others stinking of the Lamp; some without any strength of Reasoning, others over loaded with Arguments, half of which are insignificant; some Books being obscure through too affected a Brevity, others perspicuous through an unnecessary Redundancy of Words (like a bright Day at Sea, where yet there is nothing to be seen but Air and Water;) some treating on Subjects that thousands had handled better before, others publishing useless Trifles, because new and unthought of by others; some Writing as if they had never read any thing, others as if they writ nothing but what they read, and then borrowed; therefore his Majesty decrees, no Book should be printed within those Walls but the Works of the Ancients, and such only as should be voted most proper, by two thirds of the Colleges in his two Universities, and confirmed by the Lord Chancellor, and Arch-bishop of Canterbury for the Time being. I have dwelt the longer on this noble Design, because I had the Honour to propose it to his Majesty, and the Happiness to bring it to Perfection for the good of Mankind; and I must now lead your Excellency, to take a View of the noble Square that surrounds the Royal Print-ing-
