Wesley Corpus

T was a greatfurprife to the editor ofthe following collection , that there wasfofwift and large a demand for it ; that three impreffions were called for infour orfive years ; and that it was not only re - published by the bookfellers of a neighbouring nation ; but alfo inferted by parts in their publick papers, andfopropagated. through the whole kingdom . This encouraged him carefully to revife the whole, and to publish it again, with feveral alterations, which it is hoped may make it ofgreater ufe to those who love commonfenfe and common honefty. 2. Thofe alterations are fill in purfuance of myfirst defign , tofet down cheap , fafe, and eafy medicines ; eafy to be known , eafy to beprocured, and eafy to be applied by plain, unlettered men. Accordingly, I have omitted a confiderable number, which, tho' cheap and fafe, were not fo common common or well known ; and have added almoft an equal number, to which that objection cannot be made : Which are not only offmallprice, and extremelyfafe, but likewife easily to be found, if not in every houfe or yard , yet in every town, and almoft every village throughout the kingdom. 3. Itis because they are not fafe, but extremely dangerous, that I have omitted (together with Antimony) the four Herculean medicines, Opium, the Bark, Steel, and moft of the preparations of Quickfilver. Herculean indeed ! Far too ftrongfor common men to grapple with. How manyfatal effects have thefe produced , even in the hands of no ordinary phyficians ! With regard tofour of thefe , the inftances are glaring and undeniable. Andwhereas Quickfilver , the fifth, is in its native form, as innocent as bread or water, has not the art been difcovered, fo to prepare it, as to make it the most deadly ofallpoifons? Thefe phyficians have juftly termed edged tools. But they have not yet taught them to wound at a diftance : And honeft men are under no neceffity of touching them , or coming within their reach. 4. Inftead ofthefe , I have once more ventured to recommend tomen ofplain unbiaffed reafon, fuch Except in a very few Cafés.