our Authors Book of Colours, without owning any one of them to Him, or so much as naming him or his Book in either of those Chapters, nor, that I remember, in any of the others. Nor did I think this practice justified by the confession made in the Preface, importing, that the Compiler had taken the particulars he deliver'd from the Writings of others. For, this general and perfunctory acknowledgment neither doth right to particular Authors, nor, by naming them, enables the Reader to know, whether the things deliver'd come from persons fit to be credited or not: And therefore, since 'tis but too likely, that such Concealment of the Names, if not Usurpation of the Labours of the Benefactors to Philosophy, will prove much more forbidding to many others to impart their Experiments, than as yet they have to our generous Author; it seems to be the Interest of the Commonwealth of Learning openly to discountenance so discouraging a practice, and to shew, that they do not think it fit that Possessors of useful pieces ofknow-
