Memoirs of the Twentieth Century/Preface the IIId
PREFACE the IIId.
By way of Postscript to the Criticks.
WHEN I last parted with thee, my dear reader, with all the civility of a man that was in hopes never to meet thee again; I was just shutting up my defence, against all the objections that envy or ignorance cou'd bring, to hurt this inestimable performance. I little imagin'd then, that after having so entirely driven my enemies out of the field, they shou'd be able to bring any fresh forces against me. But, alas! I find that many-headed monster, an ingenious reader, is like the dreadful Hydra; and that no sooner an author, with the labour of an Hercules, has cut off one envenom'd head, and laid it groveling and senseless at his feet, but instantly a crowd of others, as poisonous and spiteful, rise up in its place to attack him. Accordingly I am assur'd, since I finish'd my second Preface, that there is started up one formidable objection, which I am oblig'd to answer, as it carries an air of truth with it, and is grounded on this; that these vast discoveries and improvements, these changes and revolutions of things below, which are mention'd in the subsequent letters, cannot possibly happen, nor consequently be true, many of them are so improbable.
To which I answer, in the first place, that for that very reason, because they are improbable and unlikely, I give credit to my good angel's prediction of them, and am confident they will come to pass. I will not say with Tertullian, Certum est quia impossibile est; but I will say, with all submission and modesty, that had my good genius design'd to impose on me in these matters, or I upon the wise, the judicious and wise reader, they would have been contriv'd with a greater approximation, (as the learned speak) and verisimilitude to truth. If they were mere fables invented to deceive, they would have been model'd, to as near a conformity as possibly they could, to the least disputed realities, and would have put on the dress of probability at least, in order to impose on the credulity of mankind. There is a vast extent in invention and imagination; and if falshoods were design'd to be obtruded on the world by these papers, they might easily have been cook'd up, in the common appearances and resemblances of such things, as are frequently found out, and discover'd every day.
The small regard therefore that is shewn here, to such little tricks and subtilties, in many prodigious discoveries in arts and sciences, travels, revolutions and alterations of all kinds, and especially in the 4th and 6th volumes, ought to stand as an evidence of their truth; and that they are not forgeries and impostures, but real facts, which time will produce, and which are delivered to mankind with the carelesness and simplicity of an honest publisher; more sollicitous to reveal actual facts and events, as he receiv'd them, than to disguise them so craftily to the world, as to seem more likely to happen, and easy to be believ'd.
Were there occasion for it, and were I not apprehensive of enlarging this Preface too far, I could say a great deal here on that famous observation, Aliquando insit in incredibili veritas, & in verisimili mendacium; and convince my readers, how little weight any objection ought to have with him, that is bottom'd on this sandy foundation. But I hope I need not dwell much on this point; and indeed whoever are knowing and learned enough, to be acquainted with the infinite incredible verities in the world of science, the vast numbers of improbable and unimaginable truths, to be met with there, and the heaps of plausible errors and delusive falshoods, that men are so usually led away with; will never consider the improbability of some relations in this work, as an argument for any thing, but their being more unfeign'd and genuinely true.
But, 2dly, I have to answer, that there is nothing foretold here, which will really seem so very improbable, to those who know the infinite power of the great Source of all events below; who have consider'd the vast operations of nature, the force of our minds when set on work by ambition and emulation, and the strange changes and chances, the revolutions, alterations and improvements, which attend all things here; as well as the vast fields of art and knowledge, which the new world hath brought forth among us, by the labours of different voyagers. Let such ignorant objectors therefore, that are buried in the present state of the earth, and think it will continue in a manner unimprov'd and unalter'd, let them, I say, look back, if they know any thing of it in former ages. Let them consider how absurd and incredible it would have appear'd, if a man, for example, at the building of Rome, had (thus enlighten'd) foretold the vast growth of that Monarchy, the overturning all others by that embryo state, the majesty of the pagan religion there, the birth and rise of the Christian, the breaking of the Roman Empire into several little scraps and pieces, which are now miscall'd Kingdoms; the spreading conquests of the Pope and his Monks, their disposing of crowns and sceptres, and temporal and eternal happiness at their pleasure, the reformation of Religion, and all the wars, factions and revolutions, which that spiritual Monarch occasion'd, to maintain his Empire on earth, and his interests and pretended alliances with heaven: Let them reflect, I say, if such a relation (or prediction) would not be receiv'd as more ridiculous and impossible, than those that are mention'd in these six volumes.
But the truth is, whoever knows any thing of the history of this globe, or the little wretches that crawl on it, and call themselves men and lords of it, would never raise so weak an objection. For what is it, but one constant scene of the most surprizing and incredible changes? How have the very face and features of it (if I may so speak) been perpetually torn and dismember'd, by deluges and earthquakes, by vulcanoes, tempests and inundations? as every one knows, that is acquainted with geography, or natural philosophy, or that will read the accounts of such matters, in good authors.
Strabo particularly in his first book, and Pliny in numberless places[1], will instruct us sufficiently on this point; not to omit Diodorus Siculus, and especially where he gives us the account, how the vast overflowing of the Pontus Euxinus laid the whole Archipelago under water, destroying all the inhabitants, tearing up the mountains by the roots, and forming a new world of islands, that here and there peer up their rocky heads, amidst the deluge.
As to the amazing alterations, in the manners and customs of particular nations, who is there that is ignorant, how power and politeness, how arts, and arms, and learning, have been, from age to age, changing their seats, and, like the ocean, gaining ground in one place, while it loses it in another? How is Greece, the seat of freedom and knowledge, philosophers and patriots, become a nest of slaves and ignorants; and instead of those renowned Architects and Sculptors, that for so many ages crowded her cities with the noblest palaces, and taught her animated marbles almost to breathe and move, fill'd with rustick builders of clay cottages and huts, and cutters of saltsellers and mortars, as[2] Tournefort calls them? How is the mighty Rome grown the mother of superstition, cowardice and cruelty, who was once the chief nurse of the opposite virtues among men? In a word, not to dwell too long on so painful a subject; how has she fallen from her once exalted character, and exchang'd the generous sentiments and conduct of her ancient heroes, for the impious dreams of visionary Monks, the furious rage of Bigots, the little craft of Hypocrites, and the silly dotage of her mitred Monarchs?
As to the state of learning, to look no farther back than the last two ages; how is Aristotle, the father of science in former times, degenerated, in many respects, into the character of ignorance and infancy in this? How are the schoolmen, who gave laws to heaven and earth, depos'd and rejected, and their wrangling doctors succeeded, by the great improvers of knowledge, who have made such important and successful discoveries, in this wide world of matter and life, which the others had so long kept us strangers to? Besides, if we consider how few years are past, since we improv'd Astronomy by a true system, verified by demonstration, and founded Philosophy on actual experiments, not on imaginary notions and opinions; since the compass and the needle trac'd out the mariner's unerring road on the ocean, and war join'd fire to the sword, or muskets banish'd bows and arrows; since the invention of printing gave new lights and aids to the arts; since musick and painting had a new birth in the world; since regular posts were first invented, and set up by de Tassis[3] in Spain, and trade and correspondence got wings by land, as well as by sea; since Physicians found out either new drugs or specificks, or even the secrets of Anatomy, or the circulation of the blood; since our own nations learn'd to weave the fleece of our sheep, or that even one half of the earth had found out the other; and above all, if we reflect, that the small compass of time, which all these great events have happen'd in, seems to promise vast improvements in the growing centuries; it will not appear surprizing, and much less absurd, that such discoveries and improvements are allotted to our posterity, in these volumes.
Even as to trade, riches and power, how has the new world prov'd the great nursery and prop of the old, which was so long a weak and sickly infant, hardly thought worth the rearing or owning, tho' it is now grown one great source, of the strength, wealth and prosperity of those kingdoms, who almost grudg'd its support? Nay, as to Politeness and Literature, and the arts of Peace and War, to look no farther back than our own doors, and our own homes; how is Great Britain, within a small space of time, tho' once so despis'd and neglected in Europe, grown, under the care of a few good Princes, the seat of trade, and power, and learning, and the glory and admiration of the whole earth, even at this present hour; to say nothing of that progress foretold in this work, which she will daily make, (except under some administrations and reigns, and certain years of reigns) and is now actually making, of growing still greater and more considerable? Away therefore with these objectors of improbability, who deserve as little to be regarded, as those who insinuate that I have copied all this work, from the famous Mazapha Einok, or Enoch's Prophecy, which Ægidius Lochiensis brought Peireskius[4] from Æthiopia, and which was supposed to contain the history of all things, to the end of the World; tho' I solemnly aver, I neither handled, nor saw, or even believed such a work was, or is in being, whatever some learned men, both of the Jewish and Christian persuasion, alledge for its existence.
The truth is, this last insinuation is so trivial, as well as false, that I had not thought it worth mentioning; but that I might omit nothing which my friends, (to whom I entrusted the communication of the manuscript to others) assur'd me, the most ill-natur'd of their correspondents, objected against it. As I have always thought, malice should never be disregarded, how blind or stupid soever it appears; so I have left none of the silly remarks, of my opposers unconfuted; tho' if one takes a view of these objectors, the best of them will appear but like a child playing at blindman's buff, where the hood-wink'd trifler, catches at every thing he can, and runs about, the fool and jest of all around him, in a violent fume and hurry; and after guessing wrong at whatever he blindly stumbles on, is forc'd to let it go, and then falls to again, with the same success, and lays hold on another.
Without attending therefore any longer, to the answering the stupid malice of objectors, I shall proceed to give my friends, the learned world and posterity, some cautions about this work, and so conclude, and let it take its fortune.
And the first caution I shall give them is, that tho' I am confident all things deliver'd in these six Volumes, will inevitably come to pass; yet lest hereafter any base attempts might be made, on the lives, honours, or fortunes, of some illustrious persons mention'd in them, in order to overturn such predictions, as seem to relate to them; I do hereby forewarn posterity, not to entertain any designs, of destroying the credit of these papers, by such indirect methods.
As I freely own, I chiefly intend this caution, for my dear friends the good fathers the Jesuits, who may be too free with their pens, or their penknives, with such views, I think it would be in vain to urge against them, the Wickedness of such a procedure; for their zeal and piety is so prodigious, that if they believe it for the good of the Church; that single argument, will sufficiently sanctify any measures, which Men less holy and religiously given, would foolishly boggle at. I therefore shall only put them in mind, of the Folly of attempting such an impossible project, as the removing privately out of the way the persons, or publickly stabbing the reputation of such people, as are doom'd and foretold here to be their enemies.
Let me then beg of them, and all that are capable of acting, with their honest and furious zeal or artful wisdom, to consider, that besides the vanity of fighting thus, against unavoidable events, I have also in many places purposely so disguis'd Mens actions and characters in this work, that it will be impossible for them, to discern the real persons, till the very facts themselves, discover them to the World.
In the next place, I do hereby declare beforehand to Posterity, that if some things should seem, not to fall out exactly as they are foretold, that they, and not these incomparable productions, must bear the blame of it. Let them be assur'd, that those appearing failures, happen from one of these two causes. First, that either they do not understand what is or appears to be written, thro' the disguises I necessarily made use of, or that people may put, on their own or others actions, in order to elude such predictions; or, 2dly, Men are deceiv'd, either by reports of others, or their own sallacious senses, persuading them they have seen things happen otherwise, than they really have, and consequently the bare appearance of events, ought not to be set up in opposition, to the undoubted truths here discover'd to them.
I remember well, an impertinent objection of this nature, was once made by the Queen of Poland, to a very renown'd and illustrious Prophet of the 17th Century[5], who had dedicated to her an admirable work, in which he had foretold the ruin of the Mahometan Empire, by the arms of Lewis XIII. and Urban VIII; nor shall I forget the wise and judicious answer he gave her. For on his presenting his book to her Majesty, she pretended to censure one mistake he had run into, by not having known, that both the Heroes of his Prophecy, hapned to be some months dead, without having attempted what he foretold of them; to which the Author replied, (as I beg leave to do, to all silly objections of the like nature, which Posterity may raise against this Work) that pretended facts, are never to be set in competition, with unquestionable Predictions; and those that offer to do so, are not fit to be disputed with.
This therefore I request of them, in return for my labours in presenting them with these Volumes, that they fully assure themselves, that all I have or shall publish is true, and then let them depend on it, that whatever comes to pass, will in due time, (sooner or later) be accommodated to, and be found to tally with every thing, foretold in them.
But I must go yet further with my cautions, and that I may conceal nothing from posterity, I shall own, that I am in much less pain, for the verification of any Predictions in these letters, than I am lest the few copies I print of them, may thro' envy or folly, or an utter ignorance of their worth, be entirely lost or suppress'd, before those times, when their truth and value will be confirmed. I therefore beg all, into whose hands these Repositories of truth, these invaluable Anecdotes of history shall fall, to preserve them with care, till the days of which they speak shall appear, tho' like the Prophet Micaiah, they are kept ever so close prisoners, till their truth or falshood be manifested to all. Besides, as it is much to be fear'd, my dear friends the Jesuits, (of whom, like that ill-boding prophet, these papers, to my great concern, do never prophecy good, but evil) may buy them up at immense prices, in order to suppress them; I must beg of posterity, that some Law may pass, that authentick copies of them, may be safely preserv'd in our publick libraries, and, like the Sybilline oracles, be consulted on the emergencies of state; and that it may be death or banishment, for any person to apply the leaves of them, either under pies or pasties, to pack up groceries, to line trunks, or cover band- boxes, or make use of them in any mean filthy office whatever.
As to the imitatorum servum pecus, the little tribe of copiers, who will endeavour to foist their spurious writings on the publick, for the sequel of this I have now honour'd the World with; I am not much in pain, for any damage their maim'd productions may bring, to these immortal Archives of futurity. The truth is, I look on this sort of writers in the same light, as those silly kind of birds called Dotterels, which Mr. Camden[6] tells us, by aping the motions and actions of the cunning Fowler, and imitating all he does, are soon caught hold of and destroy'd by him, whom they endeavour to mimick. Possibly the sublimity of that superior genius, which has enrich'd this nation with these treasures, may deter such creatures, from attempting so vile an insult; tho' alas when we hear the ingenious Stephen Pasquier[7], complaining so gravely and judiciously to Ronsard, that no sooner Jeane la Pucelle[8], push'd by a divine inspiration, and as it were delegated from Heaven, came to succour the arms of Charles VII. but immediately two or three impudent wretches started up in Paris, and pretended to be commission'd, in the same celestial manner as she was; how can I hope this performance, will not meet with the like treatment, from base counterfeits. However, at the worst, I am prepar'd for this little misfortune, if it must be born; and tho' it is certain, that there seldom appear'd a glorious work, but it occasion'd a spawn of creeping plagiaries, to forge something as like it as they can; yet it is some comfort to consider, that the same thing which gives them birth, destroys these little abortions; and that like Moses's rod, it soon devours the false serpents, that pretend to imitate the miraculous product, of a superior power.
But really this sort of scriblers, does not alarm me half so much, as another race of impertinents, who are call'd Commentators, and pretend, (tho' with very different success) to improve books, just as Gardeners do their fruit-trees; upon which they graft and inoculate, all that their silly taste and fancy can furnish them with, while the mother-stock is quite lost and hid in the exuberant growth, that, too often converts all its wholsome juices, to feed a barren superfluity of leaves. As I have great apprehensions, the vast reputation of this work, will occasion several learned blockheads of that tribe, to attempt something of this nature upon it, I do hereby in the face of the World, enter my protest in form against such proceedings; and all notes, observations, remarks, explanations, constructions, castigations, emendations, or various readings, which these animals may pretend to affix, to the native simplicity of the original text, of these venerable volumes.
I am loth to be particular on this head, for fear of giving offence, by reflections that may look too national; and especially where a people honestly zealous for their country's liberties, and that have so long been our good and faithful allies, may seem ill-treated. But as it is too shamefully notorious, that the Dutch, above all the Earth, have a most violent turn to play the fool this way, I do hereby solemnly aver, let what will be the consequence, if any man among them, like a new Mezentius, thinks to tie the dead carcase of his comment, to this living work, I shall give him reason to wish, that his hand, like Scævola's, was on fire, when he employ'd it in such an attempt.
At the same time that I think it proper, to lay the world and them, under this severe restriction, I am ready to make them abundant amends, for my extraordinary sensibility in this point, by my easiness and condescension in another; and that is, by allowing a free liberty, for all nations and languages, not only in Europe, but the rest of the world, to translate it as often as they please, into their mother tongues, how rude or barbarous soever they may be. Far be it from me to wish, much less to endeavour, to confine that day-spring of knowledge, which by my means is about to rise upon the world, unto any particular corner of the earth, unto any little nation, sect, or tribe of people whatever! No! I have not such a narrow mind! Let it have its full course! Let all mankind make their best use of it! provided these two conditions be punctually observ'd: First, That some Englishman, who understands French, and, like the rest of our countrymen, can search to the bottom of things, may only be employ'd to translate it, for that superficial people of the other side the channel; and, secondly, That all judicious Catholicks do engage, (in return for my thus freely communicating it to them) that they will read it without bigotry or prejudice, or any silly fears of the Pope's authority, when he places it (as my good Genius has assur'd me he will) in the Index Expurgatorius, and prohibits the reading of it, under pain of lying half a century in the devil's[9] oven, or, which is much worse, in the prisons of the holy Inquisition, so justly rever'd by all good Christians.
And now, most dear Reader, (begging thou may'st not be afflicted at it) I must hasten to a conclusion of this Geryon-like monster of a Preface, which possibly, in such a nation as this, made up of Authors and Criticks, may never be read; or if it be, may have little weight with thee. Be that as it may, I cannot but wish, for thy sake, and what it introduces to thee, it were equal either to that of Calvin before his Institutions, or Causabon's to his Polybius, or de Thou's to his history, which are justly esteem'd the three master-pieces of all prefatory discourses.
I have ventur'd on the publick,and must stand to the sentence of that ever-changing Camelion, that lives only on what it catches with its tongue, to which I expect to become a prey. Yet am not I without hopes, that tho' some may be sufficiently ignorant and malevolent, to say this work I have given them, is like Euclio's house in Plautus, quæ inaniis oppleta est & araneis; yet others, quorum ex meliore luto finxit præcordia Titan, whose minds are more enlighten'd, and capable of judging of the true value of things, will have nobler thoughts of it.
I have taken due precaution for its protection, by dedicating it to the service of the world, thro' the hands of that illustrious Person, who will one day prove an ornament to these nations in his life, and a blessing to mankind, in the Heroes that are to descend from him; and am resolv'd not to prostitute the subsequent parts to any but Patrons, that, like him, understand what a treasure I present them with; lest I seem to copy the silly authors of this age, who dedicate their books to such ungenerous and insensible creatures, that one would think they were imitating Diogenes, who us'd to beg of statues, to teach him to bear the coldness and neglect of those persons, to whom he applied for relief, protection and favour.
Nevertheless, I would not be thought in publishing this admirable performance, to have aim'd at so poor an end, as making the great men of Europe pay court to me, for any advice or instructions I may give them; or to oblige those who sit on the thrones of the world, to pay me tribute and homage, as they us'd to do to the famous Peter Aretine. On the contrary, I declare beforehand, neither Kings or Queens, Princes or Princesses, Noblemen or Ladies, Knights or Gentlemen, Ministers of State or Merchants, must expect any favour from me, or directions for their future conduct, and true interests of their descendants, but as they shew themselves real friends to my native Country, and the civil and religious Rights, of these happy Nations.
To have done; As I appeal to Time, the great parent of truth, for the verification of all I publish, and to Posterity, (which, as Tacitus speaks, decus suum cuique rependit) for that honour and deference, which I already behold them paying, to my faithful labours; so I appeal to all the sensible, the learned, the judicious and worthy spirits of the present age, from the judgment and censures, of the common herd and mob of mankind; that is, Lawyers without probity, Physicians without learning, Soldiers without Courage, Citizens without honest industry, Knights and Squires without common Sense, Clergymen without piety, Noblemen without honour, Senators without regard to their country, Patriots without integrity, and Scholars without genius, judgment, or taste!
FINIS.
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- ↑ Vid. Plin. lib. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. See also Reflessioni Geografiche del P. D. Vitale Terra Rossa à cap. 13. ad 22.
- ↑ Vid. Tournefort's Voyage, Vol. 1. p. 156.
- ↑ Strada de bello Belgico, Dec. 2. lib. 10.
- ↑ Vita Peireskii per Gassend. Lib. 5. p. 395.
- ↑ Vide Bayle's Dict. in the letter M on Desmaretz.
- ↑ In his account of Lincolnshire.
- ↑ Les Lettres d'Estienne Pasquier p. 17. a Lyon 1607.
- ↑ The Maid of Orleans.
- ↑ A new name, which my good angel has given Purgatory in the originals of these Letters.