A decorative woodcut headpiece featuring a repeating row of ten stylized fleur-de-lis or floral ornaments.

TO THE MOST NOBLE, AND

Most Learned Man, Lord

Christopher Hatton, Christopher Hatton, 1st Baron Hatton (1605–1670), was a prominent English politician, bibliophile, and patron of learning during the reign of Charles I.

Peer of England, Counselor to the

most serene King of Great Britain,

Charles the First, etc.

An ornamental historiated initial 'N' set within a square frame, depicting a figure entwined with floral and foliate scrolls.

We are born not for ourselves alone, but for the whole society of mankind This is a famous quote from Cicero’s De Officiis (On Duties), 1.22: Non nobis solum nati sumus ("We are not born for ourselves alone"). (most deserving and most learned Lord); wherefore, if the blessing of God has granted me to know anything in this earthly pilgrimage, I did not hesitate to make it immediately a matter of public benefit Original: publici Iuris, literally "of public right," meaning he believes intellectual work should be shared openly with the community.. With this intention, not so long ago, I published my observations A reference to Borel’s earlier medical and scientific work, Historiarum et Observationum Medicophysicarum (Centuries of Medico-Physical Histories and Observations). candidly and without pretense, in which many things are contained that are very useful for the sick and for the understanding of nature, so that I might be of assistance even to those unknown to me. I have prepared many more things since then—indeed, things that may even outlast my own lifetime—of which—

ã ij This is a "signature mark," used by early modern printers to keep the folded sheets of paper in the correct order for binding.