To the Reader.

...to do anything, as they say, "against the will of Minerva" original: "invita Minerva." A classical proverb meaning to attempt something without natural talent or against one's better judgment; Minerva was the goddess of wisdom.. Now indeed, although that light does not shine upon me, nevertheless, having found the occasion of writing to Your Excellence, I shall explain the cause: While perusing theological books, as is the custom at Oxford, I happened upon a certain author who seems to me to rail too sharply against the person and writings of Your Excellence. Therefore, out of my affection for Your Excellence and your writings, I thought it worthwhile—in case this perhaps remains hidden from Your Excellence—to note down that author’s name, the book, and the places in which he makes mention of Your Excellence. For I am not unmindful of that Apology Fludd refers to his 1622 work, Monochordum Mundi, which defended his theories against the criticisms of the astronomer Johannes Kepler. which Your Excellence published against Kepler by reason of his calumny; so that now, if Your Excellence deems it advisable and if the business (which I indeed think it altogether does) requires it, you may defend your person and writings against this man's provocations. The author’s name and the title of the book are as follows: MARIN MERSENNE’S Most Celebrated Questions on Genesis, folio, Paris, 1623. The principal places, as far as I could observe by skimming the whole book according to the marginal headings and here and there, in which MERSENNE (not MARSENNUS, as I had written above) mentions Your Excellence, are the following: The first place is column (for he divides the page into two columns and assigns numbers to each) 714; the second 716; the third 1208; the fourth 1561; the fifth 1838; the sixth 1696; the seventh 1743; the eighth 1750. Among these places, the most important of all is the one I have underlined. Nor indeed should Your Excellence neglect this under the pretext that it is not fitting for a grave man to lend an ear to any slanders whatsoever—especially those of common men and the literary "rabble" of wiseacres—for this man is of much reading and in many things, as may be seen, not superficially learned. Whence it is to be feared, if his provocations (for he provokes Your Excellence) are not answered as soon as possible, it is to be feared (I say) lest he sing a song of triumph and the dignity of Your Excellence’s person and fame be traduced among foreigners.

These things I had to indicate to Your Excellence for the present, Reverend Sir; I ask one thing: that you take this in good part, and do not disdain to respond to me through him by whose effort these letters of mine are delivered to Your Excellence.

Therefore, before the time attached to the end of those letters, I had never heard of that man’s name, and consequently of the various calumnies employed by him not only against me, but even against others.

Meanwhile, however, during this time I pray you (benevolent readers and most desired judges), that all favor and partiality being set aside, you look into this little book of mine with sincere eyes directed by the virtue of justice, so that from there you may be able to judge correctly whether my ignorance or rather the malice of that Monk Mersenne was a member of the Order of Minims, a Catholic religious order. is the cause of such great virulence and just madness in me, with which he pursues me through almost the entire thread of his immense volume with such ardor. Farewell and judge rightly; and I implore you to forgive me for any errors, if any should meet your eyes in this our inquiry.