Chapter 1.IX.

I solemnly declare to all mankind, that the above dedication was made for
no one Prince, Prelate, Pope, or Potentate,--Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount,
or Baron, of this, or any other Realm in Christendom;--nor has it yet been
hawked about, or offered publicly or privately, directly or indirectly, to
any one person or personage, great or small; but is honestly a true Virgin-
Dedication untried on, upon any soul living.

I labour this point so particularly, merely to remove any offence or
objection which might arise against it from the manner in which I propose
to make the most of it;--which is the putting it up fairly to public sale;
which I now do.

--Every author has a way of his own in bringing his points to bear;--for my
own part, as I hate chaffering and higgling for a few guineas in a dark
entry;--I resolved within myself, from the very beginning, to deal squarely
and openly with your Great Folks in this affair, and try whether I should
not come off the better by it.

If therefore there is any one Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, or Baron, in
these his Majesty's dominions, who stands in need of a tight, genteel
dedication, and whom the above will suit, (for by the bye, unless it suits
in some degree, I will not part with it)--it is much at his service for
fifty guineas;--which I am positive is twenty guineas less than it ought to
be afforded for, by any man of genius.

My Lord, if you examine it over again, it is far from being a gross piece
of daubing, as some dedications are. The design, your Lordship sees, is
good,--the colouring transparent,--the drawing not amiss;--or to speak more