THE ANNOTATOR TO THE READER GELLIUS (noct. Attic. 1. 20. cap. ult.) notes some Books A. that had strange Titles; Pliny (Prefat. Nat. Hist.) speak ing of some such, could not pass them over without a jeer: So strange (saith he) are the Titles of some Books, Ut multos ad vadimonium deferendum compellant. And Seneca saith, some such there are, Qui patri obstetricem parturienti filiæ accersenti moram injicere possint. Of the same fate this present Tract Religio Medici hath partaken: Exception by some hath been taken to it in respect of its Inscription, which say they, seems to imply that Physicians have a Religion by themselves, which is more than Theologie doth warrant: but it is their Inference, and not the Title that is to blame; for no more is meant by that, or endeavoured to be prov'd in the Book then that (contrary to the opinion of the unlearned) Physitians have Religion as well as other men. Medicus For the Work it self, the present Age hath produced none that has had better Reception amongst the learned; it has been received and fostered by almost all, there having been but one that I knew of (to verifie that Books have their Fate from the Capacity of the Reader) that has had the face to appear against it; that is Mr. Alexander1 Rosse; but he is dead, and it is uncomely to skirmish 1 In his with his shadow. It shall be sufficient to remember to the Reader, Medicatus. that the noble and most learned Knight, Sir Kenelm Digby, has delivered his opinion of it in another sort, who though in some things he differ from the Authors sense, yet hath he most candidly and ingeniously allow'd it to be a very learned and excellent Piece; and I think no Scholar will say there can be an approbation more authentique. Since the time he Published his Observations upon it, one Mr. Jo. Merryweather, a Master of Arts of the University of Cambridge, hath deem'd it worthy to be put into the universal Language, which about the year 1644 he performed; and 2 That he that hath carried the Authors name not only into the Low-Countries was a Ger and France (in both which places the Book in Latin hath since been by his notes printed) but into Italy and Germany; and in Germany it hath page 35, since fallen into the hands of a Gentleman of that Nation2 (of his useth these name he hath given us no more than L. N. M. E.N.) who hath written words, learned Annotations upon it in Latin, which were Printed together nostra Gerwith the Book at Strasbourg 1652. And for the general good mania, etc man appears where he Dulcissima |