Plato redivivus, or, A dialogue concerning government wherein, by observations drawn from other kingdoms and states both ancient and modern, an endeavour is used to discover the present politick distemper of our own, with the causes and remedies ...

THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.

Courteous Reader,

ALL the Account I can give thee of this Piece is; that about the middle of Octo∣ber last it was sent to me, accompa∣nied with a Letter without a Name, and written in a Hand altogether un∣known to me, though different from the Character of the Dialogue it self, and the Argument. The Letter was very short; and contained only, that the Writer having the fortune to meet with this Discourse (of which he

denied to be the Author) he thought it very fit to be sent to me, to the end if I thought it could be of any advan∣tage to me, and no prejudice, I might publish it if I pleased, and make my best of it. When I had opened it, and perceived that it treated of Govern∣ment, and of the present Times; I supposing it to be something of the na∣ture of those scurrulous Libels which the Press spawns every day, was ex∣treamly displeased with my Servant, for receiving in my absence, and in these dangerous days, such a Pacquet, without taking any account or notice of the Messenger who brought it: 'till he, to appease me, assured me, that the Bearer did look like a Gentleman, and had a very unsuitable Garb to a Trapan; and that he did believe he had seen him often at my Shop, and that I knew him well. When I had

begun to read it, and found no harm, I was resolved to peruse it in the Com∣pany of a Gentleman, a worthy Friend of mine; who, to his exact Skill and Learning in the Laws of his Country, hath added a very profound Knowledge in all other Literature; and particularly, the excellence of Platonick Philosophy. When we had joyntly gone through it, he was clear∣ly of Opinion, That although some might be angry with certain pas∣sages in it, yet the Discourse re∣flecting upon no particular person, was very uncapable of bringing me into any danger for publishing it; either from the State, or from any private Man. When I had secured my self against Damnum Emergens, we went about the Consideration of the other part of the distinction of the Schools, which is Lucrum cessans,

And I made some Objections against the probability of vending this Dia∣logue to Profit; which, in things of my Trade, is always my design, as it ought to be. My first Fear in that behalf was, that this Author would disgust the Reader, in being too con∣fident and positive in matters of high a Speculation. My Friend re∣plied, that the Assurance he shewed was void of all Sawciness, and ex∣pressed with great Modesty: and that he verily believed that he meant very faithfully and sincerely towards the Interest of England. My next doubt was, that a considerable part of this Treatise being a Repetition of a great many Principles and Positions out of Oceana, the Author would be discredi∣ted for borrowing from another, and the Sale of the Book hindred. To that my Friend made answer, that

before ever Oceana came out, there were very many Treatises and Pam∣phlets, which alledged the Political Principle, That Empire was foun∣ded in Property, and discoursed ra∣tionally upon it: Amongst the rest, one entituled A Letter from an Offi∣cer in Ireland, to His Highness the Lord Protector, (which he then shewed me) printed in 1653. as I remember; which was more than three years before Oceana was writ∣ten: and yet, said he, no Man will aver that the Learned Gentleman who writ that Book had stollen from that Pamphlet. For whosoever sets himself to study Politicks, must do it by reading History, and observing in it the several Turns and Revolutions of Government: and then the Cause of such Change will be so visible and obvious, that we need not impute

Theft to any Man that finds it out: it being as lawful, and as easie for any Person, as well as for the Au∣thor of Oceana, or that Pamphlet, to read Thucidides, Polybius, Li∣vy or Plutarch: and if he do so with attentiveness, he shall be sure to find the same things there that they have found. And if this were not Lawful, when that any one Per∣son has written in any Science, no Man must write after him: for in Polity, the Orders of Government; in Architecture, the several Orders of Pillars, Arches, Architraves, Cornishes, &c. In Physick, the Causes, Prognosticks and Crisis of Diseases, are so exactly the same in all Writers, that we may as well accuse all subsequent Authors to have been but Plagiaries of the Antece∣dent. Besides this, the Learned

Gentleman added, that Oceana was written (it being thought Lawful so to do in those times) to evince out of these Principles, that England was not capable of any other Go∣vernment than a Democracy. And this Author out of the same Maxims, or Aphorisms of Politicks, endeavours to prove that they may be applied naturally and fitly, to the re∣dressing and supporting one of the best Monarchies in the World, which is that of England. I had but one Doubt more, and that was an Objection against the Title, which I resolved at the first not to men∣tion, because I could salve it by altering the Title Page. But since I had opportunity, I ac∣quainted the Gentleman with it: And it was, That certainly no Man would ever buy a Book that had in

Front of it so insolent and presum∣ptuous a Motto as Plato Redivi∣vus; for that he must needs be thought not only vain in the high∣est degree, but void of Sence and Iudgement too, who compares him∣self with Plato, the greatest Phi∣losopher, the greatest Politician (I had almost said the greatest Di∣vine too) that ever lived. My Counsellor told me that he had as great a resentment of any injury done to Plato as I, or any Man could have. But that he was hard to believe that this Man intended to com∣pare himself to Plato, either in Na∣tural Parts or Learning; but only to shew that he did imitate his way of Writing, as to the manner of it; (though not the matter) as he hath done exactly. For Plato ever

writ these high Matters in easie and familiar Dialogues, and made the great Philosophers, and learned men of that Age; as Simias, Cebes, Ti∣maeus, Callias, Phaedon, &c. yea and Socrates himself, the Interlo∣cutors, although they never heard any thing of it till the Book came out. And although talking of State Affairs in a Monarchy must needs be more offensive than it was in the Demo∣cracy where Plato lived. And there∣fore our Author has forborn the nam∣ing the Persons who constitute this Dialogue; yet he does make a pretty near Representation and Character of some Persons, who, I dare swear ne∣ver heard of this Discourse, nor of the Author's Design. This convinced me, and made me suffer the Title to pass. So that I have nothing more to say to thee, Courteous Reader, but to desire

thee to pardon the Faults in Printing, and also the plainness and easiness of the Style, and some Tautologies: which latter I could easily have mended, but that I thought the Author did not let them pass out of neglect, but design: and intended that both they, and the familiarity of the words and expressi∣ons, suited better with his purpose of disposing this matter to be treated in ordinary Conversation amongst pri∣vate Friends, than full Periods and starch'd Language would have done; which might have been Impropriety. The next Request I have to thee is, that if thou dost believe this Discourse to be a very foolish one, as it may be for ought I know (for I am no fit Iudge of such matters) that thou wilt yet vouchsafe to suspend thy Censure of it for a while, till the whole Im∣pression is vended: that so, although

neither the Publick nor thy self may ever reap any Benefit or Profit by it, I may be yet so fortunate by thy favour as to do it. Which will make me stu∣dy thy Content hereafter in something better; and in the mean time re∣main,

Thy Friend and Servant.