ondon for Improving Natural Knowledge, has
not been wanting in preparing and dispersing Instructions to this
end, and is ready still to promote it, if the Publick would allow
a Recompence to the Undertakers. The desirableness and facility of
this Undertaking may, I hope, in a short time produce the Expedients
also. In the Interim all means should be used, to try what may be
obtain'd from the Generosity of such as have had the Opportunities
of knowing Foreign Countries.

There are but few who, though they know much, can yet be persuaded
they know any thing worth Communicating, and because the things are
common and well known to them, are apt to think them so to the rest of
Mankind; This Prejudice has done much mischief in this particular as
well as in many other, and must be first remov'd. There are others
that are conscious enough of their own Knowledge, and yet either
for want of Ability to write well, or of use to Compose, or of time
to Study and Digest, or out of Modesty and fear to be in Print, or
because they think they know not enough to make a Volume, or for not
being prompted to, or earnestly solicited for it, neglect to do it;
others delay to do it so long till they have forgotten what they
intended. Such as these Importunity would prevail upon to disclose
their knowledge, if fitting Persons were found to Discourse and ask
them Questions, and to Compile the Answers into a History. Of this
kind was lately produc'd in High Dutch a History of Greenland, by
Dr. Fogelius of Hamborough, from the Information of Frederick Martin,
who had made several Voyages to that Place, in the doing of which,
he made use of the Instruction given by the Royal Society.

'Tis much to be wondred that we should to this Day want a good
History of most of our West-Indian Plantations. Ligon has done well
for the Barbadoes, and somewhat has been done for the Summer Islands,
Virginia, &c. But how far are all these short even of the knowledge
of these and other Places of the West-Indies, which may be obtain'd
from divers knowing Planters now Residing in London? And how easie
were it to obtain what is Defective from some Ingenious Persons now
Resident upon the Places, if some way were found to gratifie them
for their Performances? However till such be found, 'tis to be hoped
that the kind Acceptance only the Publick shall give to this present
Work, may excite several other Ingenuous, and knowing Men to follow
this Generous Example of Captain