Ixxviii author's preface. 



I own all this, I am no Polite Author, nor indeed any at 

 all. Neither did I ever believe I cou'd ever set up for one, 

 till I was as it were forc'd to give way to Importunity, which 

 lasted five or six years. ^Tis true, and most true, that I am 

 very far from having the Abbot Ghoisys rare Talent. His 

 Delicacy is without doubt extream. He writes politely, 

 and the fine simplicity of his, "Easter approaches": "His 

 Calm quite flat.'' "1 see nothing hut Water." "The same 

 Song'' "To tell you nothing is a new Ragou" which pleases 

 and Charms, tho' I must indeed own, I have not been able 

 to relish it. Perhaps it may be too high season'd for me. 

 Simple and naked Truth, and the singularity of our 

 Adventures, are the Body and Soul of my Eelation. But 

 since the Prince of Roman Eloquence^ has commended Ciesar 

 (or the Author of his Commentaries) for writing without 

 Artifices or Ornament, I hope I shall also find Men of a 

 moderate Taste, who without lessening the extraordinary 

 value of the Abbot of Choisy's admirable Simplicity, will 

 readily bear with mine tho' Common. 



There's deceit in this Simplicity, so very simple ; and 'tis 

 very well known the Inhabitants of the RepuUick of letters, 

 as well as those of the Frijjerie,^ make use of several sorts of 

 Lights^: I know also that a Latin Cloak is as Convenient as 

 Venerable, and often proves a great help to such as have 

 nothing to say, and yet would raise Admiration ; and that 

 the politeness of a gay gallant Stile, and the Convenience of 

 Rimes are a good cover for many Authors : Juvenal and 

 Boileau are in the Eight to rail at whom they please, as long 



1 This Prince of Roman eloquence was Cicero, who wrote as follows: 

 " Csesar has likewise some commentaries or short memoirs of his own 

 transactions, and such as merit the highest approbation ; for they are 

 simple, correct, and elegant, and divested of all the ornaments of 

 language, so as to appear (if 1 may be allowed the expression) in a kind 

 of undress." (Cicero, in Bruto, c. 74.) 



2 " A Place in Paris where Second-hand and other Cloaths are sohl." 



3 In orig. : "lustres," i.e., glass or polish. 



