THE BOOKSELLER's Advertisement. T HE following Difcourfe came into my Hands perfect and entire. But there being feveral Things in it, which the prefent Age would not very well hear, I kept it by me fome Tears, refolving it should never fee the Light. At length, by the Advice and Affiftance of a judicious Friend, I retrench'd thofe Parts that might give moft Offence, and have now ventured to publish the Remainder; Concerning the Author, I am wholly ignorant; neither can I conjecture, whether it be the fame with That of the two foregoing Pieces, the Original having been fent me at a different Time, and in a different Hand. The Learned Reader will better determine; to whofe Judgment I entirely Submit it. A 283 DISCOURSE Concerning the OF THE SPIRIT, &c. For T. H. Esquire, at His Chambers in the Academy of the Beaux Efprits in New-Holland. SIR, I T is now a good while, fince I have had in my Head, something, not only very material, but abfolutely neceffary to my Health, that the World fhould be informed in. For, to tell you a Secret, I am able to contain it no longer. However, I have been perplexed for fome time time, to refolve what would be the most proper Form to fend it abroad in. To which End, I have three Days been courfing thro' Westminster-Hall, and St. Paul's Church-Tard, and Fleet-ftreet, to peruse Titles; and, I do not find any which holds fo general a Vogue, as that of, A Letter to a Friend: Nothing is more common, than to meet with long Epiftles, addreffed to Persons and Places, where, at first thinking, one would be apt to imagine it, not altogether fo Neceffary or Convenient; Such as, a Neighbour at next Door, a mortal Enemy, a perfect Stranger, or a Person of Quality in the Clouds; and these upon Subjects, in appearance, the least proper for Conveyance by the Poft; as, long Schemes in Philofophy; dark and wonderful Mysteries of State; Laborious Differtations in Criti cifm and Philofophy, Advice to Parliaments, and the like. Now, Sir, to proceed after the Method in present Wear. (For, let me fay what I will to the contrary, I am afraid you will publish this Letter, as foon as ever it comes to your Hands;) I defire you will be my Witness to the World, how careless and fudden a Scribble it has been; That it was was but Yesterday, when You and 1 began accidentally to fall into Discourse on this Matter: That I was not very well, when we parted; That the Poft is in such hafte, I have had no manner of Time to digeft it into Order, or correct the Style; And if any other Modern Excufes, for Hafte and Negligence, fhall occur to you in Reading, I beg you to infert them, faithfully promifing they shall be thank fully acknowledged. PRAY, Sir, in Your next Letter to the Iroquois Virtuofi, do me the Favor to prefent my humble Service to that illuftrious Body, and affure them, I fhall send an Account of thofe Phanomena, as foon as we can determine them at Gresham. I have not had a Line from the Litterati of Tobinambou, these three laft Ordinaries. AND now Sir, having difpatch'd what I had to say of Forms, or of Business, let me intreat, you will fuffer me to proceed upon my Subject; and to pardon me, if I make no further Ufe of the Epiftolary Style, till I come to conclude. SECT. |