First Sentence

"AFTER a curious fubject has been unfuccefsfully treated by philofophers, poets, phyficians, and divines of reputation, it might feem prefumptuous in one to attempt it, whofe neceffary ftudies have been of a nature little connected with deep erudition, and who has but few hours of leifure, from his ordinary occupation, to put together the little he may have accidentally pickt up; were it not known, at the fame time, that many valuable and furprifing difcoveries have accrued to mankind by the means of thofe from whom they were leaft to be expected."