ducts of the liberty of the British prefs; the mind once let loofe to enquiry, and fuffered to operate without reilraint, neceffarily deviates into peculiar opinions, and wanders in new tracks, where fhe is indeed fometimes loft in a labyrinth, from which though the cannot return, and fcarce knows how to proceed; yet, fometimes, makes ufeful difcoveries; or finds out nearer paths to knowledge.

The boundless liberty with which every man may write his own thoughts, and the opportunity of conveying new fentiments to the publick, without danger of fuffering either ridicule or cenfure, which every man may enjoy, whofe vanity does not incite him too haftily to own his performances, naturally invites thofe who employ themfelves in fpeculation, to try Low their notions will be received by a nation, which exempts caution from fear, and modefty from fhame; and it is no wonder, that where reputation may be gained, but needs not be loft, multitudes are willing to try their fortune, and thrust their opinions into the light; fometimes with unfucccfsful hafte, and fometimes with happy temerity.

It is obferved, that, among the natives of England, is to be found a greater variety of humour, than in any other country; and, doubtlefs, where every man has a full liberty to propagate his conceptions, variety of humour must produce variety of writers; and, where the number of authors is fo great, there cannot but be fome worthy of diftinction.

All thefe, and many other caufes, too tedious to be enumerated, hive contributed to make pamphlets

and small tracts a very important part of an English library; nor are there any pieces, upon which thofe, who afpire to the reputation of judicious collectors of books, bestow more attention, or greater expence; because many advantages may be expected from the perufal of thefe fmall productions, which are scarcely to be found in that of larger works.

If we regard history, it is well known, that most political treatifes have for a long time appeared in this form, and that the first relations of transactions, while they are yet the subject of conversation, divide the opinions, and employ the conjectures of mankind, are delivered by thefe petty writers, who have opportunities of collecting the different fentiments of difputants, of enquiring the truth from living witneffes, and of copying their reprefentations from the life; and, therefore, they preferve a multitude. of particular incidents, which are forgotten in a fhort time, or omitted in formal relations, and which are yet to be confidered as fparks of truth, which, when united, may afford light in fome of the darkest scenes of ftate, as we doubt not, will be fufficiently proved in the course of this mifcellany; and which it is, therefore, the intereft of the publick to preserve unextinguished.

The fame obfervation may be extended to fubjects of yet more importance. In controverfies that relate to the truths of religion, the firft effays of reformation are generally timorous; and thofe, who have opinions to offer, which they expect to be opposed, produce their fentiments, by degrees; and, for the most part, in small tracts: by degrees, that they may not fhock their readers with too VOL. IX. A a

many

many novelties at once; and in final tracts, that they may be cafily difperfed, or privately printed: almoft every controverfy, therefore, has been, for a time, carried on in pamphlets, nor has fwelled into larger volumes, till the first ardor of the difputants has fubfided, and they have recollected their notions with coolness enough to digeft them into order, confolidate them into fyftems, and fortify them with authorities.

From pamphlets, confequently, are to be learned the progrefs of every debate, the various ftate to which the questions have been changed; the artifices and fallacies which have been used, and the fubterfuges by which reafon has been eluded: in fuch writings may be feen how the mind has been opened by degrees, how one truth has led to another, how error has been difentangled, and hints improved to demonftration, which pleasure, and many others, are loft by him that only reads the larger writers, by whom thefe fcattered fentiments are collected, who will fee none of the changes of fortune which every opinion has paffed through, will have no opportunity of remarking the tranfient advantages which error may fometimes obtain, by the artifices of its patron, or the fuccefsful rallies by which truth regains the day, after a repulfe; but will be to him, who traces the difpute through into particular gradations, as he that hears, of a victory, to him that fees the battle.

Since the advantages of preferving these small tracts are fo numerous, our attempt to unite them in volumes cannot be thought cither ufelefs or unfafonable, for there is no other method of fecuring

them from accidents; and they have already been fo long neglected, that this defign cannot be delayed, without hazarding the lofs of many pieces, which deferve to be tranfmitted to another age.

The practice of publishing pamphlets on the most important fubjects, has now prevailed more than two centuries among us; and therefore it cannot be doubted, but that, as no large collections have been yet made, many curious tracts must have perished; but it is too late to lament that lofs; nor ought we to reflect upon it, with any other view, than that of quickening our endeavours for the prefervation of thofe that yet remain; of which we have now a greater number, than was, perhaps, ever amaffed by any one perfon.

The first appearance of pamphlets among us, is generally thought to be at the new oppofition raised against the errors and corruptions of the church of Rome. Those who were firft convinced of the reafonableness of the new learning, as it was then called, propagated their opinions in fmall pieces, which were cheaply printed; and, what was then of great importance, eafily concealed. Thefe treatifes were generally printed in foreign countries, and are not, therefore, always very correct. There was not then that opportunity of printing in private; for the number of printers were small, and the preffes were eafily overlooked by the clergy, who fpared no labour or vigilance for the fuppreffion of herefy. There is, however, reafon to fufpect, that fome attempts were made to carry on the propagation of truth by a fecret prefs; for one of the firft treatifes in favour of the Reformation, is faid, at the end, A a 2

to

to be printed at Greenwich, by the permiffion of the Lord of Hofts.

In the time of king Edward the Sixth, the preffes were employed in favour of the reformed religion, and final tracts were difperfed over the nation, to reconcile them to the new forms of worship. In this reign, likewife, political pamphlets may be faid to have been begun, by the address of the rebels of Devonshire; all which means of propagating the fentiments of the people fo difturbed the court, that no fooner was queen Mary refolved to reduce her fubjects to the Romish fuperftition, but the artfully, by a charter granted to certain freemen of London, in whofe fidelity, no doubt, fhe confided, intirely prohibited all preffes, but what fhould be licenfed by them; which charter is that by which the corporation of Stationers in London is at this time incorporated.

*

Under the reign of queen Elizabeth, when liberty again began to flourish, the practice of writing pamphlets became more general; prefies were multiplied, and books were difperfed; and, I believe, it may properly be faid, that the trade of writing began at that time, and that it has ever fince gradually increafed in the number, though, perhaps, not in the ftyle of thofe that followed it.

In this reign was erected the first fecret prefs against the church as now eftablished, of which I have found any certain account. It was employed

*Which begins thus, Know ye, that We, confidering, and manifeftly perceiving, that feveral feditious and heretical books or tracts—ag unft the faith and found catholic doctrine of holy *mother, the church, &c."

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