This I speak not in prejudice to Travelling it self, which, if rightly understood, is certainly the greatest Improvement in the World, and I could heartily wish I had had the opportunity of its Advantage, but on the contrary I do it chiefly to show that it is not impossible to give a tolerable, if not the best Account of the Ancients without it; for what can any one, who now travels into _Egypt_, learn or see but such a ruin’d Country, that the very Place is hardly known where those wonderful Cities _Thebes_ and _Memphis_ stood, except what is Traditional or extracted from the Writings of the Ancients. ’Tis true, the learn’d and accurate Mr. _Greaves_ has given us the best Description of the _Pyramids_, but then this was both because they are at this Day in being, and to be view’d by Travellers, as also that he carry’d along with him the best contriv’d Instruments for taking their exact Altitudes and Dimensions, which few besides that see them trouble themselves with, but are content to say, they have seen them; nevertheless _Greaves_ can neither give us the Names of the right Founders of them, nor any certainty whether there were perpetual _burning Lamps_ in them, or a _Colossus_ or _Statue_ on the top of the bigger _Pyramid_, or, in a word, by whom and to what end the monstrous Figure of the _Sphinx_ was built. But however the aforesaid Reflections are not the only Discouragements to Industry and Study; to see our Profession over-run by _Quacks_ and _Mountebanks_, and that _Valet de Chambres_ are suffer’d to Bleed, dress Wounds, cut Fontanells, and perform the like Operations, is what has reduc’d _Surgery_ to so low an ebb. In like manner the noble _Art of Embalming_ has been intirely ruin’d by the _Undertakers_, as also the _Court of Honour_ much prejudic’d, of which Your Lordship has been twice Supreme Judge; from whence it is the _Balsamic Art_ is now-a-days look’d upon as a very insignificant Thing, and not a little despis’d, whereas the Knowledge and Practise of that _Art_ is both useful in Natural _Phylosophy_, _Physiology_, _Physic_, _Surgery_ and _Anatomy_, as I hope I have fully prov’d in the body of my Book, over and above that the History thereof leads us into the first and best Antiquities of the World. Your Lordship therefore being both a great Admirer and Encourager of Things of this nature, I hope, thro’ Your generous Protection, not only to secure my self against the contempt of all Critics, but also to be enabl’d to continue and complete my intended Work, and this has also been one Reason why I have thus vindicated _Surgery_, the _Art of Embalming_ and my own _Collection_; in which, altho’ I am not thoroughly satisfy’d that there is any thing worthy Your Lordship’s perusal, yet this I am sure of, that Your Candour will appear the greater, by condescending to accept my mean Performance.