force and edge of those formidable inquirers from canvassing and
reasoning upon such delicate points. They have at length fixed upon
one, which will require some time as well as cost to perfect.
Meanwhile, the danger hourly increasing, by new levies of wits, all
appointed (as there is reason to fear) with pen, ink, and paper,
which may at an hour's warning be drawn out into pamphlets and other
offensive weapons ready for immediate execution, it was judged of
absolute necessity that some present expedient be thought on till
the main design can be brought to maturity. To this end, at a grand
committee, some days ago, this important discovery was made by a
certain curious and refined observer, that seamen have a custom when
they meet a Whale to fling him out an empty Tub, by way of
amusement, to divert him from laying violent hands upon the Ship.
This parable was immediately mythologised; the Whale was interpreted
to be Hobbes's "Leviathan," which tosses and plays with all other
schemes of religion and government, whereof a great many are hollow,
and dry, and empty, and noisy, and wooden, and given to rotation.
This is the Leviathan from whence the terrible wits of our age are
said to borrow their weapons. The Ship in danger is easily
understood to be its old antitype the commonwealth. But how to
analyse the Tub was a matter of difficulty, when, after long inquiry
and debate, the literal meaning was preserved, and it was decreed
that, in order to prevent these Leviathans from tossing and sporting
with the commonwealth, which of itself is too apt to fluctuate, they
should be diverted from that game by "A Tale of a Tub." And my
genius being conceived to lie not unhappily that way, I had the
honour done me to be engaged in the performance.

This is the sole design in publishing the following treatise, which
I hope will serve for an interim of some months to employ those