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To the well-affected READER, that would be HAPPILY RICH.
AS the Oratour grown old, wrote of old age to an old man; and of friendship, to his much indeared friend: so is this Discourse of Riches and Happinesse, writ to such, and such only; as would be Happy as well as Rich.
Not to all, nor to all that are Rich: as well knowing, that the way to please the best, is to displease the most: and that to frame or fashion my matter, to please either the Rich or all; were displease him, that is all in all.
Readers may be resembled to the Belgick Armies: that consisted of French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, &c for so many hearers, so many humours▪ And what one speaks of Learning in general, may be applyed to many wholsome truths in particular: the same dis••ourse, may make the in∣different good, the good better, and the bad worse.
Again, Some and not a few, are like the Gadarens, (Mark. 5.17.) who ere Christ entered their City, besought him to depart their Coasts. Nor is it amisse, to leave such as these to themselves: untill time and ex∣perience, or their own Rod hath made them wiser.
More especially, was it composed and published for their sakes, who know the worth and sweetnesse of these flowers; that prize these Pearles: as having still sound, when I have finished what I intended; their enter∣tainment to be such as at first I expected. For these Posies may be resem∣bled, to a Plume of Feathers, ••r some soveraine Balsome, for which some will give much, others little or nothing. Whence according to my ac∣customed manner, I have out of divers fleeces, wove one piece of cloath: and brought home to them many famous Authours, though (like Mum∣mers in a mask) I conceale their Names; as thinking it sufficient if I de∣liver profitable matter, after a profitable manner; and guessing it the greatest point of Learning and Oratoury; to distinguish aptly that which is confused, and to illustrate plainly, that which is obscure.
Nor do I at all, like those raw fruits of Poetry, Pamphlets, and ••ay∣books, (which take so with our youth and Gentry) that weaken the stomack of the soul, and fill it full of crudities, which will not be di∣gested into any good blood, either of knowledge or vertue. And happy it were, if all proud and unsanctified wits, had but the wit to know, how Satan guls them with chaff instead of wheat, with copper instead of gold, with glasse in liew of Pearl. Which is the earnest desire of him, who would gladly b••
A furtherer of their Wealth and Happinesse, that have a mind to it, 〈…〉〈…〉