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for our author shews us that he has included within the 

 narrow Compass of an Egg all sacred mysteries and the 

 knowledge of divine things, from the foundation of the 

 World to its redemption by Jesus Christ. Ut proinde quasi 

 quoddam compendium hie sis reperturus totius doctrinae 

 Christianse."^ It appears that he entered upon the work 

 (which, however learned, must be ranked ambng the difficilea 

 nugce) in a great measure with a view of solacing his mind, 

 and that of his countrymen, at the period when Bavaria was 

 overrun by Gustavus Adolphus, in the year 1632. He 

 dedicates it to King Ferdinand III, who by his restless 

 ambition had brought this disaster upon his kingdom. 

 It contains one hundred beautiful little engravings, wherein 

 are comprised within the Oval of an Egg, all things apper- 

 taining to life and godliness. Much wholesome doctrine 

 is no doubt conveyed, though often alloyed with strange 

 and grotesque matter. One might imagine that Swift had 

 borrowed his account of the Bigendians and Littleendians 

 from Stengel's forty-sixth Emblem, in which we are presented 

 with three persons opening their Eggs severally at the large 

 end, the narrow end, and the side. The first method 

 (according to our author) is practised by the Italians — 

 the second by the Jews — and the last by the Germans. 

 A long disquisition is wound up with the elegant verses 

 of Cornelius Gallus — 



" To each his fancy— not to every age 

 Are all things suited— Trifles light engage 

 The minds of boys — grave objects old men move, 

 While years mature a wholesome medium love. 

 A silent dignity this man maintains, 

 While that his fluent tongue less lightly reins. 

 Time has its varying influence o'er each mind, 

 Nor leaves it to one changeless mood confined. + 



* Ad lectorem. 

 tDiversos diversa juvant — non omnibus annis 

 Omnia conveniunt — res, prius apta, nocet. 

 Rxultat levitate puer, gravitate senectus ; 

 Inter utrumque manens, stat juvenile decus. 



Hunc 



