Peacham, Henry: The compleat gentleman : fashioning him absolute in the most necessary and commendable qualities, concerning mind, or body, that may be required in a person of honor. To which is added the gentlemans exercise or, an exquisite practise, as well for drawing all manner of beasts, as for making colours, to be used in painting, limming, &c (London, 1661)

TO THE RIGHT

WORSHIPFULL AND WOR.
thiesi Patron of all Learning, and E^
cellency, Sir Edmund Astsield Knight,
one of his Majesties deputy Lieutenants
ef the County of B ll C K I N G H A M«

Sir, as to be excellent in any skill is ve-
ry rare, so the favourers of excellency
are notevery where to be found,whom
when by our good hap we find,l know
not by what Sympathy we are drawne
to admire and honour them above all
other creatures, as the Saints and Soveraignes of
our afFedions and devises: few they are Icon-
fess, and so few, that if by events fore-pall we
may judge of things to come, I fear me ere many
years, even the moll necellary Arts to our poste-
rity eruntpojl liminio revocandx^o great a cold-
ness hath benummed our times. I cannot much
blame the Italian, though he accounts us dull,
and other nations, that have the wit to work
upon our idleness, which I can impute to none
other cause , then the want of incouragement
from the better sort. Our countrymen being as
happy in their invention as the bellstranger of
them all. For mine own part, I hope I lhall not
be imagined to speak as Demetrius did for his
silver Images, as gaining ought hereby, since by
q 2 profession