kindly offered his own affiftance gratis towards penning a dedication to himself. I defired him, however, to give a fecond guefs. Why then, faid he, it must be I, or my Lord Sommers. From thence I went to feveral other wits of my acquaintance, with no fmall hazard and wearinefs to my perfon, from a prodigious number of dark, winding stairs; but found them all in the fame story, both of your Lordship and themselves. Now, your Lordship is to understand, that this proceeding was not of my own invention; for I have fome where heard, it is a maxim, That thofe, to whom every body allows the fecond place, have an undoubted title to the first.

This infallibly convinced me, that your Lordship was the person intended by the author. But, being very unacquainted in the style and form of dedications, I employed thofe wits aforefaid, to furnish me with hints and materials towards a panegyric upon your Lordship's virtues.

In two days they brought me ten sheets of paper, filled up on every fide. They fwore to me, that they had ranfacked whatever could be found in the characters of Socrates, Ariftides, Epaminondas, Cato, Tully, Atticus, and other hard names which I cannot now recollect. However, I have reafon to believe, they impofed upon my ignorance; becaufe, when I came to read over their collections, there was not a fyllable there, but what I and every body else knew as well as themfelves. Therefore I grievoufly fufpect a cheat;

and

and that these authors of mine ftole and tranfcribed every word from the univerfal report of mankind. So that I look upon myself as fifty fhillings out of pocket, to no manner of purpose.

If, by altering the title, I could make the fame materials ferve for another dedication, (as my betters have done), it would help to make up my lofs But I have made feveral perfons dip here and there in thofe papers; and before they read three lines, they have all affured me plainly, that they cannot poffibly be applied to any person befides your Lordship.

I expected, indeed, to have heard of your Lordship's bravery at the head of an army; of your undaunted courage, in mounting a breach, or fcaling a wall, or to have had your pedigree traced in a lineal defcent from the house of Auftria; or of your wonderful talent at dress and dancing; or your profound knowledge in algebra, metaphyfics, and the oriental tongues. But to ply the world with an old beaten ftory of your wit, and eloquence, and learning, and wifdom, and justice, and politenefs, and candour, and evenness of temper in all fcenes of life; of that great difcernment in difcovering, and readiness in favouring, deferving men; with forty other common topics; I confefs, I have neither confcience, nor countenance, to do it: Because there is no virtue, either of a public or a private life, which. fome circumstances of your own have not often produced upon the ftage of the world; and thofe S 3 few,

few, which, for want of occafions to exert them, might otherwife have paffed unfeen or unobserved by your friends, your enemies * have_at_length brought to light.

It is true, I should be very loth, the bright example of your Lordship's virtues thould be loft to after-ages, both for their fake, and your own ; but chiefly because they will be fo very neceffary to adorn the hiftory of a late reign+: And that is another reason why I would forbear to make a recital of them here; because I have been told by wife men, that, as dedications have run for fome years paft, a good historian will not be apt to have recourfe thither, in fearch of characters.

There is one point, wherein I think we dedicators would do well to change our measures; I mean, instead of running on fo far upon the praife of our patron's liberality, to fpend a word or two in admiring their patience. I can put no greater compliment on your Lordship's, than by giving you fo ample an occafion to exercife it at prefent. Though perhaps I fhall not be apt to reckon much merit to your Lordship upon that score, who having been formerly used to tedious

* In 1701, Lord Sommers was impeached by the Commons, who, either finding their proofs defective, or for other reafons, delayed coming to a trial; and the Lords thereupon proceeded to the trial without them, and acquitted him. Hawkef.

+ K. William's; whofe memory he defended in the Houfe of Lords, against fome invidious reflections of the Earl of Nottingham. Hawkef

tedious harangues, and fometimes to as little purpose, will be the readier to pardon this; especially when it is offered by one, who is, with all respect and veneration,

MY LORD,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

and most faithful fervant,

The BOOKSELLER.

The BOOKSELLER to the READER.

T is now fix years + fince these papers came

IT

firft to my hand, which feems to have been about a twelvemonth after they were written: For the author tells us, in his preface to the first treatise, that he hath calculated it for the year 1697; and in feveral paffages of that discourse, as well as the fecond, it appears they were written about that time.

As to the author, I can give no manner of fatisfaction. However, I am credibly informed,

that

Sir John Sommers was Attorney-General; then made Lord Keeper of the Seals in 1692, and Lord High Chancellor 2nd Baron of Evesham in April 1697. Hawkef.

The Tale of a Tub was first published in 1704. Hawkes

that this publication is without his knowledge; for he concludes the copy is loft, having lent it to a perfon fince dead, and being never in poffeffion of it after: So that whether the work received his laft hand, or whether he intended to fill up the defective places, is like to remain a fecret.

it

I

If I fhould go about to tell the reader, by what accident I became mafter of these papers, would, in this unbelieving age, pafs for little more than the cant or jargon of the trade. therefore gladly fpare both him and myself fo unneceffary a trouble. There yet remains a difficult queftion, Why I published them no fooner? I forbore upon two accounts: First, because I thought I had better work upon my hands; and, fecondly, because I was not without fome hope of hearing from the author, and receiving his directions. But I have been lately alarmed with intelligence of a furreptitious copy †, which a certain great wit had new polifhed and refined, or, as our present writers exprefs themfelves, fitted to the humour of the age; as they have already done with great felicity, to Don Quixote, Boccalini, La Bruyere, and other authors. However, I thought it fairer dealing to offer the whole work in its naturals. If any gentleman will please to furnish me with a key, in order to explain the more difficult parts, I fhall very gratefully acknowledge the favour, and print it by itself.

† See p. 200.

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