John Harris

“ The Publick Part of Your Lordship's all the World knows and admires; and tho I see every Day That which renders Your Lordship the Instruction, as well as the Delight of all that have the Honour of Your Conversation, yet I can no more describe it, than I dare attempt it. I shall therefore, my Lord, entirely forbear; fearing as much doing Violence to Your Modesty, as Injustice to Your Merit. ”

“ For as it is easy to see, that new Matter will continually occur in a Design of this Nature, and, consequently, that there can be no such thing as a Perfect Book of this Kind; so I thought it better to send out an Imperfect one than none, and to afford some Help to Men's Improvement in Philosophy and Mathematical Studies, rather than leave them to stay four or five Years for a more Compleat one. ”

“ ABASE, in the Sea Language, is to Lower or Take in. To Abase the Flag, is to take in the Flag.
ABBACY
ABBACY, is the Government of a Religious House, with the Revenues and Persons subject to an Abbat. ”