with his Conſent and Aſſiſtance, and by the Advice of my learned and ingenious Friends, I have reſolv'd to communicate to them, as a moſt ineſtimable Treaſure. I have made no other Change or Alterations in them, than the tranſlating them into the Engliſh of theſe illiterate Times oblig'd me to, except where the Secrets of crown'd Heads and prime Miniſters, or the good or ill Conduct of the Friends or Enemies of my Country and ſome great People at home, made it neceſſary to leave out either whole Letters or particular Paragraphs, which ſhou'd be reſerv'd in Secret, for the Uſe and Service of the Crown and my own Family, and not expos'd to publick view.
And thus having given my dear Reader, as full an Account as I judg'd proper, both of my ſelf and my good Genius, and the Preſent he made me, (for of my conſtant Correſpondence ſince with him, I ſhall ſay nothing here) I ſhall now proceed, to mention my Reaſons for publiſhing this Work, and alſo my Care and Conduct about it.
And the firſt I ſhall aſſign is, that I really believ'd I ſhould do an Injury to the World, to the Commonwealth of Learning, and above all to my Country, if being thusen-
