importunate) . . . ". Both before and after Swift's time there was supposed to be something discreditable in publishing a book, particularly for profit: hence the excuses alleged in Prefaces and Dedications.
P. 9, l. 18. The guardian of the Regal Library, Dr Bentley (see pp. xx. and xxi.).
P. 9, l. 19. chiefly renowned for his humanity, a reference to the last paragraph but one of Boyle's Preface to his edition of Phalaris (see p. 94). Bentley himself translated humanitas as humanity (see pp. 115-6).
The following note appears in the 5th Edn: 'The Honourable Mr Boyle, in the Preface to his edition of Phalaris, says he was refused a Manuscript by the Library-keeper pro solita humanitate sua.'
P. 9, l. 22. two of the Ancient chiefs, Phalaris and Æsop (see pp. xxvii.-ix.).
P. 10, l. 17. there was a strange confusion, &c. Boyle wrote in the Examination (1698), p. 14: "Another [learned man] that was desirous to have a sight of the Alexandrian MS, and applied himself to Dr Bentley very earnestly for it, met with no other answer to his request but that the Library was not fit to be seen . . . "
To the latter part of this accusation Bentley replied in his Dissertation (1699), pp. lxv.-vi.: " . . . I will own that I have often said and lamented that the Library was not fit to be seen. . . . If the room be too mean and too little for the books; if it be much out of repair; if the situation be inconvenient; if the access to it be dishonourable; is the Library-keeper to answer for it?"
P. 11, l. 7. Descartes next to Aristotle: Descartes is mentioned because he was put forward by the advocates of the
