Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

be naturally expected from your careful Culture: But every Ground will not yield an Hundred Fold.

I truft, Madam, you will not only forgive, but be pleafed, and approve of, the Liberty I have taken, in dedicating to you a Book, which, I believe, you have long wifhed (though never expected) to fee in Print.

I am confident, Honoured Madam, you will, in its Publication, approve my Zeal for the Cause of the True Religion: be pleased with the due Refpect I pay my Father's Memory (by no longer letting his Light lay under a Bufhel, but fetting it on a Candlestick) and, at the fame Time, pardon my addreffing it to yourfelf: The Two firft need no Excufe; and, as to the laft, I have only to tell you, that, in a Dedication to yourself, I can never be accused of any mercenary View, because (the World knows, and I gratefully own, I have already been amply

paid for this, and every other future Labour of my Life, by your Care of, and Tendernefs towards, me; but most of all, for thofe Principles of religious Education, which (however I may, or may not, have improved them) I own I early received from you, and my late Honoured Father.

I affure you, Madam, I was very far from being at my Ne plus ultra, when I addreffed it to yourself (as the Student was, who drank his Mother's Health because he knew no other Toaft); for I am perfuaded, my Father's innate Probity, his religious Principles, his known Veracity, the Defire of the East-India Company to him,

that

* The mentioning that Honourable Body, naturally reminds me gratefully to acknowledge how much we are obliged to them, for that kind Remembrance they ftill retain of the faithful, and by them approved, Services of my Father, by ftill continuing to employ, in their Service, one of his Sons, in the fame Poft he formerly filled; and, as it is his Third Voyage in their Service,

that he would once more accept of that laft (and to his Family fatal) Embassy in their Service; added to that general Applaufe he (had then long fince) met with, when, on Account of the Peace of Utrecht, as well as in writing the British Merchants, he fo ftrenuously exerted himself in his Country's Cause, and made a Speech before the House of Lords, which was, I think, honoured by Enrolment: All thefe, I fay, Madam, make it absolutely indifputable that I could be at no Lofs where to find one, under whose Protection I might have fent it into the World; because every one who knew him would have been pleased to have patronised any Work of his; and I do not doubt (even from my unworthy Self) have gladly received a Dedication.

But, Madam, I thought it more your Due than any one living (and you always

Service, confirms their Opinion of his Capacity and Integrity likewife; which I humbly prefume he will never forfeit.

always taught me to be honest) not only as it comes from one, who owes you every Thing that Duty and Obligation can, but alfo as you know fo perfectly the (then to you melancholy) Occafion of its being wrote; and have oft, no Doubt, fhared in thofe pungent Sorrows in my Father's Soul, that made him fet about it; and, at the fame Time, have divided with him too thofe Heart-eafing Pleasures which were the Confequence (in my Sister's Converfion) of its being wrote.

I have endeavoured to put it into fuch a Form, as may make it most proper for the World's Perufal, by leaving out all Anecdotes relative to Family only, which the World have no Business with; and I fhall greatly rejoice in (though not claim the Merit of) its Succefs, fhould it prove ferviceable towards the rooting out Superftition and Idolatry from amongst thofe who call themselves Chriftians, or preventing it in others; or in the leaft

[ocr errors]

give a Hint, in after Times, to fuch who may have Perfons to educate, whofe Education is of the highest Confequence.

If this my first publick Appearance should meet with your and the World's Approbation, you may expect, in a fhort Time, a larger Work in the Polemical Way; which I think I may very innocently throw into the Treafury of the Learned (as my Mite of Endeavour, and) as what I hope will be of fuch a Nature as will (fhould it ever appear) be free from the Cenfure, and meet with the Praife and Approbation, of the Worthy and Good, whofe Praife alone I am ambitious of.

Should any one afk, Why I added the Frontifpieces to fo fmall a Book ? I answer, The Hiftory Piece was invented, and added, as an Inducement to fuch young Folks, into whofe Hands it might happen to come, to read the Book: The other was added (though

other

« AnteriorContinua »