Sir,
Your most Obliged, and most
Devoted Humble Servant
JOHN STEVENS.
AN
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Concerning this Work in general.
It will be needless to trouble the Reader with a tedious Introduction, shewing the usefulness of this sort of Books, several others having already treated of that Subject, no less Learnedly than Fully, so that it would only be repeating what has been frequently said already, and what most Men are sufficiently convinc’d of; besides that, it is not design’d to fill up this small Volume with Perswasives to buy it; but rather to proceed directly to the matter propos’d. But, lest the Design should be misapprehended, it will be necessary, in as few Words as may be, to make all Persons sensible of it. Nothing is more certain, than that many curious Pieces have escap’d the search of those who have publish’d Volumes of this Nature, either because they are grown extreamly Rare; or, perhaps, those who Translated were not Masters of the Languages in which they were Writ, or else for want of sufficient Information; since, as no Man can know all Things, neither can any be acquainted with all Books. These are the Things now design’d to Entertain the Publick, with assurance that nothing shall be offer’d, but what is valuable, and approv’d of by Learned and Ingenious Persons. It is needless, and even impracticable, in this First Part to give a Catalogue of the Books intended to be Translated; needless, in Regard that being very rare, few are yet acquainted with them; and impracticable, because several not yet known to the Undertakers, may hereafter come to Hand: As also, by reason that some which are not to be found in England, are now sent for Abroad, and considering their Scarcity, and the Hazards of the Sea, it is impossible to determine when they will be had. Besides, it is not convenient to Publish the Names of such Books, at a time when so many are gaping to catch at any thing they can hope to make an Advantage of, tho’ others have acquir’d some sort of right to it, by declaring they have such a Work in Hand. Every Piece that is Publish’d, will, it is hop’d, Recommend it self, and be an Inducement to the Buyer to purchase the next, for which reason it will be superfluous to add any thing in their Commendation. Neither is this Work confin’d to Translations, the Undertakers having already a prospect of some Original Manuscripts of the same Nature, Written by Ingenious and Able Persons, who have Travel’d, and not taken care to publish their Observations. The Translations will be out of all Languages, which can afford any thing answerable to what is proposed, that is, excellent in it self, and never before seen in English.
As for the Method here intended, it is to Publish every Month, as much as will make a Book of Twelve Pence, or Eighteen Pence, according as it can be contriv’d, without breaking off abruptly, to leave the Relation maim’d and imperfect, for as scarce any of the Books to be Translated are so small as to come into the compass of a Month, so of necessity they must be divided into several Parts, according to their Bulk. Now each Month being Sold Stich’d, every Buyer may afterwards Bind them up when he has an Author compleat, and therefore great care shall be taken, that the one may end, and the next begin, so as to cause no Obstacle, or Confusion in Binding. All the Books shall be adorn’d with proper Maps, and useful Cuts, that is, not with Representations of Battels, or Draughts of Places made according to the Engravers Fancy, but with true Delineations taken upon the Spot, where any such are to be had; the real Habits of the People; Birds, Beasts, Plants, &c. Whether every Month will afford any of these, cannot be promised, since they are to be inserted in their proper Places, for substantial Information, and not dispers’d at Will to embellish the Book, and divert the Ignorant. Therefore some Months will contain more, others fewer, and some perhaps none, with assurance that the Charge shall not be spar’d where they are requisite, and such are to be had as can be vouch’d to be Genuine. Thus every Person will, at so small a Price, as has been mention’d have a Taste of the Author propos’d to be Translated, and of the Performance, before he launches out more Money to purchase the whole, and has every Month something New to Divert and Inform; which, tho’ at first it may look slight, as being a Stitch’d Pamphlet, will soon grow upon into a Compleat Work, as if Printed all at once, and be no less becoming any Gentlemans Study, or Library. No Author is design’d to be Abridg’d, but fairly, and carefully Translated at large; but if any should hereafter be thought fit, for any particular Reasons to be so dealt with, it shall not be done without the Advice and Approbation of sufficient Judges, and the Publick shall have Notice of it, that no Man may have just cause to Complain he is any way Impos’d on. Every Author shall have a particular Preface giving some Account of Him, and his Work, with a fair Title, for the Binding of him up conveniently into a Volume, and every Month, as has been said, so contriv’d, that there may be no Casma, or other Eyesore in the Book. A small number will be Printed on a large fine Paper, for such as are more Curious, at one half more than the Price of the Common Sort.
The next Book Publish’d in this Collection, will be Diarium Italicum: Or, Singular Remarks upon Ancient Monuments, Collections of Rarities, &c. made in a Journey through Italy: With variety of Cuts and Figure. By the R. F. Bernard de Montfaucon, Monk of the Order of S. Benedict, of the Congregation of S. Maur.
THE
PREFACE.
Our Author, Bartholomew Leonardo de Argensola, was a Learned Clergyman, and as such employ’d by the President and Council of the Indies to Write this History. He calls it, The Conquest of the Molucco Islands, without Enlarging any further in his title, tho’ at the same time his Work contains their first Discovery, their Description, the Manners, Customs, Religion, Habit, and Political and Natural History; with all the Wars, and other Remarkable Accidents in those Parts, since they were first known to Europeans, till their Reduction under the Crown of Spain. In Speaking of them he Occasionally runs out to give the same Account of the Philippine Islands, and of several others in those Eastern Seas. This is frequent in Spanish Books, wherein we generally find much more than the Titles promise, contrary to what is Practis’d with us, who strive to fill up a Title Page with abundance of Inviting Heads, the least part whereof is Treated of in the Body of the Work, or at best so Superficially, that scarce any more can be made of them there, than was in the Frontispiece.