Chap. 2\ Jn^ES SW{^&c. ^p 



It has been therefore 'the: dlief and kii* 

 dable Undertakings of thfe Wife and Virtuous 

 in all Ages, to endeavotrt at ^ a Reparatioii of 

 that Lofs, by a ihidious and laborious Appli- 

 caHon towards the Redreft of thofe Maligni- 

 ties contain^- within the fcope of that difitial 

 Imprecation, thorns and Thijiks Jball it brk^ Gen. iij 

 fcrth^ dec. and fo to matiure, <:ultivatej, drefs, ^^* 

 and improve it^ as beft to inf\X^er the End of 

 their Labour, a bountiful Encreafe and Repa- 

 rative Reward to their formei* LoflTes, as ivell 

 as to their prefent fedulous and virtuous 

 Employs, ^••i'!-' J" ^^- -Ou^ij cj' sbi doiiai 



This theh' 'is the Subjefl ^f the chfuiAg 

 E s s A Y 5 a Subjed, I muft' confefs, dyll 

 enough, it being no othet thati Ea rtjei, 

 the Earth we every day trampfe under Fodt : 

 But how vile Ibever it may appear, it is that 

 from which we gather the Refrefliment and 

 Support of Nature, without which the ^Ra- 

 tional and Animal part of the Creation could 

 not poflibly fubfift 5 for which reafon, we 

 muft fubmit to enquire into its Nature, and 

 ^ift her in all her Deficiences. 



. There are, I doubt not, who V^ill except 

 againft the Plainnefs of thefe following Di* 

 reftions, and will be ready to fay, JVe knovf 

 thefe things already. 



To which I here anfwer , That my 

 Intent in Writing, is chiefly for the Inftru-i 

 flion of the Unlearned : And as for thofe 

 that Know already, it may put them in^ 

 mind of their Bufinefs, and confirm them in 



I H 2 their 



