Moriæ encomium; or, A panegyrick upon folly, done into Engl. [by W. Kennett] and illustr. by H.Holbeine. To which is prefix'd, Erasmus's epistle to ... and an account of Hans Holbeine's pictures

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1709 Excerpt: ...of a New Invention, and rake over Sea and Land for the the Turning up some hitherto latent Mystery j and are so continually tickled with the Hopes of Success, that they spare for no Cost nor Pains, but trudge on$ and upon a Defeat 'f fh one Attempt, courageously tack about to another, and fall upon new Experiments, ne, ver giving over till they have calcined their whole Estate to Astes, and have not Money enough left unmelted to purchase one Crucible or Limbeck: And yet after all, they are Hot so much discouraged, but that they dream Fine Things still, and animate others what they can' to the like Undertakings 3 nay, when their Hopes come to the last Gasp after all their Disappointment?, they have yet one Salvo for their Credit, that In Magnjs volmffe fat est. In Great Exploits our bare Attempts suffice. And so inveigh against the Shortness of their Life, which allows them not Time enough to bring their Designs to a Maturity arid Per section. Whether DiccPlajers (Fig. XX.) may &e Tht Gameso favourably dealt with as to be admitted a-'r mongthe rest is scarce yet resolved upon: But sure it-it hugely vain and ridiculous, when f fee some Persons so devoutly addicted to s Diversion, that at the first Rattle of the x their Heart shakes within them, and keeps Consort with the Motion of the Dice: They are egg'doasoldng with the Hopes of always:. " Fa WinWinning, till at last, in a Literal Sense, they Eave thrown away their whole Estate, and made Shipwrack of all they have, scarce escaping to Shore with their own Cloaths to their Backs 5 thinking it in the mean while a great Piece of Religion to be just in the Payment of their Stakes, and will cheat any Creditor sooner than him who trusts them in Play: And that poring Old Men, that can-, not tell their Cast...