[two rules]

PREFACE.

T²HE writing of Characters was a Kind of Wit
much in Faſhion in the Beginning of the laſt
Century. The two principal Authors in this Way
were Sir Thomas Overbury, and Dr. John
Earle Tutor to Prince Charles in 1643, and after
the Reſtoration Dean of Weſtminſter, and ſuc-
ceſſively Biſhop of Worceſter and Saliſbury. How
agreeable theſe Sorts of Eſſays were to the public
Taſte may be judged from Sir Thomas’s little Book
having fourteen Editions before 1632, and the
Biſhop’s ſix between 1628 and 1633. Whether
Butler has equalled or excelled them, and what
Place he is to hold in this Claſs of Writers muſt
be left to the Deciſion of the Public, as the Inte-
reſt and Prejudice of a Publiſher may render me
a ſuſpected or an incompetent Judge. The Reader
will have an Opportunity of determining for him-
ſelf, as they have all attempted to draw the ſame
Pictures.

As in ſuch a Variety of Characters there muſt
be ſome drawn from Originals in general the ſame,
and only differenced by particular Circumſtances,
the ſame Obſervations are ſometimes repeated.
Whether the Author in this Caſe requires any Apo-
logy muſt be left to his Judges the Critics ; it is
enough for me that I can ſay I have done him
Justice in publiſhing them.

As moſt of theſe Characters are dated when they
were compoſed, I can inform the curious, that they
were chiefly drawn up from 1667 to 1669, at
which time, as has been before obſerved, Butler
reſided in Wales under the Protection of Lord
Carbery.