INTRODUCTION I 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 seen a certain venerable Perfon who frequented the outfide of the palace of St. James's, and who, by the Gravity of his Deportment and Habit was generally taken for a decayed Gentleman of Spain. His ftature was tall, his visage long, his complexion olive, his brows were black and even, his eyes hollow yet piercing, his nose inclined to aquiline, his beard neglected and mixed 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 black and smooth as the plumes of a Raven, and hung as ftrait as the hair of a River God rifing from the water. His Cloak fo completely 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 appeared a full yard behind him, and his manner of wearing it was fo stiff, that it seemed 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 queftion without bleffing himself first. Those who never faw a Jefuit, took him for one, and others believed him fome High Prieft of the Jews. But under this macerated form was concealed a Mind replete with Science, burning with a zeal of benefitting his fellow-creatures, and filled with an honeft confcious pride, mixt with a fcorn of doing, or fuffering the least thing beneath the dignity of a Philofopher. Accordingly he had a foul that would not let him accept of any offers of Charity, at the fame time that his body feemed but too much to require it. His lodging was in a small chamber up four pair of ftairs, where he regularly paid for what he had when he eat or drank; and he was often obferved wholly to abstain from both. He declined speaking to any one, except the Queen, or her first Minifter, to whom he attempted to make some applications; but his real business 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 spirited 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 picked up, and brought to me. It was written in the Latin tongue, and At contained many most profound fecrets, in an unufual turn of reafoning and ftyle. The firft leaf was infcribed with these words, Codicillus, feu Liber Memorialis, Martini Scribleri. The Book 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 Philofopher in disguise. I feveral times endeavoured to fpeak to him, which he as often induftriously avoided. length I found an opportunity (as he stood under the Piazza by the Dancing-room in St. James's) to acquaint him in the Latin tongue, that his Manufcript 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, furveyed 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 " embrace 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 "Scriblerus to the world, and thou the perfon "chosen by fate for this task. What thou feeft "in me is a body exhausted by the labours of "the mind. I have found in Dame Nature not "indeed an unkind, but a very coy Mistress: "Watchful nights, anxious days, flender meals, "and endless labours, must be the lot of all "who pursue her, through her labyrinths and 4 |