




The Preface, 

of this Subjet to write upon; one of the moft No- 
ble and the moft Copious parts of Philofophy ; and 
fuch an one, as bath bitherto lain uncuhivated. And 
you bave been very fuccefsful in your first Attempt 
about it, in fo many remarkable Obfervations and 
Difcoveries, as you bave made already. I could 
heartily wifh, that yon mould: Sill apply your felf 
to. this kind of Enquiries. You will find thar Ad- 
ditionals will come in more copionfly and eafily. And 
it is not fit, that any one (bould, by bis Super- 
firnktions, carry. amay the praife from him, who was 
the first Inventor, and who laid the Foundations, 
wherein the greatest difficulty doth confist, &c. 
Having thus fubmitted my felf to the Judgment of 
many Learned Men; I faw that my Journey muft not 
here end. So that, like one who is got into a Wood, I 
thought I might as fairly find my way out, by going 
on, as by making a retreat. Whereupon, I began to 
draw up a Scheme of the whole De/fign. 
While I was doing this, I received news from Lon- 
don, that the fame day, December 7. 1671, in which 
my Book, then printed, was prefented to the Royal So- 
ciety: there was alfo prefented a Manufeript ( with- 
out Figures) from Seignior Malpighi, upon the fame 
Subject; dated at Bononia, November, 1* 1671. the 
fame, which Mr. Oldenburge, when it came to be prin- 
ted, calleth his Idea. And of this, entry was made in 
their Journal Book. So that the Royal Society having now 
a Profpect of the good fervice of an Ancient Member, 
and one, who had highly merited by his Works then 
extant ; from thence forward, I looked upon my lf to 
be excufed. 
_. But foon after, receiving another Letter from the 
Bilhop of Chefter, dated at London, Febr. 18. 1672. I 
e te found 

