To His GRACE THE DUKE of Leeds. My LORD, HAVE many Reafons for begging your GRACE's Patronage to his Hiftory of the Life of PETER the Great; but when I am to address my felf to a Perfon of your GRACE's Character, it will, I fear, be a difficult Task to form a Style, that may not seem either deficient of that Refpect, which is fo much your Due, or favour of what I account the lowest of all Vices, I mean Flattery; though there can hardly be any Encomiums made upon the Duke of LEEDS, that will be thought Flattery by any but your felf; but, my Lord, that Modesty which, among a Crowd of other Virtues, makes your GRACE fhun the Applauses of the World, will, even in Spite of your felf, oblige Mankind ftill the more loudly to proclaim their Admiration of him, who is more defirous of being Good and Great, than of being told how much he is thought fo. The Hiftory of PETER the Great, feems naturally to claim the Protection of your GRACE, whose Grandfather, of all our Nobility, was the Person that this mighty Emperor, when in England, expreffed the greatest Efteem and Friendship for. I dare fay, my Lord, I may venture to affirm, that never any young Nobleman, at his firft Appearance in the World, gave greater Expectations than your GRACE does at this Time of doing Honour to himself and Country; and therefore, by taking this Liberty of |