Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/30

 the clamours and ill-will, of all reaonable men.—How far uch an attempt is prudent or politick, is quite another quetion, and nothing to the preent purpoe, unles we are to admit, (what, I hope, will not be deired) that the world is compoed of nothing but juggle, grimace, and legerdemain; and that the before mentioned principles of truth, reaon, and equity are only baits to innare the vulgar, and captivate thoe, whoe ignorance makes them an eay prey.

Upon this iue, therefore, I deire that my Performance my be tried. If it can be proved that I have, in general, mirepreented matters of fact, that my objections have no force, that I have calumniated the univerity without any reaon, and oppoed the interet of ound learning, I hall be contented to bear all that load of infamy, which uch practices truly deerve. But if nothing of this nature can be fixed upon me, I deire that the odium which hath been unjutly cat upon me, for expoing thee corruptions, may be transferr'd to Thoe who are guilty of them. I peak in general; for it is impoible, in a work of this nature, to avoid mitakes in every trivial circumtance, and minute particular. What I have myelf been able to dicover of that ort, I have corrected in this edition; and if I am informed of any others, they hall alo be amended in the next; but for the ret which hitherto remains, or hall remain unconfuted, I am