make up this Collection. But as my own unwillingness to do any thing which might prove an Injury to the supposed Authors Reputation, to whom no Man pays a jufter Efteem or bears a greater Refpect than my felf, has hitherto kept me from giving the World fo agreeable an Entertainment as it will receive from the following Papers, fo the Sence I bad that he would really now Suffer a much greater in both Inftances from other Hands, was the Occafion of my determining to do it at prefent: Since fome of the following Pieces have lately ap peared in Print, from very Imperfect and Uncorrect Copies. Nor was the Abufe like to stop here, for these with all the Defects and Imperfections they came out under, met with so much Applause, and fo Univerfal a good Reception from all Men of Wit and Tafte, as to prompt the Bookfellers, who had heard that other of thefe Tracts were in Manufcript in Some Gentlemens Hands, to feek by any means to Procure them, which bould they compass, they would without Queftion Publifs in a manner as little to the Authors Credit and Reputation, as they have already done thofe few which un

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fortunately have fallen into their Poffeffion. This being a known Fact I hope will be fufficient to make this Publication, tho' without the Authors Confent or Knowledge, very confiftent with that Respect I fincerely bear him; Who, if #should not appear to be perfectly without Fault, can with little Justice complain of the Wrong he receives by it, fince it has prevented his fuffering a much greater, no more than a Man who is pushed down out of the way of a Bullet, can with Reafon take as an Affront, either the Blow he falls by, or the Dirt he rifes with.

BUT Indeed I have very little un eafiness upon me for fear of any Injury the Authors Credit and Reputation may receive from any Imperfection or Uncorrectness in these following Tracts, fince the Perfons from whom I had them, and in whofe Hands I have reason to believe the Author left them, when_his Affairs called him out of this Kingdom, are of so much worth themselves, and have fo great a Regard for the Author, that I am confident they would neither do, nor fuffer any thing that might turn A 3

to

to his Difadvantage, I must confefs I am upon another account under fome Concern, which is, least some of the following Papers are fuch as the Author perhaps would rather should not have been Published at all; in which Cafe, I fhould look upon my self highly obliged. to ask his Pardon: But even on this Suppofition, as there is no Perfon Named, the fuppofed Author is at Liberty to Difown as much as he thinks fit of what is here Published, and so can be Chargable with no more of it than he pleases to take upon himself sera fa

FROM this Apology I have been making, the Reader may in part be "fatisfied how thefe Papers came into my Hands, and to give him a more particular Information herein will prove little to his Ufe, tho perhaps it might Lomewhat gratifie his Curiofity, which I fball think not material any farther to do, than by affuring him, that I am not only my felf Sufficiently convinced that all the Traits in the following Collection, excepting Two, before both of which I have in the Book expressed my Doubtfulnefs, were Wrote by the fame Hand,

but

but feveral Judicious Rerfons who are well acquainted with the fuppofed Authors Writings, and not altogether Strangers to his Converfation, have agreed with me herein, not only for the Reasons I have before hinted at, but upon this Ac-, count alfo, that there are in every one of thefe Pieces fome particular Beauties that discover this Authors Vein, who excels too much not to be Diftinguished, fince in all his Writings fuch a Surprizing mixture of Wit and Learning, true Humour and good Sence does every where appear, as fets him almost as far out of the Reach of Imitation, as it does beyond the Power of Cenfure.

THE Reception that thefe Pieces will meet with from the Publick, and the Satisfaction they will give to all Men of Wit and Tafte, will foon decide it, whither there be any Reason for the Reader to fufpect an Impofition, or the Author to apprehend an Injury; The former I am fully fatisfied will never be, and the latter I am fure I never Intended: In confidence of which, should the Author when he fees these Tract's appear, take some Offence, and know A 4 where

where to place his Refentment, I will be fo free as to own, I could without much Uneafiness fit down under fome degree of it, fince it would be no bard Task to bear fome Dipleasure from a Single Perfon, for that for which one is fure to receive the Thanks of every. Body elfe.

THE