from the example of fuccessful merit, than the deferving man himself can possibly be poffeffed of. Your country knows how eminently you excel in the feveral parts of military skill, whether in affigning the encampment, accommodating the troops, leading to the charge, or pursuing the enemy: the retreat being the only part of the profession which has not fallen within the experience of thofe who learned their warfare under the Duke of Marlborough. But the true and honest purpose of this epiftle is, to defire a place in your friendship, without pretending to add any thing to your reputation; who, by your own gallant actions, have acquired, that your name through all ages fhall be read with honour, where-ever mention fhall

THE

Publisher to the Reader.

Imes who have fent him their affiftances from T is a juftice which Mr Ironfide owes gentle. time to time, in the carrying on of this work to acknowledge that obligation; though at the fame time he himself dwindles into the character of a mere publisher, by making the acknowledgment. But whether a man does it out of juftice or grati tude or any other virtuous reason, or not, it is al. fo a prudential act, to take no more upon a man than he can bear. Too large a credit has made many a bankrupt; but taking even less than a man can anfwer with ease, is a fure fund for extending it whenever his occafions require. All those papers which are distinguished by this mark ††, were written by a gentleman who has obliged the world with productions too fublime to admit that the au thor of them should receive any addition to his reputation, from fuch loose occafional thoughts as make up these little treatifes. For which reafon his name fhall be concealed. Thefe which are marked with a star, were composed by Mr Budgell. That upon dedications, with the epistle of an author to himfelf; The club of little men; The receipt to make an epic poem; The paper of the gardens of Alcinous, and the catalogue of greens; That against barbarity to animals, and fome others, have Mr Pope for their author. Now

The Publisher to the Reader.

I mention this gentleman, I take this opportunity, out of the affection I have to his perfon, and refpect to his merit, to let the world know, that he is now tranflating Homer's Iliad by fubfcription. He has given good proof of his ability for the work; and the men of greatest wit and learning of this nation, of all parties, are, according to their different abilities, zealous encouragers, or folicitors for the work.

But to my prefent purpose: The letter from Gnatho of the cures performed by flattery, and that of comparing drefs to criticism, are Mr Gay's. Mr Martin, Mr Philips, Mr Tickell, Mr Caney, Mr Eufden, Mr Ince, and Mr Hughes have oblig. ed the town with entertaining difcourfes in thefe volumes and Mr Berkeley of Trinity college in Dublin, has embellished them with many excellent arguments in honour of religion and virtue. Mr Parnelle will, I hope, forgive me, that without his leave, I mention, that have feen his hand on the like pecaligno There are fame difcourfes of a lefs pleafing nature,which relate to the divifions amongst us and fuch, left any of thefe gentlemen fhould fuffer from any unjust fufpicion, I must impute to the right author of them, who is one Mr Sreete of Langungor, in the county of Carmarthen in South Wales. E

N° í. Thursday, March 12. 1713.

-Ille quem requiris. Mart. Epig. 2. l. 1.74 1.

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HERE is no pashion fo univerfal, however diverfified or disguised under different forms and appearances, as the vanity of being known to the rest of mankind, and communicating a man's parts, virtues, or qualifications, to the world. This is fo ftrong upon men of great genius, that they have a restless fondnefs for fatisfying the world in the mistakes they might poffibly be under, with relation even to their phyfiog nomy. Mr Airs, that excellent penman, has taken care to affix his own image oppofite to the title page of his learned treatife, wherein he instructs the youth of this nation to arrive at a flourishing hand. The author of the Key to Intereft, both fimple and compound; con taining practical rules, plainly expreffed in words at length, for all rates of interest and times of payment, for what time focver, makes up to us the misfortune of his living at Chelter, by following the example of the above-mentioned Airs, and coming up to town, overagainst his title page, in a very becoming periwig, and a flowing robe or mantle, inclosed in a circle of foliages. Below his portraiture, for our further fatisfaction as to the age of that useful writer, is fubfcribed Johannes Ward de civitat. Geftriæ, ætat. fuæ 58. An. Dom. 1706. The ferene aspect of these writers, joined with the great encouragement obferve is given to another, or, what is indeed to be fufpected, in which he indulges himself, confirmed me in the notion I have of the prevalence of

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