Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Ancient and Present State of Portugal: Containing the Description of That Kingdom, Its Former and Present Division, the Manner of the Cortes or Parliament, Its Several Names, Forts, Rivers, Lakes, Baths, Minerals, Plants, and Other Product
Prefix'd before this lnconfiderable Volume. An Honour the Smallnefs of the Work could never claim, or [any ways pretend to de ferve, yet which [could not but promife my (elf from your Goodnrls. For it is a knownmaxim, that all Good is Communi cative, and whatfoever ceafes tofbe to, men at the fame time ceafie'to be Good. This was the Encouragement I had to beg Your Lordlhip would Patronize my Work, and this only Motive Your Lordlhip. Hag to grant it. What more could my Pit-1 in a! Will: than to be under the Protection 0 the lllullrious Houfe of Day? 5 a Houfc which, tho' numerous in its Offspring, and largely fpread abroad, has produc'd almoft as many Generals as Men, and thole of inch Fame as would each of them have been an Ornament to a Great Family. A Houfe which for feveral Ages has been truly Great and Honourable, and; attain'd to all thofe Dignities aandn-iprefeitnents Loyal Subjefts are Capable of attaining to. Ahoufe rais'd and fupported byhon'our and Gallantry, and never tainted by the Foul Aétions of any Degenerate Members, or the Mean Mixture of Unworthy Alliances. But What can Ifay that will exprefs its Greatnels, and will not fall far ibort of its Merit.> All Europe has been the Theatre of its Glorious Actions, and all the' knowing World isacquaintcd' with more of its Worth than] am capable of delivering. My Volume would be much (00100 finall were I but to touch on Particu' lars, and I could fcaree avoid exceeding thebonnds of an Epifiie, were I not te firain'd' by Your pomntands from that little Liberty [thought to have allow'cl my felf. But Your Lordlhip has confin'd me. I am not permitted to defcend'to Your Perfonal Worth, or to mention Your Singular Merits, (o rare in this Age; I mollyafs by them all, not to offend Your M'odeft'y, and in that I fay more than I thould be others/vile able to exprefi'r. Ii: O'bedienc'el forbear tharsub jet}, and prefent Your Lordlhip with this {hort Deferi tion of Barrage! 5 a' (mall in it elf, yet once Famous for its Dif coveries and Conquel'ts. The Defcription is lhort, yet fuch as the Country will bear, nothing Material being omitted, and as for the Truth, taken from fuch Authors as have given the bell Accounts of it, befides what little'i'fnewled ge Three Years Kefidence there would acquire me. I confel's the Mean nefsof the Gift in Pmportion to the Perfont it is ofi'er'd to, but Your Lordlhip's Favour-1 able Acceptance will give it a Value. Jewels worn by Great Perfons, tho' they be falte, are loolt'd upon as of high Price; (0 this little Work in Your Lordlhip's Hands cannot but receive a Confiderable Eileen}. {will not become/prolix, under Pretence of y Faults, lell I want an Excul'e dions, but will lay my (elf and' my Work, Inch as it is, at Your Lord lhip'sthip'a Feet, not doubting. Of a Favourable Reception from Your Generofity/and at the fame time'be ging Leave that I may always claim tie Honour of being cheem'd, 1.
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