THE AUTHOR to the Treatise.

I At last, that which has long been meditated upon,

And fly through the learned mouths of the critical

Perhaps, condemned by the black pebble A reference to the ancient Greek practice of voting with black stones to signify condemnation. of an Aristarchus A harsh, censorious critic.,
You will feel the severe stings of your Fate.
But what then? Go forth all the more boldly against it:
It is as easy to carp To find fault in a petty way. as it is not easy to capture.
But you, who are good, READER, use these things with me.
He who carps is evil, unless he does better.

To the Reader.

Do you ask perhaps what I bring in the novelty

Look closely, if I am not mistaken, you will read

FORTUNE does not bestow individual things upon one person; why then
Are you surprised if it has been given to me to know these things before you?