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Rh my Subject. For I perceive, that I have led my Readers Minds on, by so long and so confident a Speech, to expect some wonderful Model, which shall far exceed all the former, that I have acknowledged to have been imperfect. Now, though this were really so, as I believe it is; yet I question, how it will look, after it has been disfigured by my unskilful Hands. But the Danger of this ought to have deterred me in the Beginning: It is now too late to look back; and I can only apply my self to that good Nature, which a great Man has observed to be so peculiar to our Nation, that there is scarce an Expression to signify it, in any other Language. To this I must fly for Succour, and most affectionately intreat my Countrymen, that they would interpret my Failings to be only Errors of Obedience to some, whose Commands, or Desires, I could not resist; and that they would take the Measure of the Royal Society, not so much from my lame Description of it, as from the Honour and Reputation of many of those Men, of whom it is composed.

I will here, in the first place, contract, into few Words, the whole Sum of their Resolutions; which I shall often have occasion to touch upon in Parcels. Their Purpose is, in short, to make faithful Records of all the Works of Nature, or Art, which can come within their Reach; that so the present Age, and Posterity, may be able to put a Mark on the Errors, which have been strengthned by long Prescription; to restore the Truths, that have lain neglected; to push on those, which are already known, to more various Uses; and to make the way more passable, to what remains unrevealed. This is the Compass of their