PREFACE. HE Goddefs Envy was, by the Ancients, fuppofed to be the conftant Attendant of the Goddess, they called Favour; and the latter they reprefented as ftanding upon a Wheel, with her Eyes covered, and in a very unstable Pofture. We have experienced the Truth of the first Part of this Fable; for by the various Arts that are used to depreciate our MAGAZINE, and to fet up fomething in Imitation of it, we find, that Envy has followed, and now follows clofe after that Favour, with which the Publick has, in fuch a particulár Manner, diftinguished our COLLECTION. But as to the other Part of this Fable, we rejoice to find, that, whatever that of particular Men may be, the Favour of the Publick is far from being unftable, because we from thence conclude, it is not blind, but muft be grounded upon Reafon and Judgment, which of all others is the moft folid Foundation, as appears from our Succefs; for tho' we are now at the End of our nineteenth Year, we meet with more Favour than ever, and fell more compleat Setts than any Collection of the fame Kind. PREFACE. The Continuance of this Favour we neither fhall, nor can defire, any longer than we deferve it; which we shall always endeavour to do, by giving more original Pieces, and a more compleat, and better judged Abftract of the Learning, Wit, Philofophy, and Politicks of the prefent Age, than is to be met with in any other periodical Collection; and that, without defcending fo low as to infert any Thing that is fit to be read by none but Coffee-Boys and Barbers Journeymen. From this Conduct we must expect to be ftill purfued by Envy. But that thefe Detractors may fee their own Picture, we fhall present them with it from the Second Book of Ovid's Metamorphofis. Pallor in ore fedet: macies in corpore toto: |