tions are more critical than any were before, yet they are not fo true as mine. For as to the Scabbard, (as he calls it,) I could never difcover any Beards thereon; and I dare be confident there are none, but what are on the two Spears. And as to the Point of the Scabbard, he hath reprefented it as tubular, or bluntish at the Top; but it really terminates in a sharp Point, and the two Spears and the Poyfon come out at a Slit, or longifh Hole, a little below the Top or Point. And as to the Spears, he makes them to be but one, and that the Point thereof lies always out of the Scabbard. But by a strict Examination, they will be found to be two, as I have faid, and that they always lie within the Scabbard, except in ftinging; as I have reprefented them, in Fig. 21. from the tranSparent Sting of a Wafp. And as to the. Spear being made of Joynts, and parted into two, as his Fig. 2. Scheme 16. reprefents, I could never upon a Review, difcover it to be fo, but imagine, that by feeing the Beards lying upon, or behind the Spears, be might take them for Joynts, and by feeing the Point of one Spear lie before the other, he might think the Spear was parted in two. But left the Reader fhould think himself impofed upon both by Dr. Hook and my Self, it is neceffary to be obferv'd, that the Beards (or Tenterhooks as Dr. Hook calls them) lie only on one side of each Spear, not all round them; and are therefore not to be seen, unlefs they are laid in a due Pofture in the

Microscope, viz. fideways, not under, or atop the Spear.

The last Thing (which fcarce deferves mention) is the Mechanifm of the Hair, which Dr. Hook found to be folid, like a long Piece of Horn, not hollow, as Malpighi found it in fome Animals. And I have found both thofe great Men to be in fome Measure in the Right, the Hair of fome Animals, or in fome Parts of the Body being very little, if at all tubular; and in others, particularly Mice, Rats and Cats, to be as I have reprefented in my Fig. 14. &c.

And now if my Inadvertency in other Things hath no worse Effect than it hath had in thefe, namely, to confirm, correct, or clear others Obfervations, I hope the Reader will excufe it, if he meets with any more of the like kind. But not being conscious of any be fuch Thing (although probably there may many fuch) I am more follicitous to beg the Reader's Candour and Favour, with Relation both to the Text and Notes: In the former of which, I fear he will think I have as much under-done, as in the latter overdone the Matter: But for my Excufe, I defire it may be confider'd, that the textual Part being Sermons, to be deliver'd in the Pulpit, it was necessary to infift but briefly upon many of the Works of GOD, and to leave out many Things that might have been admitted in a more free Difcourfe. So that I wish

it may not be thought I have faid too much rather than too little for fuch an Occafion and Place. And indeed, I had no fmall Trouble in expunging fome Things, altering. many, and foftening the moft, and, in a word, giving in fome Meafure the Whole a different Dress than what I had at first drawn it up in, and what it now appears in.

And as for the Notes, which may be thought too large, I confess I might have shorten'd them, and had Thoughts of doing it, by cafting fome of them into the Text, as an ingenious, learned Friend advis'd. But when I began to do this, I found it was in a Manner to new-make all, and that I fhould be neceffitated to tranfcribe the greatest Part of the Book, which (having no Affiftant) would have been too tedious for me, being pretty well fatigu'd with it before. I then thought it beft to pare off from fome, and to leave out others, and accordingly did fo in many Places, and would have done it in more, particularly, in many of the Citations out of the Ancients, both Poets and others, as alfo in many of the anatomical Obfervations, and many of my own and others Obfervations: But then I confider'd as to the First, that thofe Citations do (many of them at least) Shew the Senfe of Mankind about God's Works, and that the most of them may be acceptable to young Gentlemen at the Univerfities, for whofe Service thefe Lectures are greatly intended. And as to the anatomical Notes, and fome others of the like Nature,

moft

most of them ferve either to the Confirmation, or the Illuftration, or Explication of the Text, if not to the learned, yet to the unskilful, lefs learned Reader; for whofe fake, if I had added more, I believe he would forgive me. And lastly, as to the Obfervations of my felf and fome others, where it happens that they are long, it is commonly where a Neceffity lay upon me of fully expreffing the Author's Senfe, or my own, or where the Thing was new, and never before Publish'd; in which Cafe, it was neceffary to be more. Express and Particular, than in Matters better known, or where the Author may be referr❜d unto.

In the former Editions I promifed another Part I Had relating to the Heavens, if I was thereunto encouraged. And two large Impreffions of this Book, having been fold off, fo as to admit of a Third before the Year was gone about; and hearing that it is tranflated into two, if not three Languages; but especially being importuned by divers learned Perfons, both known and unknown, I have thought my felf fufficiently engaged to perform that Promife; and have accordingly published that Part.

So that I have now carry'd my Survey through moft Parts of the visible Creation, except the Waters, which are for the most Part omitted; and the Vegetables, which, for want of Time, I was forced to treat of

in

in a perfunctory Manner. And to the Un dertaking of the former of thefe, having receiv'd divers Sollicitations from Perfons unknown as well as known, I think my felf bound in Civility to own their Favour, and to return them my hearty Thanks for the kind Opinion they have fhewn of my other Performances, that they have encourag'd me to undertake this other Task. And accordingly I have begun it, and (as far as my Affairs will permit) have made fome Progrefs in it: But Age and Avocations growing upon me, I begin to fear I shall fcarce be able to finish it as I would, and therefore must recommend that ample and noble Subject to others, who have more leifure, and would do it better than I.

As to Additions, I have been much follicited thereto by divers curious and learned Perfons, who would have had me to infert fome of their Obfervations, and many more of my own: But in a Work of this Ñature, this would have been endless; and although the Book would thereby be render'd much better, and more compleat, yet I could by no Means excufe fo great an Injustice to the Purchasers of the former Editions. And therefore (except in the fecond Edition, where it was not easy to be avoided) few Additions or Alterations have been made, befides what were Typographical, or of small Confideration. Only in the third Edition I amended the firft Paragraph of Note 1. Chap. 5.

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