and practices which have raised you to your prefent height of station and dignity of employment, have long shown you that dedicatory addreffes are written for the fake of the author more frequently than of the patron; and though they profess only reverence and zeal, are commonly dictated by intereft or vanity. I fhall therefore not endeavour to conceal my motives, but confefs that the Italian Dictionary is dedicated to your Excellency, that I might gratify my vanity, by making it known, that, in a country where I am a stranger, I have been able, without any external recommendation, to obtain the notice and countenance of a nobleman fo eminent for knowledge and ability; that in his twenty third year he was fent as Plenipotentiary to fuperintend at Aix la Chapelle, the interests of a nation remarkable above all others for gravity and prudence; and who at an age, when very few are admitted to public truft, tranfacts the most important affairs between two of the greatest monarchs of the world. If I could attribute to my own merits the favours which your Excellency every day confers upon me, I know not how much my pride might be inflamed; but when I obferve the extenfive benevolence and boundless liberality by which all, who have the honour to approach you, are difmiffed more happy than they came, I am afraid of raifing my own value, fince I dare not afcribe it fo much to my power of pleafing as your willingness to be pleased. Yet as every man is inclined to flatter himself, I am defirous to hope that I am not admitted to greater intimacy than others without fome qualifications for fo advantageous Ii2 advantageous a diftinction, and fhall think it my duty to justify, by conftant refpect and fincerity, the favours which you have been pleased to show me. I am, my lord, Your excellency's most humble and most obedient fervant, London, Jan. 12, 1760. J. BARETTI Dedication to LONDON and WESTMINSTER improved, illustrated by PLANS. By JOHN GWYNN. Published 1766. SIR, Το THE KING. THE patronage of works, which have a tendency towards advancing the happiness of mankind, naturally belongs to great princes; and public good, in which public elegance is comprised, has ever been the object of your Majesty's regard. In the following pages your Majefty, I flatter myself, will find that I have endeavoured at extenfive and general usefulness. Knowing, therefore, your Majefty's early attention to the polite arts, and more particular affection for the study of architecture, I was encouraged to hope that the work, which I now prefume to lay before your Majesty, might be thought not unworthy your your royal favour; and that the protection which your Majefty always affords to thofe who mean well may be extended to, SIR, Your Majesty's most dutiful fubject, and most obedient, and most humble fervant, JOHN GWYNN. Dedication to ADAMS'S TREATISE on the GLOBES, 1767. SIR, TO THE KING. IT is the privilege of real greatnefs not to be afraid of diminution by condescending to the notice of little things; and I therefore can boldly folicit the patronage of your Majefty to the humble labours by which I have endeavoured to improve the inftruments of science, and make the globes on which the earth and fky are delineated lefs defective in their conftruction, and lefs difficult in their use. Geography is in a peculiar manner the fcience of princes. When a private ftudent revolves the terraqueous globe, he beholds a fucceffion of countries in which he has no more interest than in the imaginary regions of Jupiter and Saturn. But your Majesty must contemplate the scientific picture with other sentiments, Ii 3 timents, and confider, as oceans and continents are rolling before you, how large a part of mankind is now waiting on your determinations, and may receive benefits, or fuffer evils, as your influence is extended or withdrawn. The provinces which your Majesty's arms have added to your dominions, make no inconfiderable part of the orb allotted to human beings. Your power is acknowledged by nations whofe names we know not yet how to write, and whofe boundaries we cannot yet describe. But your Majesty's lenity and beneficence gives us reafon to expect the time when science shall be advanced by the diffufion of happinefs; when the defarts of America fhall become pervious and fafe; when those who are now reftrained by fear fhall be attracted by reverence; and multitudes who now range the woods for prey, and live at the mercy of winds and feafons, fhall by the paternal care of your Majefty enjoy the plenty of cultivated lands, the pleasures of fociety, the fecurity of law, and the light of Revelation, I am, SIR, Your Majesty's most humble, most obedient, And most dutiful fubject and fervant, GEORGE ADAMS. Dedica Dedication to the ENGLISH WORKS of ROGER ASCHAM, quarto, about 1770. To the Right Hon. ANTHONY ASHLEY COOPER, Earl of SHAFTESBURY, Baron ASHLEY, Lord Lieutenant and Cuftos Rotulorum of DORSETSHIRE, F. R. S. MY LORD, HAVING endeavoured by an elegant and useful edition, to recover the esteem of the Publick to an Author undeservedly neglected, the only care which I now owe to his memory, is that of infcribing his works to a patron whose acknowledged eminence of character may awaken attention and attract regard. your I have not fuffered the zeal of an editor fo far to take poffeffion of my mind, as that I fhould obtrude upon your Lordship any productions unfuitable to the dignity of your rank or of fentiments. Afcham was not only the chief ornament of a celebrated college, but vifited foreign countries, frequented courts, and lived in familiarity with statesmen and princes; not only instructed scholars in literature, but formed Elizabeth to empire, To propagate the works of such a writer will not be unworthy of your Lordship's patriotifm: for I know not what benefits you can confer on your country, greater than that of preferving worthy names from oblivion, by joining them with your own, I am, My LORD, Your Lordship's most obliged, most obedient, and most humble servant, JAMES BENNET. 114 Preface |