The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Secondary Title (i.e. Proceedings Title): Periodical Title: Publication Type:Book, Whole Authors:Phillips, Edward
 Editors: Publisher: Place of Publication:London Publication Date:1658 Alternate Date (i.e. Conference Date): Volume: Issue: Start Page: End Page: Abstract: Descriptors/Keywords: ISBN: URL:
Documents in Print Item: No Documents Listed in Print Item Attached People: Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Phillips, Edward (Aug 1630 -c. 1696)
Dedicatee - Paston, William (c.1610-1663)
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 Annotation:In his dedicatory letter to William Paston, Robert’s father, Phillips describes the Paston collection as “abounding with an infinite variety of the most choice and admired Rarities.”

SIR,
IT hath not been the least of my care, that this present Work might be as happy in the fortune of its addresse, as in the publicknesse of its design, which is the General advancement of Learning and Arts; nor could it have been more advantagiously fortified against the various and uncertain suffrages of the World, then by being adopted into the Patronage of such a Person, whose accomplishment in the Arts and Ingenuities renders him capable to judge of what is written well or amisse in any of them; and that this attribute doth belong properly to your self, is evident to the World by more then a few instances. Your admirable skill in Physick manifested in your frequent Cures of the most desperate Diseases, and those happy receits you have consecrated to the benefit of mankind; Your exquisite knowledge in Husbandry and Horsemanship; Your deep insight into the Mathematicks, and the more delicate sort of the Mechanicks, as appears by your excellent choice of Jewels, and your rare fancy and invention in Carvings, Turning, Paintings, and Annealings, in which the very Artists you have imployed have submitted to your politer judgement; Your diligent search into the greatest curiosities of Nature; wherein how much you have exceeded all others of our Nation that have been famous in their Collections, your Musaeum abounding with an infinite variety of the most choice and admired Rarities, can sufficiently testifie: And indeed, What qualities lesse noble then these I have mentioned, could spring from the vertuous inclinations of your youth, which for many years was spent in useful travels (not so much to see fashions, as to learn experience, and the true knowledge of men and manners) of which the Learned Mr. Greaves makes an honourable mention in his Survey of the Pyramids of Egypt? These vertues, together with the enlargednesse of your mind in making your House the Center of Hospitality to Strangers and Ingenuous Persons, are no lesse a true mark of the Noblenesse of your Family, then the Supporters of your Armes, a bearing which is very rare, and onely peculiar to the most ancient Houses. Vpon this foundation it is that I build my confidence; but to me a person little meriting in my self the honour of your acceptance, my propitious Stars have been assistant on this occasion, and have so brought it about, that not I, but two Famous Vniversities and the greatest Artists of our time, should throw this Work at your feet, and in so doing they have obliged me by a favour which nothing can equal but the Honour of your receiving it from them by my hands. If what is here more particularly contained of the more Noble Mechanick Arts, come not up to that heighth as to satisfie the curiosity of your excellent judgement in them, yet thus much our Volume may without arrogance pretend to, That there is here a fairer way begun then ever, for the promoting of that most useful part of Learning; especially since it could not intend that alone, but takes in all the other parts beside: which all together with one consent, like the needle tending towards the North, present themselves to wait upon, you, who have so great an influence upon them, erecting a Monument to your fame, great as the glory I aspire to in stiling my self,

Sir, Your most humble, and most devoted servant, EDW. PHILLIPS.