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-
