by the Puritans, and conveyed from one part of the nation to another, by them, as they found themfelves in danger of difcovery. From this prefs iffued most of the pamphlets against Whitgift and his affociates, in the ecclefiaftical government; and, when it was at laft feized at Manchester, it was employed upon a pamphlet called More Work for a Ссорет.

In the peaceable reign of king James, thofe minds which might, perhaps, with lefs disturbance of the world, have been engroffed by war, were employed in controverfy; and writings of all kinds were multiplied among us. The prefs, however, was not wholly engaged in polemical performances, for more innocent fubjects were fometimes treated; and it deserves to be remarked, because it is not generally known, that the treatifes of Husbandry and Agriculture, which were published about that time, are so numerous, that it can fcarcely be imagined by whom they were written, or to whom they were fold.

The next reign is too well known to have been a time of confufion, and disturbance, and difputes of every kind; and the writings, which were produced, bear a natural proportion to the number of questions that were difcuffed at that time; each party had its authors and its preffes, and no endeavours were omitted to gain profelytes to every opinion. I know not whether this may not properly be called, The Age of Pamphlets; for, though they, perhaps, may not arife to fuch multitudes as Mr. Rawlinson imagined, they were, undoubtedly, more numerous

than can be conceived by any who have not had an opportunity of examining them.

After the Reftoration, the fame differences, in religious opinions, are well known to have fubfifted, and the fame political ftruggles to have been frequently renewed; and, therefore, a great number of pens were employed, on different occafions, till, at length, all other difputes were abforbed in the popifh controversy.

From the pamphlets which thefe different periods. of time produced, it is propofed, that this mifcellany fhall be compiled; for which it cannot be fuppofed that materials will be wanting; and, therefore, the only difficulty will be in what manner to difpofe them.

Thofe who have gone before us, in undertakings of this kind, have ranged the pamphlets, which chance threw into their hands, without any regard either to the fubject on which they treated, or the time in which they were written; a practice in no wife to be imitated by us, who want for no materials; of which we fhall choofe thofe we think beft for the particular circumftances of times and things, and most inftructing and entertaining to the reader.

Of the different methods which prefent themfelves, upon the first view of the great heaps of pamphlets which the Harleian library exhibits, the two which merit moft attention are, to distribute the treatifes according to their fubjects, or their dates; but neither of thefe ways can be conveniently followed. Ey rarging our collection in order of time, we muft neceffarily publifh thofe pieces firft, which leaft engage the curiofity of the bulk of man

kind; and our defign muft fall to the ground, for want of encouragement, before it can be fo far advanced as to obtain general regard: by confining ourfelves for any long time to any fingle fubject, we fhall reduce our readers to one clafs; and, as we fhall lofe all the grace of variety, fhall difguft all thofe who read chiefly to be diverted. There is likewife one objection of equal force, against both thefe methods, that we fhall preclude ourfelves from the advantage of any future difcoveries; and we cannot hope to affemble at once all the pamphlets which have been written in any age, or on any fubject.

It may be added, in vindication of our intended practice, that it is the fame with that of Photius, whofe collections are no lefs mifcellaneous than ours; and who declares, that he leaves it to his reader, to reduce his extracts under their proper heads.

Most of the pieces which fhall be offered in this collection to the publick, will be introduced by short prefaces, in which will be given fome account of the reasons for which they are inferted; notes will be fometimes adjoined, for the explanation of obfcure paffages, or obfolete expreffions; and care will be taken to mingle use and pleasure through the whole collection. Notwithstanding every fubject may not be relished by every reader; yet the buyer may be affured that each number will repay his generous fubfcription.

A a 4

THE

HE original of this celebrated performance lay in manufcript above a century and a half. Though it was read with the greateft pleafure by the icarned of Italy, no man was hardy enough, during fo long a period, to introduce to the world a book, in which the fucceffors of St. Peter were handled fo roughly: a narrative, where artifts and fovereign princes, cardinals and courtezans, minifters of flate and mechanics, are treated with equal impartiality.

At length, in the year 1730, an enterprizing Neapolitan, encouraged by Dr. Antonio Cocchi, one of the politeft fcholars in Europe, publifhed this fomuch defired work in one volume Quarto. The Doctor gave the editor an excellent prefaçe, which, with very flight alteration, is judiciously preferved by the tranflator, Dr. Nugent: the book is, notwithflanding, very fcarce in Italy: the clergy of Noples are very powerful; and though the editor

very prudently put Colonia instead of Neapoli in the title-page, the fale of Cellini was prohibited; the court of Rome has actually made it an article in their Index Expurgatorius, and prevented the importation of the book into any country where the power of the Holy See prevails.

The life of Benvenuto Cellini is certainly a phenomenon in biography, whether we confider it with respect to the artist himself, or the great variety of hiftorical facts which relate to others: it is indeed a very good fupplement to the hiftory of Europe, during the greatest part of the fixteenth century, more especially in what relates to painting, fculpture, and architecture, and the moft eminent masters in those elegant arts, whofe works Cellini praises or cenfures with peculiar freedom and

energy.

As to the man himself, there is not perhaps a more fingular character among the race of Adam: the admired Lord Herbert of Cherbury scarce equals Cellini in the number of peculiar qualities which separate him from the rest of the human fpecies.

He is at once a man of pleasure, and a flave to fuperftition; a defpifer of vulgar notions, and a believer in magical incantations; a fighter of duels, and a compofer of divine fonnets; an ardent lover of truth, and a retailer of vifionary fancies; an admirer of papal power, and a hater of popes; an offender against the laws, with a strong reliance on divine providence. If I may be allowed the expreffion, Cellini is one ftriking feature added to the human form-a prodigy to be wondered at, not an example to be imitated.

Though