INTRODUCTION

To the READER.

N the Reign of Queen ANNE, (which, notwithstanding those happy Times which fucceeded, every Englishman may remember) thou may'st poffibly, gentle Reader, have feen a certain venerable Person who frequented the outside of the Palace of St. James's, and who, by the Gravity of his Deportment and Habit, was generally taken for a decay'd Gentleman of Spain. His ftature was tall, his vifage long, his complexion olive, his brows were black and even, his eyes hollow yet piercing, his nose inclin'd to aquiline, his beard neglected and mix'd with grey: All this contributed to fpread a folemn Melancholy over his countenance. Pythagoras was not more filent, Pyrrho more motionless, nor Zeno more auftere. His Wig was as black and smooth as the plumes of a Raven, and hung as strait as the hair of a River God rifing from the water. His Cloak fo compleatly covered his whole perfon, that whether or no he had any other cloaths (much lefs any linnen) under it, I fhall not fay; but his fword appear'd a full yard behind him, and his manner of wearing it was fo ftiff, that it seem'd grown to his Thigh. His whole figure was fo utterly unlike any thing of this world, that it was not natural for any man to ask him a question without bleffing himself first. Those who never faw a Fefuit, took him for one, and others believ'd him fome High Priest of the Jews.

But

But under this macerated form was conceal'd a Mind replete with Science, burning with a zeal of benefiting his fellow-creatures, and filled with an honeft conscious pride, mixt with a fcorn of doing, or fuffering the least thing beneath the dignity of a Philofopher. Accordingly he had a soul that would not let him accept of any offers of Charity, at the fame time that his body feem'd but too much to require it. His lodging was in a small chamber up four pair of stairs, where he regularly payed for what he had when he eat or drank; and he was often observed wholly to abstain from both. He declined fpeaking to any one, except the Queen, or her firft Minifter, to whom he attempted to make fome applications; but his real bufinefs or intentions were utterly unknown to all men. Thus much is certain, that he was obnoxious to the Queen's Miniftry; who, either out of Jealousy or Envy, had him fpirited away, and carried abroad as a dangerous perfon, without any regard to the known Laws of the Kingdom.

One day, as this Gentleman was walking about dinner-time alone in the Mall, it happened that a Manufcript dropt from under his cloak, which my fervant pick'd up, and brought to me. It was written in the Latin tongue, and contain❜d many most profound fecrets, in an unusual turn of reafoning and ftyle. The first leaf was infcribed with these words, Codicillus, feu Liber Memorialis, Martini Scribleri. The Pook was of fo wonderful a nature, that it is incredible what a defire I conceived that moment to be acquainted with the Author, who I clearly perceived was fome great Philosopher in difguife. I feveral times endeavoured to fpeak to him, which he as often industriously, avoided. At length I found an opportunity (as he ftood under the Piazza by the Dancing-room in St. James's) to acquaint him in the Latin tongue, that his Ma

nufcript

nufcript was fallen into my hands; and faying this, I prefented it to him, with great Encomiums on the learned Author. Hereupon he took me afide, furvey'd me over with a fixt attention, and opening the clafps of the Parchment cover, spoke (to my great furprize) in English, as follows:

"Courteous ftranger, whoever thou art, I em"brace thee as my best friend; for either the Stars "and my Art are deceitful, or the deftin'd time "is come which is to manifeft Martinus Scrible

I

rus to the world, and thou the perfon chofen by "fate for this task. What thou feeft in me is a body exhaufted by the labours of the mind. "have found in Dame Nature not indeed an un"kind, but a very coy Mistress: Watchful nights,

anxious days, flender meals, and endless labours, "must be the lot of all who purfue her, through "her labyrinths and mæanders. My first vital air "I drew in this Inland (a foil fruitful of Philofo"phers) but my complexion is become aduft, and my body arid, by visiting lands (as the Poet has "it) alio fub fole calentes. I have, through my "whole life, paffed under feveral difguifes and un"known names, to fkreen myfelf from the envy "and malice which mankind exprefs against those "who are poffeffed of the Arcanum Magnum. But "at present I am forced to take Sanctuary in the "British Court, to avoid the Revenge of a cruel

Spaniard, who has purfued me almoft through "the whole terraqueous globe. Being about four years ago in the City of Madrid in queft of na"tural knowledge, I was informed of a Lady who "was marked with a Pomegranate upon the in"fide of her right Thigh, which bloffom'd, and, as it were, feem'd to ripen in the due feafon. “Forthwith was I poffeffed with an infatiable cu"riofity to view this wonderful Phænomenon. I

** felt

"felt the ardour of my paffion encrease as the sea"fon advanced, till, in the month of July, I could "no longer contain. I bribed her Duenna, was "admitted to the Bath, faw her undrefs'd, and the

wonder difplayed. This was foon after discover"ed by the husband, who finding fome letters I had writ to the Duenna, containing expreffions "of a doubtful meaning, fufpected me of a crime « most alien from the Purity of my Thoughts. "Incontinently I left Madrid by the advice of "friends, have been purfued, dogg'd, and way-laid "through feveral Nations, and even now scarce "think myself secure within the facred walls of

this Palace. It has been my good fortune to "have feen all the grand Phænomena of Nature, "excepting an Earthquake, which I waited for in "Naples three years in vain; and now by means "of fome British Ship (whofe Colours no Spa"niard dares approach *) I impatiently expect a "fafe paffage to Jamaica, for that benefit. To "thee, my Friend, whom Fate has marked for "my Hiftoriographer, I leave thefe my Commen"taries, and others of my works. No more-be "faithful and impartial."

He foon after performed his promise, and left me the Commentaries, giving me alfo further lights by many Conferences; when he was unfortunately fnatched away (as I before related) by the jealoufy of the Queen's Ministry.

Tho' I was thus to my eternal grief deprived of his converfation, he for fome years continued his Correfpondence, and communicated to me many of his Projects for the benefit of mankind. He fent me fome of his Writings, and recommended

ten.

This marks the time when the Introduction was writ

to

to my care the recovery of others, ftraggling about the world, and affumed by other men. The last time I heard from him was on occafion of his Strictures on the Dunciad: fince when, feveral years being elapfed, I have reason to believe this excellent perfon is either dead, or carried by his vehement thirst of knowledge into fome remote, or perhaps undiscovered Region of the world. In either cafe, I think it a debt no longer to be delayed, to reveal what I know of this Prodigy of Science, and to give the History of his life, and of his extenfive merits to mankind'; in which I dare promise the Reader, that, whenever he begins to think any one Chapter dull, the ftyle will be immediately changed in the next.

MEMOIRS