Vi 
PORYE FLAS TB. 
exploded thofe groundlefs dogmatical Opinions, which Length of Time 
had rendered venerable to Ages of Ignorance ; but likewife, by number-" 
lefs Experiments, both fought and difcovered feveral valuable Truths $ 
which, like rich Ore, had been long hid under Rubbith. 
Future Difcoveries will, no doubt, in fo. inquifitive an Age as this, 
bring likewife to Light many Secrets of Nature, which even ftill lie hid 
in Ob{curity: But, in order to be fuccefsful in fuch Attempts ; as the 
Harveft is large, and the Labourers few, every Affiftance ought to be em- 
braced, even from Men of no extraordinary Talents : Thefe, like Hewers 
of Wood, and Drawers of Water, may be ferviceable. It may be, per- 
haps, neceflary to premife, that we are not to expect the moft exact 
Performance of this Kind to be in every Part equally engaging. The 
hiftorical Defcription of a Country, like its natural Appearance, muft 
needs be attended with Variety. And as, in travelling over it, we muft 
climb high rocky Hills, and pafs through dreary Defarts, as well as open 
Lawns, and flowery Meads; fo the Reader muft not always expect to be 
entertained with beautiful Images, and a Loftinefs of Style. In Variety 
of Subjects, this mutt alter with the Nature of theThings to be defcribed. 
For Inftance: A pompous Stile and Language would ill fit a bare 
Narration of Faéts, or the Defcription of a grovelling Plant. Upon the 
Whole, that Stile or Method of Writing (as a great Orator hath obferved) 
is beft, which reprefents the Subject in Words moft expreflive of their 
Nature and Qualities. 
As I have been obliged, in the Courfe of the following Treati z 
As] be reatife, t 
differ in Opinion from feveral Authors, I have Sdeh eee tolls it 
without fupercilioufly condemning them, or, I hope, even leffening that 
Benevolence which we owe to one another ; and which is the fureft Foun- 
dation of focial Happinels. 
The Miftakes of many Authors, who have treated of Places not “ 
feétly known to them, are almoft unavoidable; and will be alwa : fo 
whilft they receive their Informations from Men, who have ae 
Capacity to difcern, Judgment to reprefent Things in their proper Light ; 
nor are ingenuous enough to relate nothing but Truth. ee 
The Miftakes, therefore, of fuch Authors, are by n | 
ne ,t o means th j 
of Ridicule: Juftice, Good-nature, and Colour, ought e meee 
infeparable from human Kind ; efpecially when we prefume to fit es 
Judges upon other Mens Works ; left we fhould rafhly pronounce that a 
Crime, which, at moft, was but the Effeé of too great a Share of Cre- 
dulity: A Misfortune, which Men of the greateft Veracity themfelves 
_ have been often led into. 
Thus 
