THe Author being desir’d to add yet something to the foregoing Discourses, to give the Book they make Parts of, a Thickness more proportionate to its Largeness; he did among other Papers of his, that he turn’d over in Compliance with that request, light upon an Epistolary Discourse, which by its very being unfinish’d, seem’d (by reason of its shortness) the more fit to serve the present turn. For this Tract having been drawn up in a Countrey, whence the Author was oblig’d to remove, before he had made any considerable Progress in his Work; he was easily induc’d to put it up in a Bundle of other Writings, which, like this, were laid aside till he should be at much leisure to compleat them. But upon the newly mention’d occasion, finding that among divers loose and lesser Memoirs, that had been thrown together in order to the design’d Treatise, there were 15 or 20 Pages at the beginning that were Coherent enough; he was content they should attend the Christian Virtuoso, because of the affinity of the things design’d in both the Papers; which being to recommend the Christian Religion to worthy Souls, ‘twas congruous enough that a Discourse which shews, That the Christian Religion may very well consist with a Philosophick Genius; should be accompany’d by another that tends to manifest, That Greatness of Mind, which comprizes uncommon degrees of Virtue, is not only Consistent with Christianity, but may be highly Promoted by it. Those that reflect on this Aim, will not (‘tis hop’d) think it strange, that the Style is a little Rais’d; since tho’ the Subject be Theological, yet the Writer, (who was then many Years Younger than he now is) being a Person of Honour, and writing for a Noble Gentleman, who, like himself, was a Layman; ‘twas thought not only Allowable but Fit, that the Style should not be altogether unsuitable to the Subject and to the Aim: which was to make Impressions on an Illustrious Person, not by dry Precepts, or Languid Discourses, but by exciting him to Heroick Virtue, by the Noblest Patterns and Ideas, and the most moving Incentives, he could propose.
And tho’ the Discouragements lately mention’d, and since increas’d by the Authors not being able to find some of the principle Materials he had, in loose Sheets, provided for the following Discourse; oblige him to lay aside the thoughts of Compleating it; yet because ‘tis very possible that some Elevated Soul may have a Mind to prosecute the design, or Cultivate so noble a Subject; he thought it not amiss (as little Samples of his Method or Way of Treating it) to Subjoyn to the greater Fragment, besides the Index of the Heads of Discourse, intended for the First Part, 5 or 6 Lesser Fragments that he lighted on, whilst he was seeking for some Papers belonging to the same Tract, that should have been, but were not, found in their Company.
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