CHAP. II. Of the Diffentions in Athens between CHAP. III. Of the Diffentions between the Pa- 55 The Sentiments of a Church-of-England-Man, with An Argument to prove, that the Abolishing Chriftia- nity in England may, as Things now stand, be attended with fome Inconveniencies, and perhaps THE Publifher's PREFACE. H AVING received great Encouragement from both Kingdoms; and efpecially from this, to publish a compleat and correct Edition in four Volumes, of the Works fuppofed to be written by the Reverend Dr. S. D. S. P. D. we defire Leave to inform the Readers how we have proceeded in this Affair. We do not find, that the fuppofed Author did ever put his Name to above two Compofitions, which were both writ in Profe; the former is a Letter to the Lord Treasurer Oxford, upon a Propofal for correcting and afcertaining the English Language; the other is a Letter upon a different Subject to the Lord Chancellor Middleton, which was printed before; but we found the Name fubfcribed at Length in the original Manufcript. This Way of Proceeding in the Author, hath put us under the Neceffity of complying with the general Opinion, which never bath bath fixed certain Writings both in Verfe and Profe upon him, whether truly or no, we shall not prefume to determine; for we are affured he never directly owned to his nearest Friends any Writings which generally paffed for his; the unavoidable Confequence whereof was, that befides thofe Poems or Treatifes, which the judicious Part of the World agreed to have come from his Pen; many others were vulgarly fixed on him, which a Writer much inferior (at least if Printers and Bookfellers were to be the Judges) might have juft Reason to complain of; and yet, we are equally affured by thofe Gentlemen in this Kingdom, who seem to know the Author beft, that when People of more Curiofity than Taste or Manners, offered to charge him with fome Trifles which he had not writ, be would never give them the leaft Satisfaction, by owning or denying it. If we are truly informed, the fuppofed Author bath often protested, that be never did write three Copies of Verfes with the leaft Intention to have them printed, although he was eafy enough to shew them to bis Friends, and at their Defire was not very fcrupulcus in fuffering them to take Copies; from whence. most of those Poems were occafionally printed in both Kingdoms, either in fingle Papers, or in Mifcella nies. Several Applications have been made to the supposed Author for two Years past by most of his Friends, that he would give us Leave to print thofe Writings in Verfe and Profe, which are universally imputed to bim: The Arguments made use of were, that fuch a Collection as we proposed could not be printed in London; because feveral Copies, and fome whole Treatifes were the Property of different Bookfellers, who were not likely to agree in Partnership, nor bad the PREFACE. the fame Advantage with us of confulting the supposed Author's Friends, who were pleased to correct many grofs Errors, and strike out fome very injudicious Interpolations; particularly in the Voyages of Captain Gulliver: Not to mention feveral Things in Profe as well as Verfe, which we procured from fome Gentlemen who were either connived at, or juffered to take Copies. We added, that if we did not undertake this Work, it would certainly be attempted by Some Bookfeller, who probably might not be fo ready to fubmit to the Advice and Direction of the fuppofed Author's Friends. That we offended against no Law in acting as we did; because in this Kingdom, neither Authors, Bookfellers or Printers, pretended any Property in Copies; which in London is fixed as certainly as any other legal Poffeffion. But our Arguments were of little Effect; further, than that the fuppofed Author was prevailed on to fuffer fome Friends to review and correct the Sheets after they were printed; and fometimes be condefcended, as we have heard, to give them his own Opinion. In printing the fix Volumes we have been advised to obferve the following Order: The first Volume confifts of thofe Mifcellanies, which were published in London about thirty Years ago; that is to say, the Profe Part of them; but in this Impreffion are feveral confiderable Additions. The fecond Volume contains all the Poetical Writings, that we could collett, and which are generally afcribed to the fame Author; wherein we entirely fubmitted to the Directions of bis Friends. The third Volume makes up the four Parts of Captain Gulliver's Travels. The fourth Volume is a compleat Collection of all those Traits relating to Ireland, which are universally allowed to bave been written by the fame Author; and |