of the Gemara of the Ferusalem Misna,* and its just preference to that of Babylon, contrary to the vulgar opinion.

The Hind and Panther. This is the masterpiece of a famous writer now living,† intended for a complete abstract of sixteen thousand schoolmen, from Scotus to Bellarmine,

Tommy Pots. Another piece, supposed by the same hand, by way of supplement to the former.

The Wise Men of Gotham, cum appendice. This is a treatise of immense erudition, being the great original and fountain of those arguments, bandied about both in France and England, for a just defence of the moderns' learning and wit against the presumption, the pride, and ignorance of the ancients. This unknown author hath so exhausted the subject, that a penetrating reader will easily discover whatever hath been written since upon that dispute to be little more than repetition. An abstract of this treatise hath been lately published by a worthy member of our society.‡

These notices may serve to give the learned reader an idea, as well as a taste, of what the whole work is likely to produce, wherein I have now altogether

* The Gemara is the decision, explanation, or the interpretation of the Jewish rabbis; and the Misna is, properly, the code or body of the Jewish civil or common law. -Hawkes.

Viz., in 1698.

This I suppose to be understood of Mr. Wotton's discourse of ancient and modern learning.

circumscribed my thoughts and my studies, and if I can bring it to a perfection before I die, shall reckon I have well employed the poor remains of an unfortunate life. This, indeed, is more than I can justly expect from a quill worn to the pith in the service of the State, in pros and cons upon popish plots and mealtubs,† and exclusion bills and passive obedience, and addresses of lives and fortunes, and prerogative, and property, and liberty of conscience, and letters to a friend; from an understanding and a conscience threadbare and ragged with perpetual turning; from a head broken in a hundred places by the malignants of the opposite factions; and from a body spent with diseases ill cured by trusting to quacks and surgeons, who, as it afterwards appeared, were professed enemies to me and the government, and revenged their party's quarrel upon my nose and shins. Fourscore and eleven pamphlets have I written under three reigns, and for the service of six-and-thirty factions. But finding the State has no further occasion for me and my ink, I retire willingly to draw it out into speculations more becoming a philosopher, having, to my unspeakable comfort, passed a long life with a conscience void of offence.

* Here the author seems to personate L'Estrange, Dryden, and some others, who, after having passed their lives in vices, faction, and falsehood, have the impudence to talk of merit and innocence and sufferings.

In King Charles II.'s time there was an account of a Presbyterian plot, found in a tub, which then made much noise.

But to return: I am assured, from the reader's candour, that the brief specimen I have given will easily clear all the rest of our society's productions from an aspersion grown, as it is manifest, out of envy and ignorance, that they are of little further use or value to mankind beyond the common entertainments of their wit and their style (for these, I am sure, have never yet been disputed by our keenest adversaries), in both which, as well as the more profound and mystical part, I have throughout this treatise closely followed the most applauded originals. And to render all complete, I have, with much thought and application of mind, so ordered, that the chief title prefixed to it—I mean, that under which I design it shall pass in the common conversations of court and town, is modelled exactly after the manner peculiar to our society.

*

I confess to have been somewhat liberal in the business of titles, having observed the humour of multiplying them to bear great vogue among certain writers, whom I exceedingly reverence. And indeed it seems not unreasonable that books, the children of the brain, should have the honour to be christened with variety of names, as well as other infants of quality. Our famous Dryden has ventured to proceed a point further, endeavouring to introduce also

was not

The title-page in the original was so torn, that possible to recover several titles which the author here speaks of.

a multiplicity of godfathers,* which is an improvement of much more advantage, upon a very obvious account. It is a pity this admirable invention has not been better cultivated, so as to grow by this time into general imitation, when such an authority serves it for a precedent: nor have my endeavours been wanting to second so useful an example. But it seems there is an unhappy expense usually annexed to the calling of a godfather, which was clearly out of my head, as it is very reasonable to believe. Where the pinch lay I cannot certainly affirm; but having employed a world of thoughts and pains to split my treatise into forty sections, and having entreated forty lords of my acquaintance that they would do me the honour to stand, they all made it a matter of conscience, and sent me their excuses.

* See Virgil translated, &c. He dedicated the different parts of Virgil to different patrons.

SECTION II.

A TALE OF A TUB.

ONCE upon a time there was a man who had three sons by one wife,* and all at a birth, neither could the midwife tell certainly which was the eldest. Their father died while they were young, and upon his death-bed, calling the lads to him, spoke thus:—

"Sons, because I have purchased no estate, nor was born to any, I have long considered of some good legacies to bequeath you; and at last, with much care as well as expense, have provided each of you (here they are) a new coat. Now, you are to

* By these three sons, Peter, Martin, and Jack, Popery, the Church of England, and our Protestant Dissenters are designed.-W. Wotton. In the character of Peter we see the pope, seated on his pontifical throne, and adorned with his triple crown: in the picture of Martin we view Luther and the first Reformers: and in the description of Jack we behold John Calvin and his disciples. The author's arrows are chiefly directed against Peter and Jack. To Martin he shows all the indulgence that the laws of allegory will permit.—Orrery.

By his coats, which he gave his sons, the garment of the Israelites. -W. Wotton.

An error (with submission) of the learned commentator; for by the