furprizing to Many, that a Preface is neceffary,

if it were only to explain the Title: And That can't well be done, without mentioning the Occafion of the

Tranflation, which was in Short

This..

A 3

Wanting

Wanting an English Book for my Scholars to Tranflate, which might improve them in Senfe and Latin at once, (Two Things which Should never be divided in Teaching) I thought nothing more proper for that Purpofe than BACON's ESSAYS, provided the English, which is in fome Places grown obfolete, were a little reformed, and made more fashionable. Accordingly bav ing by me his Lordship's Latin Volume of the Effays, (which as it was a later, so seems to be a perfecter Book) I fell to Tranflating it, not tying my self ftrictly to the Latin, but comparing both Languages together, and setting down that

Senfe

Senfe & where there was any Diffrence) that feem'd the fulleft and plainest And so much for the First Volume)

For the Second, it is Tranflated all from bis Lordship's Nine Books de Augmentis Scientiarum, excepting the last two or three Pages, which are". ranfcribed from his Lordship's Advancement of Learning, `written at firft and publish'd in Two Books in the English Tongue. The whole Nine Books I found rendred into English by Dr. Gilbert Wats of Oxford, to which Verfion I am fo much obliged, as not to think my Self at Liberty to mention the Faults

of it.

A 4

As

1

As for the Original Effays, (and the Continued Ones are nothing inferior to them) his Lordship is bold to say, That he conceives that the Latin Volume of them (being in the Univerfal Language) may laft as long as Books laft. And the English Volumes too may last as long as the English Tongue, if any one, once in a Century or two, would take the fame Pains that I have done, to repair the Decays of a fleeting Language.

3

As to my Part, which is Fidelity to my Author, and Correctness of English, without any Apology of School-Avocations, I have endea

44

vour'd Both to the utmost of my

Power,