THE 



P RE FA CE 



Giving an account of both the Original stnd 

 Engltfh Edition of this Work. 



':' T&wttt V;W^uva\-W\t. ,'v,i.<>vk 'A-.y'A it ■■•■•t 



TH E Relations we have from t smote Coun- 

 tries, for the wdft part, come attended with 

 this misfortune that many times they ars 

 written by Perfons, &ho, being concerned 

 therein, for fome Reafons and Confiderations only known 

 tothemfdves^mah^ it their bu fine fs to difguifethe Truth y 

 and reprefent things otherwife than they are. Sometimes 

 ulfo we have to do with certain Writers, who, in cold bloody 

 and to gratifie their own humour, would impofe upon our 

 credulity, as it were out of a defiance of being dijproved, 

 * And lajily, it is our fate to receive Pieces of this nature 

 from men little versed in ftudy, and fo fuch as are not 

 able to lay down things with the requifite exaSlnefs, in- 

 afmuch as, upon many occafions, theyta\e one thing for 

 another, and relate not things truly and naturally, though 

 they have not any intention to deceive us. On the con- 

 trary, it is a great advantage, when fuch Workj are com- 

 pofed by Authors, in whom thefe three conditions are 

 found combining together',, to wit,;Tbat they are uncon- 

 cerned s That they dally not with Truth ; and, That they 

 have all the Requi files for the right framing of their Re- 

 lations. 



Thofe &bo fballcaft thtir Eyes ontheprefeut Hiftory, 

 are to expett therein thefe advantages : For as to the two 

 firjiof the forementioned Conditions, that is, to compre- 

 hend them under one word, Sincerity, the Authors of this 

 Worh^prkfuwe to attribute it to themf elves, ftnce it is an 

 Elogy any one may innocently affumeto himfelf, if his own 

 Conference gwe him not a cheeky for fo doing : But for 

 the thimdy which relates to the ability of the mind> though 



m 



