But that that yet farther convinces me of the Real efteem that the morefe- 
rious part of men have of this Society,#s, that feveral Merchants,men who — 
- abtin earnefic whofe Objest is meu Co tuum, that great Rudder of humane — 
affairs have Vea ‘d confider able fums of Money,to put in prattice what 
fome of our Members have contrived, and have continued ftedfatt in their — 
good opinions of fuch Indeavours, when-not one of a bundred of theouloar 
have believed their undertakings feafable.And it i alfo fit to be added,that — 
they bave one advantage peculiar to themfelves,that very many of their num- — 
ber are men of Converfe and Traffick ; which is a good Omen, that their 
attempts will bring Philofopby from words to attion,fecing the men of Bufi- 
nef have bad fo great a fbarein their firft foundation. , 
And of this kind Tought not to. conceal one particularGenerofity which more | 
nearly concerns my felf.it is the munificence of Sir JohnCutler,in endowing 
a Ledture for the promotion of Mechanick Arts,to be poverned and direbted — 
byTbisSociety.ZbisBounty mention for the HonourablenelS of the thing it 
Jelf,and for the expettation which I have of the efficacy of the Example ; for — 
it canriot now be objetted to them,that their Defigns will be efteemed frivolous 
andvain, when Septoni fuch a real Teftimony of the Approbation nd . 
a Man that is fuch an eminent Ornament of this renoiwne City, and ont 
_ who, by the Variety, and the happy Succels, of his negotiations, has itorn 
evident proofs, that bets nor eafie to be deceivrd. This Gentleman has well — 
obfero'd, that the Arts of life have been too long imprifon'd in the dark, — 
fhops of Mechanicks themfelvesso there hindred from growch either By 4 ie 
norance,pr felf-intereft:and he bas bravely feed them from thee inconveni- 
ences:He hath not only obliged Tradefinen,but Trade it (eftHe bis Wore a 
work ‘that 28 worthy of London, and has ranight the ebief City of Comme 
in the world the right way bow Commerce vtobe improv d. We have already 
feen many otber great jfigns of Liberality: and a large mind, , from the firme a 
hand: F or by bisdiligence about theCorporation forthe Poor sby bis boron 
rableSubfcriptions for the rebuilding of St.Paul’s;by bis chearful Disbart 3 
ment for the replanting of Ireland, and by many other fich publick works, 
be bas fbewn by what means be indeavours to eftablith his Memory 3 ant 
70h “a daft gift be bas done vat which became — the wifeft Citizens) 
os 
