Instructions concerning erecting of a library presented to my lord, the President De Mesme / by Gabriel Naudeus ... ; and now interpreted by Jo. Evelyn, Esquire.

To the Right Honourable EDWARD, Earl of CLARENDON, Viscount CORNBERY, Baron HYDE of HYNDON; Lord High Chancellour of England, Chancellour of the Vniversity of Oxford, and one of the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council.

MY LORD,

I have had so great a thirst to testifie to your Lordship, and to publish to the World the extraordinary Zeal which I have for your service; that pretending to so little merit of my own, and yet having so many obligations upon me, I am to be excus'd, if in making use of anothers Labours to accomplish my design, I take occasion by this Dedication, to declare to the world, how immense your favours are, and how prone I am to ac∣knowledge them to the utmost of my Ta∣lents: And perhaps it will be more ac∣ceptable to your Lordship, that I express this rather by putting an excellent Authour into your hands (of which I pretend onely

to have been the Interpreter) than, whilst that learned person discourses so well of ex∣cellent Books, to have multiplied the num∣ber of the ill-ones, by some production of my own. I have made choice (my Lord) of this Argument to present to your Ho∣nour, because I esteem it the most apposite, and the most becoming, as it has an aspect to your Lordships noblest Character, which is to be as well L. Chancellour of the most famous University of the World, as L. High Chancellour of England; and, because I think, worthily to preside over Men of Letters, is a greater dignity than to be born to the name of Empire; so, as what was said of the great Themistius in the Epi∣gramm, may with equal truth be applied to your Lordship in all the glorious steps which you have ascended— 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. That you were never less than now you are; especially, since your Lordships Ti∣tles are not so much the product of your Fortune, as the effect of your Merits; verifying by your universal knowledge, the Rank you hold over the Learned Republique, as well as over the Political; which is, in summ, to be the greatest and most accomp∣plish'd Minister, that this Nation has ever celebrated. But in nothing does this ap∣pear

more conspicuous, and for which your Lordship has greater cause to rejoice in, then that God has enlightn'd your great Mind, with a fervour so much becoming it in the promoting and encouraging of the ROYAL SOCIETY; which is in one word, to have dared a nobler thing, than has been done these fifty Ages and more, that the Knowledge of Causes, and the Nature of Things have layn concealed from us; and that the World has continu'd, without once having assum'd the Courage and Resolution, which our Illustrious Prince, and your Lordship, have shewed in esta∣blishing, and cultivating a Design so wor∣thy, and perfective of Humane Felicity, as far, at least, as in this life men may hope to attain it. My Lord, This is your Honour, and this is truely to fix and to merit it. For let men talk what they please of the Laurells of Conquerours, the Titles of great men, illustrious and ample Posterity; all the pleasures of the lower senses how exalted soever by the effects of Opulence, and Fortune; which make indeed a great noise, and stir for the time; and, whilst the World is in the Paroxysme, bear much before them; dazling the eyes of the Vul∣gar, and flattering the weaker discerne∣ments;

They arrive not to the least per∣ceptible degree of that Dignity, and true honour which a man may raise to himself by noble and virtuous Actions; Because there is nothing solid in them, they last but for a moment, in their using lan∣guish and expire. He that would lay a Foundation of true and permanent Ho∣nour, that would place it beyond the reach of Envy, must qualifie it with something more noble and intellectual, and which is not obnoxious to the common vicissitudes; because, by whatever circumstances such a worthy Design may happen to be dis∣compos'd, it will nevertheless be celebra∣ted as long as Virtue shall have an Advo∣cate here; and when the World shall be∣come so deprav'd, that there is nothing sincere remaining in it, God himself will remunerate it hereafter. If the Soveraignes and Puissances of the Earth (having sated themselves with their Triumphs over Men and Provinces, enlarged their Dominions, and establish'd their estates) would one day think (as our glorious Prince has begun to them) of extending, and amplifying the Bounds and Empire of real Philoso∣phy, in pursuite of those Magnalia Naturae, to the glory and contemplation of the Ma∣ker,

and the universal benefit of Mankind; how happy would such Princes be, how fortunate their People! And truely this has made me frequently to consider, wherein the felicity of that great Monarch consisted, whose heart was so enlarged with knowledge, improv'd to the good of his Subjects, where silver was as the stones of the streets for abundance, and the con∣veniences of life so generally affluent: Certainly it is by such a Design as our own Solomon, and your Lordship, is about to fa∣vour, that even We may hope for those glorious times again, and by which the pu∣blique health may be confirm'd, our Lives produced, knowledge and conversation improv'd, and joy and contentedness be∣come as universal as the Air which gives us breath: For my Lord, what can be more glorious, and worthy a Prince, to which God himself has said, Dixi, Dii estis, I have said ye are Gods, then by this means to aid, and to comfort Mankind, which is environ'd with such variety of Miseries? And to emancipate, and redeem the rest, who by the utmost of their endeavours aspire to more happiness, to be freed from the Pressures, Errours and infinite Mistakes which they fall into, for want of

Experiences, and competent subsidiaries to essay them. But to accomplish this, my Lord, There is certainly nothing more ex∣pedient, than in pursuite of that stupen∣dious Idea of your Illustrious Predecessor, to set upon a Design no way beneath that of his Solomons House; which, however lofty, and to appearance Romantic, has yet in it nothing of Impossible to be effe∣cted, not onely considering it as Himself has somewhere defin'd the Qualifications, but as your Lordship has design'd the Instru∣ments (and may in time, the Materials) as all the World must needs acknowledge, that shall but cast an eye over the Catalogue of such as have already devoted them∣selves; Because (but for the mistake which they made in honouring me with their suffrages) I should not blush to pro∣nounce the Royal-Society furnish'd with an Assembly as accomplish'd for that noble and great Attempt, as Europe, or the whole World besides, has any to produce; And that, my Lord, because it does not consist of a Company of Pedants, and su∣perficial persons; but of Gentlemen, and Refined Spirits that are universally Learn'd, that are Read, Travell'd, Experienc'd and Stout; in summ, my Lord, such as becomes

your Honour to cherish, and our Prince to glory in. These are the Persons, my Lord, that without the least of sordid, and self interest, do supplicate the continuance of your Lordships Protection, and by your Influences to put them into a farther capa∣city to proceed in that glorious Work of Restoring the Sciences, Interpreting Na∣ture, unfolding the obstrusities of Arts, for the Recovery of the Lost; Inventing, and Augmenting of new and useful Things, and for whatsoever else is in the Dominion of inferiour Agents. For my own part, my Lord, I profess it, that were it in my power to choose, I had rather be the Author of one good and beneficial Inven∣tion, than to have been Iulius Caesar, or the great Alexander himself; and do range the Names of a Gilbert, a Bacon, a Harvey, a Guttemberge, Columbus, Goia, Metius, Ia∣nellus, Thyco, Galileo (not to mention Hip∣pocrates, Proclus, Hieron, Archimedes, Ctesi∣bes, Boetius, and what more of the An∣tients) who gave us the Use of the Load-stone, Taught us the Art of Printing; found out the Circulation of the Blood, detected new Worlds, invented the Telescope, and other opticall Glasses, Engines and Automates, amongst the Heroes, whom they Deifi'd, and pla∣ced

above the Stars; because they were the Authors of ten thousand more worthy Things, than those who had never been na∣med but for their blood-shed and cruelty, pride and prodigious lusts; nor would any memory of them have been preserv'd from oblivion, but for the Pens of such great Genius's and learned men, of whom some of them did the least deserve. The noble Verulam your Lordships Predecessor, as he out-stripp'd all who went before him; so is he celebrated as far as knowledge has a∣ny Empire; and (maugre the froward∣ness of his latter Fortune) the Learned rise up at the sound of his very Name; And for what is all this? But his great and shi∣ning endeavours to advance the excellency of mens Spirits, cultivate humane Industry, and raise an Amphitheatre of Wisdom, with∣out which this publique Soul of his had slept as much neglected and forgotten, as those who onely became great by their power, and perish'd with it. All this your Lordship knows; and therefore as your Education has been amongst the most refin'd, you burn with a desire to improve it also amongst others; so that the Chan∣cellours of France shall not for ever bear a∣way the Reputation of having rendred

that Spot the envy of Europe, for being Fautors and Mecoenas's to so many rare Witts, and laudable Societies, as are amongst that Mercurial people; since there is that left for your Lordship and our Nation, which is as far beyond the polishing of Phrases, and cultivating Language, as Heaven is su∣periour to Earth, and Things are better than Words; Though even those also will not be neglected in their due Time and Order: But it is prodigious onely to consider, how long these shells have been plai'd with, and pleased the World; That after so many Revolutions, in which Learning has been seen as it were at its highest Ascendent, there never yet appeared any man of Power, who possess'd a Soul big enough, and judgement suitable, to erect some con∣siderable Foundation for Practical Philoso∣phers, and for the Assembling of such whose united, and assiduous Endeavours, might penetrate beyond the Walls of what is yet discover'd, or receiv'd upon trust

Atque omne immensum peragrarent mente, ani∣moque

That might redeem the World from the In∣solency of so many Errours as we find by

daily experience will not abide the Test, and yet retain their Tyranny; and that by the credit onely and address of those many Fencing-Schools which have been built (not to name them Colledges) and endow'd in all our Universities: I speak not here of those reverend, and renouned Societies which converse with Theologie, cultivate the Laws, Municipal, or Forreign; But, I deplore with just indignation, the supine neglect of the Other, amongst such num∣bers as are set apart for empty, and lesse fruitful Speculations; especially, since I find the pretences of so many sober and qualified persons as have deplor'd this effect, so very reasonable, and so eminent∣ly beneficial. But why do I abound? Your Lordship who is already possess'd with all this, is not to be instructed, without pre∣sumption and impertinence, which cannot be the least design of this Epistle; since those who know both your Lordships affe∣ction, and inclination to promote so glo∣rious a Work, know also, that there is none more able to make it attain to its de∣sired protection. And this is, my Lord, worthily to consult your Fame, and to eter∣nize your Name in the World amongst the Good and the Virtuous; which will make

you live not onely in the Mouths and Pens, but in the Hearts of gallant Persons, and such as best skill to make Estimates of the Favours you shall confer upon them; be∣cause they seek it not out of private advan∣tage, sordid purposes, or artificially; but to the ends propos'd; The enlargement of real knowledge, and for the publique be∣nefit; in sum, my Lord, for the most useful and noblest effects, and for the Glo∣ry of God. And thus, my Lord, I have ta∣ken the boldness in presenting your Honour with this little Discourse of Books and Li∣braries, to put these Reflections of mine into your Lordships hands; Because, as having my self the honour to have some Relation to that Assembly, who make these their pretences to conciliate your Esteem, I think my self obliged to acknowledge with them likewise, your Lordships fa∣vourable Reception of their late Addresses; and because I am for so many other obliga∣tions in particular, to publish to the world, how perfectly I am,

My Lord,

Your most humble, and most obliged Servant, J. EVELYN.