though the cannot return, and scarce knows how to proceed; yet, fometimes, makes useful Discoveries, or finds out nearer Paths to Knowledge.

The boundless Liberty with which every Man may write his own Thoughts, and the Opportunity of conveying new Sentiments to the Publick, without Danger of fuffering either Ridicule or Cenfure, which every Man may enjoy, whofe Vani'y does not incite him too haftily to own his Performances, naturally invites thofe who employ themselves in Speculation, to try how their Notions will be received by a Nation, which exempts Caution from Fear, and Modesty from Shame; and it is no Wonder, that where Reputation may be gained, but needs not be loft, Multitudes are willing to try their Fortune, and thrust their Opinions into the Light; fometimes with unfuccefsful Hafte, and fometimes with happy Temerity.

It is obferved, that, among the Natives of England, is to be found a greater Variety of Humour, than in any other Country; and, doubtless, where every Man has a full Liberty to propagate his Conceptions, Variety of Humour must produce Variety of Writers; and, where the Number of Authors is fo great, there cannot but be some worthy of Diftinction.

All these, and many other Causes, too tedious to be enumerated, have contributed to make Pamphlets and small Tracts a very important Part of an English Library; nor are there any Pieces, upon which thofe, who afpire to the Reputation of judicious Collectors of Books, beftow more Attention, or greaterExpence; because many Advantages may be expected from the Perufal of thefe fmall Productions, which are scarcely to be found in that of larger Works.

If we regard Hiftory, it is well known, that most political Treatifes have for a long Time appeared in B 2

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this Form, and that the firft Relations of Tranfactions, while they are yet the Subject of Converfation, divide the Opinions, and employ the Conjectures of Mankind, are delivered by thefe petty Writers, who have Opportunities of collecting the different Sentiments of Difputants, of enquiring the Truth from living Witneffes, and of copying their Representations from the Life; and, therefore, they preferve a Multitude of particular Incidents, which are forgotten in a fhort Time, or omitted in formal Relations, and which are yet to be confidered as Sparks of Truth, which, when united, may afford Light in fome of the darkeft Scenes of State, as, we doubt not, will be fufficiently proved in the Course of this Mifcellany; and which it is, therefore, the Intereft of the Publick to preferve unextinguifhed.

The fame Obfervation may be extended to Subjects of yet more Importance. In Controverfies that relate to the Truths of Religion, the firft Effays of Reformation are generally timorous; and thofe, who have Opinions to offer, which they expect to be oppofed, produce their Sentiments, by Degrees; and, for the moft Part, in fmall Tracts: By Degrees, that they may not fhock their Readers with too many Novelties at once; and in fmall Tracts, that they may be easily disperfed, or privately printed: Almoft every Controverfy, therefore, has been, for a Time, carried on in Pamphlets, nor has fwelled into larger Volumes, till the firft Ardor of the Difputants has fubfided, and they have recollected their Notions with Coolness enough to digeft them into Örder, confolidate them into Syftems, and fortify them with Authorities.

From Pamphlets, confequently, are to be learned the Progrefs of every Debate; the various State to which the Queftions have been changed; the Artifices and Fallacies which have been used, and the Subterfuges, by which Reason has been eluded: In

fuch

fuch Writings may be feen how the Mind has been opened by Degrees, how one Truth has led to another, how Error has been difentangled, and Hints improved to Demonstration. Which Pleasure, and many others, are loft by him that only reads the larger Writers, by whom thefe scattered Sentiments are collected, who will fee none of the Changes of Fortune which every Opinion has pafled through, will have no Opportunity of remarking the tranfient Advantages which Error may fometimes obtain, by the Artifices of its Patron, or the fuccefsful Rallies, by which Truth regains the Day, after a Repulfe; but will be to him, who traces the Difpute through into particular Gradations, as he that hears of a Victory, to him that fees the Battle.

Since the Advantages of preferving these small Tracts are fo numerous, our Attempt to unite them in Volumes cannot be thought either ufelefs or unfeasonable; for there is no other Method of fecuring them from Accidents; and they have already been fo long neglected, that this Design cannot be delayed, without hazarding the Lofs of many Pieces, which deferve to be tranfmitted to another Age.

The Practice of publishing Pamphlets on the most important Subjects, has now prevailed more than two Centuries among us; and therefore it cannot be doubted, but that, as no large Collections have been yet made, many curious Tracts must have perifhed; but it is too late to lament that Loss; nor ought we to reflect upon it, with any other View, than that of quickening our Endeavours, for the Prefervation of those that yet remain; of which we have now a greater number than was, perhaps, ever amaffed by any one Perfon.

The first Appearance of Pamphlers among us, is generally thought to be at the new Oppofition raised against the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome. Those who were first convinced of the

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Reasonableness of the new Learning, as it was then called, propagated their Opinions in fmall Pieces, which were cheaply printed; and, what was then of great Importance, eafily concealed. Thefe Treatises were generally printed in foreign Countries, and are not, therefore, always very correct. There was not then that Opportunity of printing in private; for, the Number of Printers were fmall, and the Preffes were easily overlooked by the Clergy, who fpared no Labour or Vigilance for the Suppreffion of Herefy. There is, however, Reason to fufpect, that fome Attempts were made to carry on the Propagation of Truth by a fecret Prefs; for one of the firft Treatifes in Favour of the Reformation, is faid, at the End, to be printed at Greenwich, by the Permiffion of the Lord of Hofts.

In the Time of King Edward the Sixth the Preffes were employed in Favour of the Reformed Religion, and fmall Tracts were dispersed over the Nation, to reconcile them to the new Forms of Worship. In this Reign, likewise, Political Pamphlets may be faid to have been begun, by the Addrefs of the Rebels of Devonshire; all which Means of propagating the Sentiments of the People so disturbed the Court, that no fooner was Queen Mary refolved to reduce her Subjects to the Romish Superftition, but she artfully, by a Charter granted to certain Freemen of London, in whofe Fidelity, no doubt, fhe confided, intirely prohibited all Preffes, but what fhould be licensed by them; which Charter is that by which the Corporation of Stationers, in London, is at this Time incorporated.

Under the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, when Liberty again began to flourish, the Practice of writ

Which begins thus, Know ye, that We, confidering, and manifeßtly perceiving, that feveral feditious and beretical Books or Tracts- against the Faik and found Catholic Doctrine of holy Mother, the Church, &c.

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ing Pamphlets became more general; Preffes were multiplied, and Books were difperfed; and, I ber lieve, it may properly be faid, that the Trade of Writing began at that Time, and that it has ever fince gradually increased in the Number, though, perhaps, not in the Style of those that followed it.

In this Reign was erected the first secret Prefs against the Church as now Established, of which I have found any certain Account. It was employed by the Puritans, and conveyed from one Part of the Nation to another, by them, as they found themfelves in Danger of Discovery. From this Prefs ifsued most of the Pamphlets against Whitgift and his Affociates, in the Ecclefiaftical Government; and, when it was at last seized at Manchester, it was employed upon a Pamphlet called, More Work for a Cooper.

In the peaceable Reign of King James, thofe Minds which might, perhaps, with lefs Difturbance of the World, have been engroffed by War, were employed in Controversy; and Writings of all Kinds were multiplied among us. The Prefs, however, was not wholly engaged in Polemical Performances, for more innocent Subjects were sometimes treated; and it deferves to be remarked, because it is not generally known, that the Treatifes of Husbandry and Agriculture, which were published about that Time, are so numerous, that it can scarcely be imagined by whom they were written, or to whom they were fold.

The next Reign is too well known to have been a Time of Confufion, and Disturbance, and Disputes of every Kind; and the Writings, which were produced, bear a natural Proportion to the Number of Questions that were difcuffed at that Time; each Party had its Authours, and its Preffes, and no Endeavours were omitted to gain Profelytes to every Opinion. I know not whether this may not properly be

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called,