of Mankind.

Numerous have been his Projects to this end, of which Two alone will be fufficient to show the amazing Grandeur of his Genius. The first was a Proposal, by a general contribution of all Princes, to pierce the first cruft or Nucleus of this our Earth, quite through, to the next concentrical Sphere. The advantage he proposed from it was, to find the Parallax of the Fixt Stars; but chiefly to refute Sir Ifaac Newton's Theory of Gravity, and Mr. Halley's of the Variations. The fecond was, to build Two Poles to the Meridian, with immenfe Lighthouses on the top of them; to fupply the defect of Nature, and to make the Longitude as eafy to be calculated as the Latitude. Both these he could not but think very practicable, by the Power of all the Potentates of the World.

May we prefume after these to mention, how he defcended from the fublime to the beneficial parts of Knowledge, and particularly his extraordinary practice of Phyfick. From the Age, Complexion, or Weight of the perfon given, he contrived to prescribe at a distance, as well as at a Patient's bed-fide. He taught the way to many modern Phyficians, to cure their Patients by Intuition, and to others to cure without looking on them at all. He projected a Menftruum to diffolve the Stone, made of Dr. Woodward's Univerfal Deluge-water. His was alfo the device to relieve Confumptive or Afthmatic persons, by bringing fresh Air out of the Country to Town, by pipes of the nature of the Recipients of Airpumps: And to introduce the native air of a

man's country into any other in which he should travel, with a feafonable Intromiffion of fuch Steams as were moft familiar to him; to the inexpreffible comfort of many Scotsmen, Laplanders, and white Bears.

In Phyfiognomy, his penetration is fuch, that from the Picture only of any perfon, he can write his Life; and from the features of the Parents, draw the Portrait of any Child that is to be born.

Nor hath he been so enrapt in these Studies, as to neglect the Polite Arts of Painting, Architecture, Mufick, Poetry, etc. It was he that gave the first hint to our modern Painters, to improve the Likeness of their Portraits by the ufe of fuch Colours as would faithfully and conftantly accompany the Life, not only in its prefent ftate, but in all its alterations, decays, age, and death itself.

In Architecture, he builds not with fo much regard to prefent fymmetry or conveniency, as with a Thought well worthy a true lover of Antiquity, to wit, the noble effect the Building will have to pofterity, when it fhall fall and become a Ruin.

As to Mufic, I think Heidegger has not the face to deny that he has been much beholden to his Scores.

In Poetry, he hath appeared under a hundred different names, of which we may one day give a Catalogue.

In Politicks, his Writings are of a peculiar Caft, for the most part Ironical, and the Drift

of them often fo delicate and refined as to be mistaken by the vulgar. He once went fo far, as to write a Perfuafive to people to eat their own Children, which was fo little understood as to be taken in ill part ̊. He has often written against Liberty in the name of Freeman and Algernoon Sidney, in vindication of the Measures of Spain under that of Raleigh, and in praise of Corruption under thofe of Cato and Publicola.

It is true, that at his laft departure from England, in the Reign of Queen Anne, apprehending left any of these might be perverted to the Scandal of the weak, or Encouragement of the flagitious, he caft them all, without mercy, into a Bog-house near St. James's. Some however have been with great diligence recovered, and fifhed up with a hook and line, by the Ministerial Writers, which make at present the great Ornaments of their works.

Whatever he judged beneficial to Mankind, he conftantly communicated (not only during his stay among us, but ever fince his abfence) by fome method or other, in which Oftentation had no part. With what incredible Modefty he concealed himself is known to numbers of thofe to whom he addreffed fometimes Epistles, fometimes Hints, fometimes whole Treatifes, Advices to Friends, Projects of First Minifters, Letters to Members of Parliament, Accounts to the Royal Society, and innumerable others.

• Swift's ironical tract on that fubject.

All these will be vindicated to the true Author, in the Course of these Memoirs. I may venture to say they cannot be unacceptable to any, but to those, who will appear too much concerned as Plagiaries, to be admitted as Judges. Wherefore we warn the Public, to take particular notice of all fuch as manifeft any indecent Paffion at the appearance of this Work, as Persons most certainly involved in the Guilt.

VOL. VI.

The End of the First Book.