To the new Edition of his Memoirs, from which the following Sheets are translated, there's not only a great number of material Additions in the Body of the Work, as is observ'd by the Editor
of it, Amsterdam, but several new Notes: In this Translation, these Notes are likewise considerably augmented, for the sake of continuing the Thread of the History to the present Time, by the Notice taken of certain remarkable Alterations, or other curious Particulars that have happen'd to the Persons or the Places mentioned, since 1734, when the said Edition was publish'd.
One great Defect for which the foreign Editor has been very much blam'd, was the want of a Table to these Memoirs; which, if not absolutely necessary in a Work of this kind, wherein so many Persons and Facts are mentioned, cannot be necessary for any Book whatsoever that comes from the Press. To supply this Defect, the Translator has added an Alphabetical Index to each of the two Volumes; which Indexes are the more copious, that the Reader might know where to turn in an Instant for some Account of the Characters, Conduct, or Familys of those public Personages, whose Names so often occur in the News-Papers.
THE
AUTHOR's PREFACE
TO THE
FIRST EDITION.
There are very few Books without a Preface; and that there are so, is in a great measure owing to the Fancy of the Booksellers, who think them to be absolutely necessary, and too often judge of the merit of a Copy by the Flights of its Preface, and the insinuating Tone of the Author's Voice in reading it. I had the misfortune to fall into the hands of one of these Booksellers, so fond of Prefaces, whom nothing would serve but he must have one at the Head of my Memoirs. My telling him that I did not know what to put into a Preface, signify'd no more than if I had been talking to a Post; for he threaten'd to get a Preface compos'd by an Author who wrote for Wages. This startled me, and I trembled for the fate of my Book, not doubting that a Preface written by a Man of Letters, who made it his profession to compose such marvellous Pieces, would altogether eclipse the few Excellencies in this Work of mine. What, said I to myself, the Sale of my Book then must depend only on the Goodness of the Preface, which, when the Readers compare with the Book it self, they will say, O! what a wonderful Man is the Author of the Preface! What a pitiful Writer, the Compiler of the Memoirs! No, said I again to my self, I am resolv'd that the Preface and the Book shall run the same risk; and since
Chance has enter'd me an Author, I'll play out the whole part of one.