Persons, you have confessed to me,
that you your self had formerly been, until you had heard a certain
Maiden, who before had been _Dumb_, talking with me at _Amsterdam_;
perhaps I should have been so my self, if, when I was ignorant in the
thing, I had received narratively only, that some such thing was
performed by another; wherefore I resolved rather to convince the
Incredulity of Men (which now is accounted Prudence amongst most Men)
of an Error, than to reprove them for their Rashness.

It is now three Years since I first thought to make this my Method
publick; but had I then done it, I should now have repented it,
because in this Interval I have much more polished it; and rendered it
more easie by far; and as to what belongs to the practise thereof,
more certain, yea, and all to that degree, as I dare confidently
assert, that henceforth there shall be no _Deaf_ Person, (provided he
be of a sound Mind, and be not Tongue-tied, nor of an immature Age)
who by my Instruction shall not in the space of two Months speak
readily enough. Perhaps also I shall hereafter repent, that I have
published this small Treatise, as yet too immature; yet I had rather
confess an Error, if I shall any where commit one, or in any future
Edition augment it, than wholly to pass it over in Silence; for if I
should be snatcht away by a hasty Death, (even as a tender state of
Health doth threaten me) I should not know how to render to God an
Account of the Talent committed to me, as he may require it of me.

Nothing therefore remained, most Worthy Sir, than that I should beg
your Pardon, that I have made bold thus to interrupt you in the midst
of Affairs, which almost swallow you wholly up; but I believe you will
the more readily give it me, because this little Script may make my
Absence less troublesome to you, because, according to the precepts
here given, you yourself will be able to take care that your Daughter
shall not only not forget all what she already knows, but more and
more accomplish them. However, I humbly beseech you, that him whom you
have begun to love, yea, though he be removed far from you, that you
will persist still therein, and to take upon your self as need shall
require it, the Patronage of the Truth it self. Farewel, and be well.

_J. Conrade Amman._

_Dated from my Study_, Aug. 10th, 1692.

* * * * *

_To his Learned friends_ Richard Waller, _and_ Alexander Pittfield,
_Esquires,