XIV PREFACE. 



far the greatest part c6nsisting of common and 

 <iaily occurrences, must have appeared trifling 

 and insignificant ; and as to some other things, 

 neither altogether unworthy of their notice, nor 

 likely to prove unacceptable to them, there 

 are yet good reasons why they should not he in^ 

 discrtminately produced and divulged. Such pas- 

 sages, for instance, ought to be suppressed, as, 

 if published, vi^ould bear hard upon the cha- 

 racters of other persons, whether now living or 

 dead. For it was the furthest from his thoughts 

 when he inserted any thing of this kind, either 

 from his own observation or from the relation 

 of others, that his authority should be vouched, 

 or his notes made, in any wise, instrumental 

 into conveying evil or suspicious reports. He 

 abominated scandal, and giving of characters, 

 as much as any man alive, and was always 

 wont, notwithstanding his frank and undisguised 

 temper, to speak very warily and tenderly of 

 every thing that touched another's credit and 

 reputation. This bane, therefore, and reproach, 

 of all secret histories, it is hoped, is so far 

 avoided here, that nobody shall have reason to 

 be offended. 



