The Preface to the READER.

AS I know and own Plain-Dealing to be a Iewel, so I were much too blame if I did not use it with You: Therefore as a taste thereof, there were two Reasons that chiefly induced me to compile this small Piece, and which I proposed to my self as the end there∣of, viz. Your Pleasure, and my own Profit. For let Men pretend what they will for their Scribling, as the Informa•ion, Instruction, or Obligati∣on of their Friends and Countrey-men with Twenty other Reasons given for it; I must beg their Pardons if I can't screw up my Faith to believe 'em: For 'tis too plain that Interest sways Page  [unnumbered] the World, and that all sorts and de∣grees of Men, even from the Courti∣er to the Cobler, are its Votaries. You will not then admire if I propo∣sed it to my self; nor do I think that I stood in need of a Preface to con∣vince you of it: But Custom calling for one, a Book being without it (as our Modern Wits say) Like a House without a Porch, or a Play without a Prologue, &c. Tho I must confess I am no great admirer of Prefaces, look∣ing upon 'em, I mean the Generality of 'em, (for there are some that are Concise, Pithy and Instructive) to be for the most part Impertinent, Su∣perfluous, and little to the purpose; stuft with Flattery and Ostentation, and many times excessive long and te∣dious, like too much Ceremony before a good Feast; which by its long de∣taining a Man, palls his Appetite: Notwithstanding which, I was wil∣ling to give you some short account of tjis Book; which you will find to be a Page  [unnumbered] choice Collection of the merriest Iests, &c. (as you may see in the Title Page, to which I refer you) extracted from the several Authors that have written on those Subjects: Wherein their Gold is separated from their Dross, their Vnpolite ones are Refin'd, their long and tedious ones Retrench'd, their old ones render'd Modern, and those un∣worthy an ingenious Mans Reading, wholy left out; The Composure there∣of, having cost me no small Care and Pains, as you may judge; that not only the reading over, but Critical Examination of the several Books written (as aforesaid) on those Sub∣jects, must needs amount to. But perhaps some carping Zoilus, or se∣vere Cato, will either blame the Com∣posure of those Iests, or utterly deny the usefulness of any. As to the first, I leave it to your Candor to judge of it, knowing that if you come to de∣light your Self with Ingenious Fan∣cies, and not to Carp, you may find Page  [unnumbered] some in this Collection that may an∣swer your Expectation: But if there still remain any that ought to be Ex∣pung'd, pass 'em by; and let the Me∣rits of the Majority a•tone for their Defects. To the latter Objection a∣gainst all manner of Iests, I think Example and Authority will be a suffi•ient Apollogy, especially since they do not interfere with Religion, or good Manners. But I leave the whole to your Perusal; Hoping that as I have done what lay in my Power, to contribute to your Pleasure and Delight, so you will do your part, and show your kind acceptance thereof in buying it, especially when you may have it at so Reasonable a Rate as One Shilling.