THE
TRANSLATOR
TO THE
READER.
Kind Reader,
IT may ſeem ſtrange to you at firſt, that I have divided the Books of Machiavel, and diſpoſed them into Chapters, contrary to the Order of his Dialogues but I am aſſured when you conſider my Intention, you will rather applaud than condemn me. I was always ſenſible that no Man could blame me, if I kept exactly to my Author; nevertheleſs, I thought this way more Beneficial, the length of a Diſcourſe being commonly tireſome to any Man who affects Brevity; beſides that, in all Sorts of Books, theſe kind of Breaches and Sections are very helpful to the Memory. For this Reaſon the Works of Ariſtotle, Vitruvius and Pliny, which were originally in another Method, have been reduced ſince into this manner of Diviſion. I have preſum'd to do the ſame in this my Tranſlation, having had more Regard to the Eaſe and Advantage of the Reader, than to the exact Order of the Author, whom I have not followed Verbatim by reaſon of the Diverſity of the Languages; yet his Senſe I have obſerved as ſtrictly as would conſiſt with the Propriety of our own Language; aſſuring my ſelf that your Bounty will diſpenſe with ſome Faults, ſeeing nothing can be done ſo accurately, hut will be ſubject to many.
