UPON the whole, it is most certain that TRUTH is known _but of a few_; whereas false _Opinions_ go current in the Stream with the rest of the World: Nay, TRUTH scarce yet ever carried it by _Vote_ in any respect, insomuch, that the most evident Testimonies of Sense, too often yield place to imbib’d Opinions, and Men blindly reject the manifest Evidence of their own Faculties, by which Truth in many Cases is only to be discover’d: And indeed I know how hard it is otherways to enquire exactly into the common _Truth of Things_, so as to give a _Satisfactory Demonstration_, or a _general Satisfaction_ to _All_: Which notwithstanding, I verily believe that the _Sons_ of ART, who know the _Principles_ and _Power_ of NATURE, and understand her various _Operations_ upon all BODIES, by the means of her inferiour _Agents_, the four _ELEMENTS_; and such as have attain’d any competent _Knowledge_ in the _SPAGYRICK ANATOMY_ of Things, especially of _Fluids_, _Water_, _Wine_, &c. will be at no great Loss to conceive the _Probability_ of both the _one_ and the _other_ above-mentioned HYPOTHESIS. ACCEPT then, in fine, _Benevolent_ READER, _This_ short and plain _Performance_ of PHYSICK and MIDWIFERY; which, if it should not happily answer to your _Expectation_, I would fain have you believe, that it will far less correspond with my WISH. If then any Thing be found _useful_ or _acceptable_ in it, you are to ascribe that to GOD, the _Author_ of all _Wisdom_; you may impute what is otherways perform’d, to _Man_’s Understanding and Practice blessed by GOD: Therefore being every where mindful of _Humanity_, _read_, _revolve_, _enjoy_, and _correct_; _reflecting_ in the _Interim_, not so much upon the _little that_ I have done, as upon _that_ which others have not hitherto perform’d concerning the same _Subject_. I could with _Pleasure_ have continued _The Performance_, and, according to my _Design_ at the _Beginning_, have added two _SECTIONS_ more, _viz._ _One_ upon the _Symptoms_ and _Diseases_ of the WOMB and the _Passages_; the _other_ upon the various _Symptoms_ or _Accidents_, relating to the _MENSTRUOUS_ and other _Uterine Fluxes_: But as the WORK has already by far exceeded the _Limits_, which I design’d it at first, I shall here for the present Time fix my PEN. I Pray GOD, in short, the _Fountain of Life, and Source of all Science_, that HE may enable _others_ to conceive what has been said, _better_ than I have been capable to explain; and grant that the _Fruit_ of my LABOUR may conduce to the _Health_ and _Preservation_ of all good WOMEN and their CHILDREN: All finally, upon the whole Work, redounding to the eternal GLORY of his own most _Holy Name_. _FINIS._ [Illustration] [Illustration] AUTHORS _Names quoted in this Work, disposed Alphabetically._ A.