TO THE READER xcv 



bassadors, and Illustrious Men from abroad? Witness besides, 

 the many accurate Treatises and Volumes of the most curious 

 and useful Subjects, Medicinal, Mathematical, and Mechanical, 

 dedicated to His Majesty as Founder ; to its President, and to 

 the Society, by the greatest Wits, and most profoundly 

 knowing of the European World, celebrating their Institution 

 and Proceedings : Witness, the daily Submissions and solemn 

 Appeals of the most learned Strangers to its Suffrages, as to 

 the most able, candid and impartial Judges : Witness, the 

 Letters, and Correspondencies from most parts of the habitable 

 Earth, East, and West Indies, and almost from Pole to Pole ; 

 besides what they have receiv'd from the very Mouths of 

 divers Professors, Publique Ministers, great Travellers, ${oble- 

 men, and Persons of highest Quality ; who have not only 

 frequented the Assembly, but desir'd to be Incorporated and 

 ascribed into their Dumber ; so little has his Majesty, or the 

 Kingdom been diminish'd in their Reputation, by the 1(oyal 

 Society, to the reproach of our sordid Adversaries : Never had 

 the 'Republique of Letters so learned and universal a Corres- 

 pondence as has been procur'd and promoted by this Society 

 alone ; as not only the casual Transactions of several Years 

 (filled with Instances of the most curious and useful Obser- 

 vations) make appear ; but (as I said) the many 3{uncupatory 

 Epistles to be seen in the Fronts of so many learned Volumes: 

 There it is you will find CHARLES the II. plac'd among 

 the Heroes and Demi-Gods, for his Patrociny and Protection : 

 There you will see the numerous Congratulations of the most 

 learned Foreigners, celebrating the Happiness of their In- 

 stitution; and that whilst other Stations are still benighted 

 under the dusky Cloud, such a refulgent Beam should give 

 day to this blessed Isle : And certainly, it is not to be supposed 

 that all these Learned Persons, of so many, and divers 

 Interests, as well as Countries, should speak, and write thus out 

 of Flattery, much less of Ignorance ; being Men of the most 



