The ^Preface, 
in, than the fucceeding ones. But had He 9 and Others, been more parti- 
cular in the Matters they treat of: their Commentators had engaged their 
own and their Readers Time much better, than in fo Many fruit left and end- 
left Difquifitions and Contejls. It were certainly a Thing both in it felf 
Deferable,; and of much Confequence 5 To have fitch an Inventory of Nature, 
wherein, as on the one hand, nothing fjould be Wanting $ fo nothing Re- 
peated or Confounded, on the other. For which, ihere is no way -without 
a cleer and full Defcription of Things. 
Be fides, that in fitch Defcriptions, many Particulars relating to the Na- 
ture and Z)Je of Things, will occur to the Authors mind , which ctherwife 
he would never have thought of. And may give occasion to his Readers, for 
the confidcration of many more. And therefore it were aljbyery proper, That 
not only Things jlrange and rare, but the moft known and common amoiigft 
us, were thus defcrib'd. Not meerly, for that what is common in one Conn- 
trey, is rare in another \ but becanfe, likewife, it would yield a great aboun^ 
dance of matter for any Mans Reafon to work, upon. He that notes, That 
a Grey hound hath pricked Ears, but that thofe of a Hound hang downs, 
may alfo the Reafon of both: for that the former hunts with his Ears 3 the 
the latter, only with his Note : So that as a blind Man, minds nothing but 
•what he Hears : fo a Hound, having his Ears half Stop'd with the Flaps^ 
minds nothing but what he Smells. He that fall obferve, That a Horfe, 
which ought to have many and jirong Teeth, and large and thicks Hoofes, 
hath no Horns: and that an Ox, with Horns, hath fewer Teeth, and 
weaker Hoofs : cannot hit at the fame time fee the Providence of Nature, 
In difpofing of the fame Excrementitiom parts of the Blood, either way, as 
is mofl fait able to the Animal. One that confiders the Teeth of a Horfe, fees 
the reafon, why he hath fo long an upper Tip , which is his Hand, and in 
feme jort anfwers to the Probofcis of an Elephant 5 whereby he nimbly winds 
the Graf in great quantities at once into his Mouth. So that for Nature 
to have made him a flwrt Lip, had been to make a little Hopper, to a great 
Mill. The fame Animal having need of great Lungs, how necejjary is it alfo 
for him to have a broad Breafi, well bowed Ribs, and wide Nojirils to give 
them play ? That being much pcjlerd with Elys, he flxmld have a long brufh 
Tail to whisk them off. Whereas the Af, which either for the hardnef and 
drynefi of his Skin, or other Caufe, is lef anoyd with them, hath no need of 
fuch an one. That being heavy, he fjould not Tread or Leap ftiff, as a Man j 
but have a Pattern made him, gradually and fafely to break the force of his 
weight. By This, lis Body hangs on the Hoof as a Coach doth by the 
Leathers. Without this , the mofl thorow pacd Horfe, would tread fo 
hard, that as it were impojfible for any man to endure long upon his Back f 
Jo his Joynts would be much chafed, and he mufl needs prefently tyre. Tet 
if it be too long, by yielding over much, it makes every slep fomewhat more 
laborious, and to loofefome ground. He that would have one for Carriage, 
will choofe him fort, and high Bached. For Panning, long, and clean or 
fender Limb'd : another, were like a Man that fhould run a Race in his 
Boots. And a due length is as neceffary : which is, when the Meafure be- 
tween the Main and the Tail an fivers to the bight, or thereabout. If much 
under, his hinder Feet will want their full fcope : if much over, there will 
be more weight to be moved with the fame force, as if the weight were leji 
But l.e that would have one for Draughty loohj not that the Limbs be Jlenr 
dsr, if they are Jirong 5 ejfecially thofe behind- For though the fire Legs 
