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10^6 ’ C 0 iV C L 
Nation rich and powerful by the Spoil of others , but 
then it carries the Seeds of Deftruftion in the very Prin- 
ciples of Its Greatnefs ; for where Military Power is the 
Source of Grandeur, there mult be perpetual Hazards, 
not only as to the Iffue of Foreign Contefts, but from 
the fr£C|uent Convullions of inteliine Troubles, as not 
only Rcafon teaches, but Experience vouches. Moft 
of the ancient Empires were fubverted by this Means. 
That of the Greeks lafted but for a fingle Life ; the 
great Captains of Jlexander'^s Army thought they had 
the fame Title to be Kings, that he had to rule over 
Kings. The Roman Hiftory is, at the Bottom, no other 
than° a Record of foreign Expeditions, to gratify the 
Thirft of Dominion, and of Civil Wars arifing from 
the fame Caufe. But an Application to Commerce can- 
not be charged, at leaft not juftly, with any of thefe In- 
conveniences. We may trade v/ith People without fub- 
duing them, and we may'become potent, rich and hap- 
py, from the Effefts of our Induftry, without injuring ; 
but, on the contrary, exercifing our Beneficence towards 
our Fellow Creatures. It is indeed true, that fome, or 
to fpeak the whole Truth, moft trading Nations, have 
purfued a contrary Condu6l ; but as in this they defert 
the Principle that we recommend, fo it affords no real 
Objeftion to what we have advanced, nor are we under 
any Neceffity of defending them. Faftories are very 
necefiTary, and in diftant Countries lo are Fortreffes , 
but the Humour of fubduing thofe with whom \ve 
trade by Force is rarely beneficial. In Countries thinly 
inhabited, or by Savages, Plantations may be made 
ao^reeable to the P.aw of Nature j and thefe will be 
found ec^ually honourable and profitable to the Nations 
that make them. By a due Diftribution therefore of 
Fadories, Fortreffes, and Plantations, and by a juft 
Regard to Maritime Power, a Nation wifely governed 
may preferve a Corrcfpondence with every Pan of the 
Globe, without Injury to the Subjedfs of other Powers, 
and without Danger to their own Independance ; which 
Plan comes the neareft to political Perfedfion of any 
that has been laid down. Providence has difpofed 
laro-e Chains of Mountains, and other natural Fortifi- 
catTons, to check warlike Ambition, but the Seas are 
every where open to promote Commerce between the 
moft diftant Countries j and navigable Rivers, or arti- 
ficial Canals, ferve in civilized Nations, to nourifh and 
F 1 
U S I O N. 
maintain Trade amongft themfelves, as the Notion of 
communicating with each other, and thereby recipro- 
cally removing Want, is the very Source of Civility it- 
felf. Conquerors we may be, and Barbarians ftill, 
but a Race of barbarous Traders is at once a Seoilcifm 
in Language, and an Abfurdity in Nature. 
Thus, by giving the Reader firft a fuccindl Detail of 
the Scheme, the End and the Aim of this Work, and 
• by proceeding afterwards to an exprefs Enumeration of 
its feveral Parts, and exhibiting their Relation to and 
Connexion with each other, we have put it in his Power 
to judge how far we have executed what was origi- 
nally propofed and promifed, and that too within the 
Bounds which wert affigned it by the Proprietors Sti- 
pulations with the Publick. He will alfo fee what the 
peculiar Advantages are which arife from the very Na- 
ture of this Colledtion, and from the known Charafters 
of the feveral Pieces of which it is in a great Meafure 
compoled, he will farther enter into, and it is hoped, 
will at the fame Time approve, the Reafons from which 
fuch Pieces as are of dubious Authority, contain Mat- 
ters of mere Amufement, are filled up with extrava- 
gant and uninftrbflive Adventures, and have nothing 
to recommend them but Livelinefs of Thought and 
Vivacity of Stile, have been rejected j to which we may 
add, that he will be alfo fenfible of the great Ufeful- 
nefs of the Introduction, in which the Principles of thofe 
Sciences, fome Tindture of which was abfolutely necef- 
fary, to the underftanding both the Hiftorical and Ar- 
gumentative Part, of this large Colleftion, are laid down 
with fuch Plainnefs and Perlpicuity, as to render them 
obvious to every Underftanding. 
Thefe Confiderations, as they were of continual 
Weight with us in the compiling, difpofing, and ad- 
jufting that great Variety of Treatifes which in Whole 
or in Parc have been admitted into this Performance, 
it was equally reafonable and requifite they fhould 
be brought to the View of every Perufer ; which being 
done, there remains nothing farther but to wifti the 
great Purpofes that have been honeftly purfued in the 
Execution of this Defign, may be fuccefsfully promo- 
ted thereby, and that the Publick will afford a kind 
Reception to Labours that have been moft fteadily, as 
as well as moft fincerely, dedicated to their Service. 
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