Page:The Works of the Famous Nicholas Machiavel.djvu/453



Kind T may eem trange to you at firt, that I have divided the Books of Machiavel'', and dipoed them into Chapters, contrary to the Order of his Dialogues but I am aured when you conider my Intention, you will rather applaud than condemn me. I was always enible that no Man could blame me, if I kept exactly to my Author; nevertheles, I thought this way more Beneficial, the length of a Dicoure being commonly tireome to any Man who affects Brevity; beides that, in all Sorts of Books, thee kind of Breaches and Sections are very helpful to the Memory. For this Reaon the Works of Aritotle, Vitruvius and Pliny, which were originally in another Method, have been reduced ince into this manner of Diviion. I have preum'd to do the ame in this my Tranlation, having had more Regard to the Eae and Advantage of the Reader, than to the exact Order of the Author, whom I have not followed Verbatim by reaon of the Diverity of the Languages; yet his Sene I have oberved as trictly as would conit with the Propriety of our own Language; auring my elf that your Bounty will dipene with ome Faults, eeing nothing can be done o accurately, hut will be ubject to many.''