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Hiſtory confirm the truth of the relation. And let him that reads it judge; what dull and dry fellows the Mountebank-Aſtrologers, Prognoſticators and Fortune-tellers of theſe dayes are, to this Noble, Renowned Alexander. Only let him know that reads, thac Lucian was a profeſt Atheiſt, and therefore no wonder if he find Epicurus ſpoken of with great reſpect, whom all Atheiſts, and Atheiſtically inclined are ſo much obliged to honour. This accepted, I think, the Story is very worthy to be known, and much more worthy to be read by all men (conſidering the good uſe that may be made of it) then many books that are daily tranſlated out of other languages.

But laſtly, If there were any ſuch thing, really as Divels and Spirits that uſe to appear unto men; to whom should they (probably) ſooner appear, then to ſuch as daily call upon them, and devote their Souls and Bodies unto them by dreadful Oaths and Imprecations? And again, then to ſuch, who through damnable curioſity have many times uſed the means (the beſt they could find in books, by Magical Circles, Characters and Invocations) and yet never, neither the one nor the other ſaw any thing?

I have ſaid as much as I mean to ſay (though ſomewhat perchance might be added) to ſhew the plauſibleneſſe of the opinion, in oppoſition to vulgar apprehenſions and capacities, whereby (as I conceive, for I have not wittingly omitted any thing that I thought material) it chiefly intitles it ſelf to wiſdom, and more then ordinary prudence, which all men generally are ambitious of. Yet I would not have it thought that all men that hold this concluſion, That there be no Spirits, &c. go ſo rationally to work, or can give this account or any other more rational and plauſible for what they hold. God knows there be many in the world, men of no learning, and mean capacities, who can speak as peremptorily as the beſt, not becauſe they have conſidered of it, and underſtand the grounds of either opinion, but becauſe they know, or have heard it is the opinion of ſome Learned, and they hope they ſhall be thought learned too if they hold with them. Beſides an ordinary (for ſome have been learned) Epicurean, who makes it his Motto (to himself and in his heart) Ἐν τῷ μηδέν ἐιδένας, ἥδισος βίος: and ſeeks his caſe in this world (ἀταραξίαν, their own word, which imports Tranquility both of mind and body; a good word but ill applyed) as his ſummum bonum, or chiefeſt happineſſe: It is a great caſe to him when any ſtrange things doth happen by Witches, Wizards and the like; and other ſome to ſatisfie their faith, others their reaſon and curioſity, are put to it to enquire of men by conference, and to ſearch into books ancient and late, Sacred and Profane, and all little enough. A great caſe, I ſay, for him, then, and upon all ſuch occaſions, to poſſeſſe his Soul in ſecure ignorance, and to ſave his credit (yea, and to gain ciedit with ſome) by barely ſaying, Fabula eſt, I do not believe it. We ſhall hear ſome of them by and by acknowledg, in effect, as much as I have ſaid: I impoſe nothing upon them. I will not take upon me to judge of a book that I never read; I cannot fay that I ever ſaw it. But becauſe I have heard ſome men magnifie an English book written of this ſubject to prove that there be no Witches, I will impart unto the Reader that hath not obſerved it, the judgment of one of the Learnedit men that ever England ſaw (I wiſh he had been more gently dealt with when time was) of that book, whereby it may appear (if his judgment be right, as I am very inclinable to be-lieve