ut to return to my Subject, from a digression, which, I hope, my Reader
will pardon me, seeing the Example is so rare that I can make no more such
digressions. If these my first Labours shall be any wayes useful to
inquiring men, I must attribute the incouragement and promotion of them to
a very _Reverend_ and _Learned Person_, of whom this ought in justice to be
said, _That there is scarce any one Invention, which this Nation has
produc'd in our Age, but it has some way or other been set forward by his
assistance_. My Reader, I believe, will quickly ghess, that it is _Dr.
Wilkins_ that I mean. He is indeed a man born for the _good_ of _mankind_,
and for the _honour_ of his _Country_. In the _sweetness_ of whose
_behaviour_, in the _calmness_ of his _mind_, in the _unbounded goodness_
of his _heart_, we have an evident Instance, what the true and the
_primitive unpassionate Religion_ was, before it was _sowred_ by particular
_Factions._ In a word, his _Zeal_ has been so _constant_ and _effectual_ in
advancing all good and profitable _Arts, that_ as one of the Antient
_Romans_ said of _Scipio_, _That he thanked God that he was a _Roman_;
because whereever _Scipio_ had been born, there had been the seat of the
Empire of the world_: So may I thank God, that _Dr. Wilkins_ was an
_Englishman_, for whereever he had lived, there had been the chief Seat of
_generous Knowledge_ and _true Philosophy_. To the truth of this, there are
so many worthy men living that will subscribe, that I am confident, what I
have here said, will not be looked upon, by any ingenious Reader, as a
_Panegyrick_, but only as a _real testimony_.

By the Advice of this _Excellent man_ I first set upon this Enterprise,
yet still came to it with much _Reluctancy_, because I was to follow the
footsteps of so eminent a Person as _Dr. Wren_, who was the first that
attempted any thing of this nature; whose original draughts do now make one
of the Ornaments of that great Collection of Rarities in the _Kings
Closet_. This _Honor_, which his first beginnings of this kind have
receiv'd, to be admitted into the most famous place of the world, did not
so much _incourage_, as the _hazard_ of coming after _Dr. Wren_ did
_affright_ me; for of him I must, affirm, that, since the time of
_Archimedes_, there scarce ever met in one man, in so great a perfection,
such a _Mechanical Hand_, and so _Philosophical_ a _Mind_.

But at last, being assured both by _Dr. Wilkins_, and