The Treface to the Reader. 



ver they attempt with greater felicity .^A painfull and tedious travaile I confeffe it 

 isjneither make I doubt but many do note me for much folliein fpending timd 

 herein, and negleding fome compendious courfe of gathering good and pur- 

 fing up pence. But vvheni lookebackto the example of T//^/^,! muftofneceC- 

 fitie condemne both mine own flothjand alfo reprove the fupine negligence of 

 thefe daies. A courtiour he was, and great favourit of the Ve^fafians both father 

 and fonne : an oratour be(ides,and pleaded many caufes at the barre .* a martiall 

 man withall, and ierved often times as a leader and commaunder in the field : 

 within the cittie of Rome hee managed civile affairsjand bare honourable offi- 

 ces of State. Who would not thinke but each one of thefe places would require 

 a whole man ? and yet amid thefe occafions wherwith he was poffefTedjhe pen- 

 ned Chronicles, wrate Commentaries, compiled Grammaticall treatifes, and 

 many other volumes which at this day are utterly loft. As for the Hiftorie of 

 Nature now in hand, which flaeweth him to be an excellent Philofopher and a 

 man accomplifhcd in all kind of literature (the only monument of his that hath 

 efcapedall daungers, and as another Palladiumbeen referved entire unto our 

 time) wherein heehathdifcourfedof all things even from the flarn'e heaven to 

 the centre of the earth 3 a man would marveile how hee could pofsibly either 

 write or doe any thing els» But confidering the agilitie of mans fpirit alvvaies in 

 motion 3 an ardent defire to benefit pofteritie, which in thefe volumes hee hath 

 fo often protefted j his indefatigable ftudie both day and night, even to the in- 

 iurie of nature5and the fame continued in everie place,as well abroad as within- 

 houfe jin his iourney upon the high way, where his manner was to read and to 

 indite j in his ordinaiiepaffage through the fkreets betweene court and home, 

 vvhere hee gave himfelfe no reft, but either read, or els found his notarie worke 

 to vvrice , and for that piirpofe rode ufually in an eafie htter,v\^ich the (aid Nota- 

 rie clofe by his fi^g : leffc vvonder it is, that he pcrfourmed his fervice to prince 

 and ftate according to his calling : and withall delivered unto pofleritie fo many 

 fruits of witand learning. For what is not the head of man able to compafTef 

 efpecially making failewitha fervent defire and refolutionto fee an end, and 

 befides taking the vantage of ailmoments,and loofingno time,vvh^rof he was 

 mm omnium farci/smm*T owchingbAs affedion to fearch into thefecrets of Na- 

 ture,it was that and nothing els vvhich fhortened his daics^and hafi:ened his uiv 

 timely death: for having lived not much above the middle age of man, defirous 

 he was to know the reafon,Why the hill Vefuvius burned fo as it did^" and appro- 

 ched fb neare, that with the ftrong vapours and fmoke ifTuing from thence, his 

 breath was fodainly ftopped,and himfelfe found dead in the place : a man wor^ 

 thie to have lived for ever. What remaineth no Wy but onely to recommend unto 

 my countreymen this worke of his (which for mine owne part I vvifll to be im- 

 inortall^vverc it not foronefcruple to bee cleared, vvhich at thefirft troubled 

 my felfe a little, and might peradventure othervvife offend fbme readers . In zu 

 tributin^fo much unto Nature, T//«/> feemeth to derogat from the almightie 

 God, to him oLyvosv^ j and therefore daungerous (faith one)to be divulged. Farre 

 be it from me, that I fhould publifh any thing to corrupt mens manners, and 

 much lefTe to preiudice Chriftian religion*Affer conference therefore vvith fun^ 

 drie divines about this point,vvhom for their authoritie I reverencej whofc lear- 

 ning I honor and embraceiandin whom for iudgement & fynceritie of reli<^*' 



