ber of authors are indebted for their fame. Of faction*, because

*

Hiatus in

MS.

* Of poetry.

because its orators do perorare with a fong; and, because, climbing up by flow degrees, Fate is fure to turn them off before they can reach within many steps of the top; and because it is a prefer– ment attained by transferring of property, and a confounding of meum and tuum.

Under the age-itinerant are couched thofe productions defigned for the pleasure and delight of mortal man; fuch as, Sixpenny-worth of wit, Weftminster drolleries, Delightful tales, Complete jefters, and the like; by which the writers of and for GRUB-STREET, have, in thefe latter ages, fo nobly triumphed over Time; have clipped his wings, pared his nails, filed his teeth, turned back his hour-glafs, blunted his fcythe, and drawn the hobnails out of his fhoes. It is under this clafs I have prefumed to lift my prefent treatise, being juft come from having the honour conferred upon me, to be adopted a member of that illuftrious fraternity.

Now,

Here is pretended a defect in the manufcript; and this is very frequent with our author, either when he thinks he cannot fay any thing worth reading; or when he has no mind to enter on the fubject; or when it is a matter of little moment; or, perhaps, to amufe his reader, whereof he is frequently very fond; or, laftly, with fome fatirical intention.

Now, I am not unaware, how the productions of the Grub-street brotherhood have of late years fallen under many prejudices; nor how it has been the perpetual employment of two junior ftart-up focieties, to ridicule them and their authors, as unworthy their established poft in the commonwealth of wit and learning. Their own confciences will eafily inform them whom I mean. Nor has the world been fo negligent a looker on, as not to obferve the continual efforts made by the focieties of Gresham *, and of Will's †, to edify a name and reputation upon the ruin of OURS. And this is yet a more feeling grief to us, upon the regards of tenderness as well as of juftice, when we reflect on their proceedings, not only as unjust, but as ungrateful, undutiful, and unnatural. For how can it be forgot by the world, or themfelves, to fay nothing of our own records, which are full and clear in the point, that they both are feminaries, not only of our planting, but our watering too? I am informed, our two rivals have lately made an offer to enter into the lifts with united forces, and challenge us to a comparison of books, both as to weight and number. In return to which, with licence from our prefident, I humbly offer X 3

two

Gresham college was the place where the Royal fociety then met, from whence they removed to Crane-court in Fleet-street.

† Will's coffee-house in Covent-garden, was formerly the place where the poets ufually met; which, though it be yet fresh in memory, in fome years may be forgotten, and want this expla nation.

two anfwers. First, we say, the proposal is like that which Archimedes made upon a smaller affair, including an impoffibility in the practice; for where can they find fcales of capacity enough for the firft, or an arithmetician of capacity enough for the fecond? Secondly, we are ready to accept the challenge; but with this condition, that a third indifferent perfon be affigned, to whofe impartial judgment it should be left to decide, which fociety each book, treatise, or pamphlet, do moft properly belong to. This point, God knows, is very far from being fixed at prefent; for we are ready to produce a catalogue of fome thousands, which, in all common juftice, ought to be entitled to our fraternity, but by the revolted and new-fangled writers most perfidioufly afcribed to the others. Upon all which, we think it very unbecoming our prudence, that the determination fhould be remitted to the authors themselves; when our adverfaries, by briguing and caballing, have caufed fo universal a defection from us, that the greateft part of our fociety hath already deferted to them, and our nearest friends begin to stand aloof, as if they were halfafhamed to own us.

This is the utmost I am authorised to fay, upon fo ungrateful and melancholy a fubject; because we are extremely unwilling to inflame a controverfy, whofe continuance may be fo fatal to the interefts of us all; defiring much rather that things be amicably

* Viz. About moving the earth.

amicably compofed: and we shall so far advance on our fide, as to be ready to receive the two prodigals with open arms, whenever they fhall think fit to return from their husks and their harlots; which, I think, from the prefent courfe of their ftudies*, they most properly may be said to be engaged in; and, like an indulgent parent, continue to them our affection and our bleffing.

- But the greatest maim given to that general reception which the writings of our fociety have formerly received, (next to the transitory state of all fublunary things), hath been a fuperficial vein among many readers of the prefent age, who will by no means be perfuaded to infpect beyond the furface and the rind of things: Whereas, wisdom is a fox, who, after long. hunting, will at last cost you the pains to dig out: It is a cheese, which, by how much the richer, has the thicker, the homelier, and the coarfer coat; and whereof, to a judicious palate, the maggots are the best: It is a fack-poffet, wherein the deeper you go, you will find it the fweeter. Wisdom is a hen, whofe cackling we muft value and confider, because it is attended with an egg. But then, laftly, it is a nut, which, unless you chufe with judgment, may coft you a tooth, and pay you with nothing but a worm. In confequence of thefe momentous truths, the Grubæan fages have always chofen to convey their precepts and their arts, fhut up within the vehicles of types and

fables; which having been perhaps more careful and curious-in adorning, than was altogether neceffary, it has fared with thefe vehicles, after the ufual fate of coaches over-finely painted and gilt, that the tranfitory gazers have fo dazzled their eyes, and filled their imaginations with the outward luftre, as neither to regard or confider the perfon or the parts of the owner within: A miffortune we undergo with fomewhat lefs reluctancy, because it has been common to us with Pythagoras, Efop, Socrates, and other of our predeceffors.

However, that neither the world, nor ourselves, may any longer fuffer by fuch mifunderstandings, I have been prevailed on, after much importunity from my friends, to travel in a complete and laborious differtation upon the prime productions. of our fociety; which, befides their beautiful externals for the gratification of fuperficial readers, have darkly and deeply couched under them the most finished and refined systems of all sciences and arts; as I do not doubt to lay open by untwisting or unwinding, and either to draw up by exantlation, or display by incifion.

This great work was entered upon fome years ago, by one of our most eminent members. He began with the hiftory of Reynard the fox*; but neither

*The author feems here to be mistaken; for I have feen a Latin edition of Reynard the fox, above a hundred years old, which I take to be the original; for the reft, it has been thought, by many people, to contain fome fatirical design in it.