out without Fafting and Prayer; but yet the oppofing of thefe, is fo much every Man's Intereft, and is fo fuitable to Nature (from which Men will get all poffible Affiftance) that if Kings and Governors would concur with God and Nature, the Task would be Easy,as theEffects would be pleasant. I cannot but commend moft cordially the Quakers, who have let us clearly fee that if Men please, they may emancipate themfelves from the Tyranny of Cuftom in this particular; and this one excellent Endeavour does not only give them much Tranquillity, and enables them to help all thofe of their Perfuafion to a degree that is to be admired and commended, but it really makes them acceptable in the Neighbourhood: And attones very much for the other Irregularities with which they are charged; and they may convince us, at least in this one Point, that if fuch as have much Power and Reason fhould concur together, they would eafily make Mankind Happy, by making them Frugal. ་ For the Honourable ROBERT BOYLE, Esq; I Know nothing (Sir,) more inconfiftent with Right Reafon, or which deferves more to be reform'd mongst Learned Men, than their Way of Dedicating Books. And, that we may the better understand what ought to be done in this Age, let us look back into what was done by the Ancients. The Poets did indeed invoke their Gods, or the Mufes, in the Beginning of their Works; but that was rather to obtain their Affiftance, than to bestow. upon them Panegyricks: But their Praifing the Gods, was a fafe Subject, in which they could not exceed And therefore, tho' thefe Invocations were the first Oc-. cafion of writing Dedications to Mortals, yet Flattery in this made them miftake their Model fo far, that at laft fome of the Poets did likewife invoke the AffiStance of their Emperors, as if they had been Gods as well as Patrons. Others of the Poets did very anciently Dedicate their Works to Men alfo: As Hefiod, who was older than Homer, dedicates, or rather addreffes his First Poem to Perfes. But 'tis very obfervable, that be and others, in fuch like Addreffes, rather excite the Perfons (to whom they addrefs) to Virtue and Glory, than magnify them for having attain'd to the Perfecti Bb 4 on |