To the Right Honorable 



THOMAS 



Earl of SOVTHJMTTO^J^, 



Lord HIGH TREASURER 



ENGLAND,&c 



My Lord, 



-F great Examples did not fupport 

 it, the dignity and grearnefs of 

 your Terfon would foon have gi- 

 ven cheque to this prcfumption : 

 But fincc Emperours and Kinas 

 have not only gratefully accept- 

 ed IVorkj of this nature, hut ho- 

 nor'd them likewife with their 

 own facred hands, that Name of 

 yours (which ought indeed never to appear but in In- 

 flruments oi State and fronts oi Marble , confecrating 

 your Wifdom and Vertues to Eternity) will be no way 

 lefTen'd by giving Patronage to thefe appendant RhJU- 

 cities. It is from the Prote£^ion and Chcrifhment of 

 fuch as your Lordjhip is, that thefe Endeavonrs of ours 

 may hope one day to fucceed and be profperous. The 

 hoblefl: and moft ufeful Struftures have laid their- 

 FdundatioDS in the Earth : if that prove firme here (and 

 firmel pronounce it to be, if your Lordf ip favour itj 

 We fhall go on and flourifli. I fpeak now in rela' ion to 

 the Koyal Society, not my felf, who am but a Str'vantoi it 

 only,andaFw«er in the IVorkj. But beitt,/!rfe what it will, 

 ' Yobr LdrdJJjjp, who is a Builder, and a lover of a.]\jviag- 

 nificences, cannot be difpieas'd at thefe agreeable Acccf- 



fories 



