D EDICATORY. 
'fc<ind the Thilojophers, then living^ injudicious dnd clear injlrU- 
SionSy in fo many ufifnl Ohfervations and Difcoveries ^ I thinks 
I mayfay beyond the Records of many Ages. Hence^ and from aU 
this Iwould infer , th^t all Mortals mufl "Wait for their jnjl re- 
nown p^oft clneres, afttr their wort alii y ^ and thit Envy lyes 
clofe at tke doors ^ and purfies great merit to the l^Ji ft<^g^^ 
life^ \ 
^/>, As tkeijreek^Toet fetched in Caftor affd VoWn^ for his 
hi^befi applaufes^ when he had another concernment in his chief 
aim 5 fo^ that I may not by any Temptation put your Modefly to a. 
blujli^ I mufl continue to dijiourfe of the Lord Bacon. Gilbert, 
dcs» Cartes, GaflenduSj and others the Miracles of modern and 
revived Philofiphy of the indefatigable indttjiry of Jo me the in- 
genious Contrivances of others 5 and of many their fucceffnl ptr^ 
formances. And truly His to me very (Irange^ that fever al of thefe 
Excellent perfons have fo luckily efpoufed thofe Hy pothefes of 'Na- 
' ture in many true particulars, which You have by manifefi Expe- 
riments evinced and confirm' d'-^ as if by an efpecialblejjingupon 
\ their Labors^ and for their good AffeBions towards Mun.kind^ 
I' they had been guided by an Heavenly Ray to divine^wbat would be 
If the Refultfrom diligent tryals. 
3 Andj fincea noyfehath been raifed by temerarious Cenfurers 
!)1 dgain^youj as if you were too indulgent to the old Atomllh^ I 
' bold my felf bound in Jufiice^ to take publickjsotice of your impar» 
A tiality, that you were f^ 'ither led aftde on t^e one hand by the ad^^ 
di&ion to Chymifts ^ to favour their Principles above truth 
id' nor on the other hand^ deterr d byt^he Heathemjl) mi(iakes abou$ 
til Atoms ^ nor by the Vulgar notions of the Elemc^nts ^ from giving 
\k due place to the Cox^xx{c\i\2iV\m% Cfo far as they might have truth 
m\\ on their fides ) even hyihe Ajfijiance f^/Chy miftry 5 <n you havQ 
M done moji^candidly in your Sceptical ChytXxiit^ and in your O- 
rigine ot Forsis and Qualities. 
And now 6 ir, this would look^ more like a negie&fnl Omijfio?7 of 
due-RefpeMs^ thanajufl Addrejs^ if I flmtld forbear to a k^^ow* 
ledge , that \om have fo coherently deduced^ and fo coVipicno^'ifiy 
illuUrated the General^ andthe lefs Obvious Frocejjes oj Nature 
1. in he r Occult andjubtile Influences^ Vyhfther Atmofphxrical, f??* 
«^jore remotely CoimxcdA i ffhether Celeftial, iEtherealj or Ae- 
}iui' I \ real ^ Whether Subterraneous or dejcendtng ^ Whether of Air ^ or 
\d^dny kpown kind of Water ^ Liquidr^ or Men flruous Spirituous^ 
