persons I shall describe particularly and at length, their genius
and understandings in miniature.

In the meantime, I do here make bold to present your Highness with a
faithful abstract drawn from the universal body of all arts and
sciences, intended wholly for your service and instruction. Nor do
I doubt in the least but your Highness will peruse it as carefully
and make as considerable improvements as other young princes have
already done by the many volumes of late years written for a help to
their studies.

That your Highness may advance in wisdom and virtue, as well as
years, and at last outshine all your royal ancestors, shall be the
daily prayer of,

SIR,
Your Highness's most devoted, &c. Decemb. 1697.



THE PREFACE.



The wits of the present age being so very numerous and penetrating,
it seems the grandees of Church and State begin to fall under
horrible apprehensions lest these gentlemen, during the intervals of
a long peace, should find leisure to pick holes in the weak sides of
religion and government. To prevent which, there has been much
thought employed of late upon certain projects for taking off the