These are the chief _Particulars_ of this ensuing _Work_, and what it pretends hitherto of _Singular_, in which let me be permitted to say, There is sufficient for _Instruction_, and more than is extant in any _Collection_ whatsoever (_absit verbo invidia_) in this way and upon this _Subject_; abstracting things _Practicable_, of solid _use_ and _material_, from the _Ostentation_ and Impertinences of divers _Writers_; who receiving all that came to hand on trust, to swell their monstrous _Volumes_, have hitherto impos'd upon the credulous _World_, without _conscience_ or _honesty_.

I will not exasperate the _Adorers_ of our ancient and late _Naturalists_, by repeating of what our _Verulam_ has justly pronounced concerning their _Rhapsodies_ (because I likewise honour their painful _Endeavours_, and am obliged to them for much of that I know,) nor will I (with some) reproach _Pliny_, _Porta_, _Cardan_, _Mizaldus_, _Cursius_, and many others of great _Names_ (whose _Writings_ I have diligently consulted) for the _Knowledge_ they have imparted to me on this Occasion; but I must deplore the time which is (for the most part) so miserably lost in pursuit of their _Speculations_, where they treat upon this _Argument_: But the _World_ is now advis'd, and (blessed be _God_) infinitely redeem'd from that base and servile submission of our noblest _Faculties_ to their blind _Traditions_.

This you will be apt to say, is a haughty _Period_; but whilst I affirm it of the _Past_, it _justifies_, and does _honour_ to the _Present_ Industry of our _Age_, and of which there cannot be a _greater_ and more emulous _Instance_, than the _Passion_ of His _Majesty_ to encourage his _Subjects_, and of the _Royal Society_, (His _Majesty's Foundation_) who receive and promote His _Dictates_, in all that is laudable and truly _emolumental_ of this Nature.
It is not therefore that I here presume to instruct _Him_ in the management of that great and august _Enterprise_ of resolving to _Plant_ and repair His ample _Forests_, and other _Magazines_ of _Timber_, for the benefit of His _Royal Navy_, and the glory of His _Kingdoms_; but to present to His _Sacred Majesty_, and to the _World_, what _Advices_ I have received from _others_, observed my self, and most industriously _collected_ from a studious Propensity to serve as one of the least _Intelligences_ in the ampler _Orb_ of our _Illustrious Society_, and in a _Work_ so necessary and important.
And now since I mention'd the _Society_, give me leave (Worthy Reader) as a _Member_ of that _Body_, which has been the chief _Promoter_ of this ensuing _Work_, (and, as I stand oblig'd) to _vindicate_ that _Assembly_, and consequently, the _Honour_ of his _Majesty_ and the _Nation_, in a _Particular_ which concerns it, though (in appearance) a little forreign to the present _Subject_.
I will not say that _all_ which I have written in the several _Paragraphs_ of this _Treatise_, is _New_; but that there are very many _New_, and _useful_ things, and _Observations_ (without insisting on the _Methods_ only) not hitherto deliver'd by any _Author_, and so freely communicated, I hope will sufficiently appear: It is not therefore in behalf of any Particular which concerns _my self_, that I have been induced to enlarge this _Preface_; but, by taking this _Occasion_, to encounter the unsufferable _Boldness_, or _Ambition_ of some _Persons_ (as well _Strangers_, as others) _arrogating_ to themselves the being _Inventors_ of divers _New_ and useful _Experiments_, justly attributable to several _Members_ of the _Royal Society_.{lxxxvii:1} So far has that _Assembly_ been from affecting _Glory_, that they seem rather to have declin'd their due; not as asham'd of so numerous and fair an _Off-spring_; but as abundantly satisfied, that after all the hard measure, and virulent _Reproaches_ they had sustain'd, for endeavouring by _united Attempts_, and at their own _Charges_, to improve _Real Philosophy_; they had from time to time, cultivated that _Province_ in so many _useful_ and profitable _Instances_, as are already _published_ to the _World_, and will be easily _asserted_ to their _Authors_ before all _equitable_ Judges.
This being the sole inducement of publishing this _Apology_; it may not perhaps seem unseasonable to _disabuse_ some (otherwise) _well-meaning_ People, who _led away_ and _perverted_ by the _Noise_ of a few _Ignorant_ and _Comical Buffoons_, (whose _Malevolence_, or _Impertinencies_ intitle them to nothing that is truly _Great_ and _Venerable_) are with an _Insolence_ suitable to their _Understanding_, still crying out, and asking, _What have the Society done ?_ Now, as nothing less than _Miracles_ (and unless _God_ should every day _repeat_ them at the _Call_ of these _Extravagants_) will _convince_ some Persons, of the most _Rational_ and _Divine Truths_, (already so often and extraordinarily establish'd;) so, nor will any thing _satisfie_ these _unreasonable_ Men, but the production of the _Philosophers-stone_, and _Great-Elixir_; which yet were they _Possessors_ of, they would _consume_ upon their _Lux_ and _Vanity_.
It is not therefore to gratifie these _magnificent Fops_, whose _Talents_ reach but to the adjusting of their _Peruques_, courting a _Miss_, or at the farthest writing a smutty, or scurrilous _Libel_, (which they would have to pass for _genuine_ Wit) that I _concern_ my self in these _papers_; but, as well in _Honour_ of our _Royal Founder_, as the _Nation_, to _Assert_ what of other _Countries_ has been surreptitiously _Arrogated_, and by which, they not only value themselves _abroad_; but (prevailing on the Modesty of that Industrious _Assembly_) seek the _deference_ of _those_, who whilst it remains still _silent_, do not so clearly discern this glorious _Plumage_ to be purely _ascititious_, and not a _Feather_ of their own.

--But still, _What have they done ?_ Those who perfectly comprehend the _Scope_, and _End_ of that noble _Institution_; which is to _improve Natural Knowledge_, and inlarge the _Empire_ of _Operative Philosophy_; not by an _Abolition_ of the _Old_, but by the _Real Effects_ of the _Experimental_; _Collecting_, _Examining_, and _Improving_ their scatter'd _Phaenomena_, to establish even the _Received Methods_ and _Principles_ of the _Schools_ (as far as were consistent with _Truth_, and _matter_ of _Fact_) thought it long enough, that the World had been _impos'd_ upon by that _Notional_, and _Formal_ way of delivering divers _Systems_ and _Bodies_ of _Philosophie_ (falsely so call'd) beyond which there was no more _Country_ to discover; which being brought to the _Test_ and _Tryal_, vapours all away in _Fume_, and empty _Sound_.
This _Structure_ then being thus _Ruinous_ and _Crazy_; 'tis obvious what they were to do; even the same which skilful _Architects_ do every day before us; by _pulling down_ the decay'd and sinking Wall to erect a _better_, and more _substantial_ in its place: They not only take down the _old_, reject the useless and decay'd; but sever such _Materials_ as are _solid_, and will serve again; bring _new-ones_ in, prepare and frame a _Model_ suitable to so _magnificent_ a _Design_: This _Solomon_ did in order to the _Building_ of the _Material Temple_; and _this_ is here to be pursued in the _Intellectual_: Nay, here was abundance of _Rubbish_ to be clear'd, that the _Area_ might be free; and then was the _Foundation_ to be deeply searched, the _Materials_ accurately _examined_, _squared_, and _adjusted_, before it could be laid: Nor was this the _Labour_ of a _Few_; less than a much longer time, more Cost and Encouragement than any which the _Society_ has yet met withal, could in reason be sufficient effectually to go through so chargeable a Work, and highly necessary.
A long time it was they had been surveying the _Decays_, of what was ready now to drop in pieces, whatever shew the out-side made with a noise of _Elements_ and _Qualities_, _Occult_ and _Evident_; abhorrence of _Vacuum_, _Sympathies_, _Antipathies_; _Substantial Forms_, and _Prime matter_ courting _Form_; _Epicycles_, _Ptolemaean Hypotheses_, magisterial _Definitions_, peremptory _Maximes_, _Speculative_, and _Positive Doctrines_, and _alti-sonant Phrases_, with a thousand other _precarious_ and unintelligible _Notions_, &c.

all which they have been turning over, to see if they could find any thing of _sincere_ and _useful_ among this _Pedantick Rubbish_, but all in _vain_; here was nothing _material_, nothing of moment _Mathematical_, or _Mechanical_, and which had not been miserably _sophisticated_, on which to lay the stress; nothing in a manner whereby any farther _Progress_ could be made, for the _raising_ and _ennobling_ the _Dignity_ of _Mankind_ in the _Sublimest Operations_ of the _Rational Faculty_, by _clearing_ the _Obscurities_, and _healing_ the _Defects_ of most of the _Phisiological Hypotheses_, repugnant, as they hitherto seemed to be, to the _Principles_ of real _Knowledge_ and _Experience_.
Now although it neither were their _Hopes_, or in their prospect to _consummate_ a _Design_ requiring so _mighty Aids_, (inviron'd as they have been with these Prejudices) yet have they not at all _desisted_ from the _Enterprize_; but rather than so Noble and Illustrious an _Undertaking_ should not proceed for want of some generous and industrious _Spirits_ to promote the _Work_; they have _themselves_ submitted to those mean _Imployments_, of _digging_ in the very _Quarry_; yea even and of making _Brick_ where there was no _Straw_, but what they gleaned, and lay dispersed up and down: Nor did they think their Pains yet _ill bestow'd_, if through the assiduous _Labour_, and a _Train_ of continual _Experiments_, they might at last furnish, and leave solid and uncorrupt _Materials_ to a _succeeding_, and more _grateful Age_, for the _building up_ a _Body_ of _real_ and _substantial Philosophy_, which should never _succumb_ to _Time_, but with the _Ruines_ of _Nature_, and the _World_ it self.
In order to _this_, how many, and almost _innumerable_ have been their _Tryals_ and _Experiments_, through the large and ample Field both of _Art_ and _Nature_?
We call our _Journals_, _Registers_, _Correspondence_, and _Transactions_, to witness; and may with modesty provoke all our _Systematical Methodists_, _Natural Histories_, and _Pretenders_ hitherto extant from the _beginning_ of _Letters_, to this _period_, to shew us so _ample_, so _worthy_ and so _useful_ a Collection.