252
The HISTORY of
correspondence amongst all virtuous and wise Men.
This Book had sooner seen the light, if part of it had not perish'd in the Fire. Of its use and accurate composition there is no man can doubt, that has ever heard the name of the Author: of whom, if I had not at first restrain'd my self from particular commendations, I might have said very much in his praise, which deserves to be known to all the World, and to be the first Experiment of his own Universal Language.
Their Library.Having well succeeded in this their purpose of collecting divers patterns of all Natural, and Artificial things; they have also (amongst others) appointed a Committee, whose chief employment shall be to read over whatever Books have been written on such subjects. By this means they hope speedily to observe, and digest into Manuscript volumes, all that has been hitherto try'd, or propounded in such studies. This is the only help that an Experimenter can receive from Books: which he may still use, as his Guides, though not as his Masters. For this end they have begun a Library, consisting only of such Authors, as may be serviceable to their Design. To this there has been lately made a great Addition, by the Munificent Gift of Mr. Henry Howard of Norfolk, who has bestow'd on the Society the whole Arundelian Library, containing several hundreds of choice Manuscripts, besides some thousands of other Books of all kinds. And because many of them belong'd to other Professions, this Noble Benefactor has given them with a free permission of changing them for others, that shall be more proper for their Work: Whereby they will shortly be able to shew a compleat Collection of all that has beenpub-
