Enchiridium Epigrammatum : AN EPITOME Of Essais .

THis Toy is a meer Table of 676 Essais on several Subjects : which are more copiously contained in two Folio Tomes intended for the Press , with larger or lesser Explications on ech : But my hand is illegible and much interlined ; so they must al be new transcribed , which wil take up one yeers time at least , if God Grant life so long . In which regard , to satisfy many Mens earnest expectations , I hav published hand in hand eght Theological Theorems , and two subnected Essais explicated in quarto , which he that lists may peruse .

Virgil is said to play the part of a Shepherd in his Eclogs , a Farmer in his Georgics , and a Warrier in his Aeneids . : So I presuming to print three Pamphlets , act the Person of a Poetaster in this first , to vent the dregs of Youthly delights : being a bare bag of bones or Sceleton ( like a Nutshel without kernel ) denuded of skin , flesh , ligaments , and other lineaments : Of a Theologist in the next ( which is a rich casknet of sublime Speculations ) to jet like a long eard Animal in a Lions skin : being peeced out with collections taken from deep Divines . And of a general Sciolist or Smatterer in the last ( which shal folow so soon as Lucina can bring it to birth ) to venditat sundry sorts of liberal literature in shreds , being the rotten withered fruits of Academic studies , now almost antiquated or out of date by long desuetud .

To tel truth this pety pocket peece ( first intitled memorativ Verses ) is printed a part in policy , purposly to bestow on Friends ; being but a Catalog of Contents belonging to the larger Volume ; which is grown to so big a bulk beyond du bounds , as wil mount to a far higher valu ( that every one may hav one ) then my ruined Fortune can bear ; hoping that al such as know my poverty wil accept this smal mite in lieu of a richer present . My memory cannot reach to remember every Patient or Party of my antient acquaintance , to whom I am ingaged in amity or courtesy : but my desire is to gratisy ech , and send 400. Copies ( som bound , som unbound ) to dispers in free gift ( without any fee to sender or bri●ger ) that none may be forgotten . Thos that are omitted , may repair to Mr. Hooper Apothecary in Exceter neer S. Martins Lane ; who wil deliver one gratis to any man of quality my familiar Friend .

The Essais or Epigrams run in one tenor throughout : for though the matter be divers , yet the method or maner ( mostly Distichs , which is the pithiest parcel of Poetry , comprising the ful sens in two Verses ) is uniform : know one , know al. Al Latin Verses whether new coined or borowed are fresh translated neer the letter , which som nasut Critics censure as too Pedantic ; when their Libertin guise is in very Antick disguise : who render their own sens so far varying from the Authors meaning , as he wil scars own it : but the english Versions flowed forth ex tempore .

For the Latin hav al just feet , but som English one too many ; which may be clipped off by corrept pronouncing . Al proper names ( Adam , Abel ) being squared by no rule , are made long or short by Poetical liberty : but thos with Dipthongs , duple Consonants , or the like ( Caesar , Xerxes , Tullius ) are long by Nature or Position : Yet in most Roman names ( Roma , Romulus ) I observ custom and authority so curiously as can be , which may be a good Lesson for Grammar Scholars to doo the like . If any profest Poet shal sift the whol Pile , he wil find som such Crabtree peeces of knotty Subjects , as may haply gal his hand to cleav them , or trouble his head-peece to reduce them into smooth Metres : therfore no marvel if many of the Puzlers here be not so wel planed , polished , or perfected as is expected , or as they should be .

Nor wil I set a large Porch before a litle Pile , lest the hous run out at dore .

Adieu .