ing his fellow-creatures, and filled with an honeft confcious pride, mixed with a fcorn of doing, or fuffering the leaft thing beneath the dignity of a Philofopher. Accordingly he had a foul that would not let him accept of any offers of Charity, at the fame time that his body feemed but too much to require it. His lodging was in a small chamber up four pair of stairs, where he regularly paid for what he had when he eat or drank; and he was often obferved wholly to abstain 'from both. He declined fpeaking to any one, except the Queen, or her first Minister, to whom he attempted to make some applications; but his real bufinefs or intentions were utterly unknown to all men. Thus much is certain, that he was obnoxious to the Queen's Miniftry; who, either out of Jealoufy or Envy, had him fpirited away, and carried abroad as a dangerous perfon, without any regard to the known laws of the Kingdom.

One day, as this Gentleman was walking about dinner-time alone in the Mall, it happened that a Manufcript dropt from under his cloak, which my fervant picked up, and brought to me. It was written in the Latin tongue, and contained many most profound fecrets, in an unusual turn of reasoning and ftyle. The first leaf was infcribed with these words, Codicillus, feu Liber Memorialis, Martini Scribleri. The book was of fo wonderful a nature that it is incredible what a defire I conceived that moment to be acquainted with the Author, who I clearly perceived was fome great Philofopher in difguife. I feveral times endeavoured to fpeak to him, which he as often industriously avoided. At length, I found an opportunity (as he ftood under the Piazza by the Dancing-room in St. James's) to acquaint him in the Latin Tongue, that his Manufcript

was fallen into my hands; and faying this, I prefented it to him, with great encomiums on the learned Hereupon he took me afide, furveyed me over with a fixed attention, and opening the clafps of the Parchment cover, spoke (to my great surprize) in English, as follows:

"Courteous ftranger, whoever thou art, I embrace thee as my best friend; for either the Stars and my "Art are deceitful, or the destined time is come which * is to manifeft Martinus Scriblerus to the world, and

thou the perfon chofen by fate for this task. What "thou feeft in me is a body exhausted by the labours of

the mind. I have found in Dame Nature not indeed "an unkind, but a very coy Mistress: Watchful nights, anxious days, flender meals, and endless labours, muft be the lot of all who purfue her, through her labyrinths and meanders. My first vital air I drew « in this island (a foil fruitful of Philofophers), but my complexion is become aduft, and my body arid, by vifiting lands (as the Poet has it) alio fub fole calentes. "I have, through my whole life, passed under several "difguifes and unknown names, to fcreen myself from

the envy and malice which mankind exprefs against "those who are poffeffed of the Arcanum Magnum. But "at present I am forced to take Sanctuary in the British "Court, to avoid the Revenge of a cruel Spaniard, "who has pursued me almost through the whole terra

queous globe. Being about four years ago in the City of Madrid in queft of natural knowledge, I was "informed of a Lady who was marked with a Pomegranate upon the infide of her right Thigh, which bloffomed, and, as it were, feemed to ripen in the due feafon. Forthwith was I poffeffed with an infatiable curiofity to view this wonderful Phænomenon,

"I felt the ardour of my paffion increase as the season "advanced, till, in the month of July, I could no "longer contain. I bribed her Duenna, was admitted 66 to the bath, faw her undreffed, and the wonder difplayed. This was foon after discovered by the hus"band, who finding fome letters I had writ to the "Duenna, containing expreffions of a doubtful meaning, fufpected me of a crime moft alien from the Purity of my Thoughts. Incontinently I left Madrid by the advice of Friends, have been purfued, dogged, and way-laid through feveral nations, and even now "fcarce think myself secure within the facred walls of "this Palace. It has been my good fortune to have "feen all the grand Phænomena of Nature, excepting "an Earthquake, which I waited for in Naples three years in vain; and now by means of fome British Ship (whofe colours no Spaniard dare approach *) "I impatiently expect a safe paffage to Jamaica, for "that benefit. To thee, my Friend, whom Fate has "marked for my Hiftoriographer, I leave these my "Commentaries, and others of my works. No more"be faithful and impartial."

He foon after performed his promise, and left me the Commentaries, giving me alfo further lights by many Conferences; when he was unfortunately fnatched away (as I before related) by the jealousy of the Queen's Ministry.

Though I was thus, to my eternal grief, deprived of his conversation, he for fome years continued his Correfpondence, and communicated to me many of his Projects for the benefit of mankind. He fent me fome of his Writings, and recommended to my care the

This marks the time when the Introduction was written.

recovery of others, ftraggling about the world, and affumed by other men. The last time I heard from him was on occafion of his Strictures on the Dunciad : fince when, several years being elapsed, I have reason to believe this excellent perfon is either dead, or carried by his vehement thirst of knowledge, into some remote, or perhaps undiscovered Region of the world. In either cafe, I think it a debt no longer to be delayed, to reveal what I know of this Prodigy of Science, and to give the History of his Life, and of his extensive merits to mankind; in which I dare promise the Reader, that, whenever he begins to think any one Chapter dull, the ftyle will be immediately changed in the next.