be fo weak as to imagine we shall ever attempt it by the ordinary Rules of the vulgar and popular Logic; thefe, you know, we abfolutely difclaim, and are therefore projecting a Scheme, and folliciting an Establishment, in direct Oppofition to theirs; and if ever this can be procured in a legal and parliamentary Way, it immediately intitles us to the only legal and parliamentary Method of Proof both in Civil and Ecclefiaftical Courts, which is an Oath. Every body knows that a Will is of no Validity or Force till it be duly proved in the proper Court upon the Oath of the Executor, that from thenceforth it has the Force and Power of a Testamentary Record, and, being depofited in the proper Office, remains an unalterable Statute, or Decree, like the Laws of the Medes and Perfians. In the fame manner, I would humbly propofe, that, by virtue of the above-faid Grant, or Patent, a certain Office may be erected, under the Direction of fome select Members of our Society, who fhall be called, The Commiffioners of the Negative Office, and be invested with full Power and Authority to make or receive, from time to time, due and legal Proof of fuch Kind of Negatives, whether in Religion, Law, or Politics, as the Neceffity of public or private Affairs may require, which fhall from thenceforth be confidered as Matters of perpetual and unalterable Record, and being deposited in proper Cells, Cabinets, Rooms, or Repofitories, like those in the Tower of London, fhall, upon proper Occafions, be produced as undeniable Evidence, in any Debate or Controverfy, upon religious Subjects, or any Matter or Caufe depending in Parliament, or any of his Majefty's Courts of Law or Juftice, againft which no Exception, Protection, or Wager at Law,

fhall,

be fo weak as to imagine we fhall ever attempt it by the ordinary Rules of the vulgar and popular Logic; thefe, you know, we abfolutely disclaim, and are therefore projecting a Scheme, and folliciting an Establishment, in direct Oppofition to theirs; and if ever this can be procured in a legal and parliamentary Way, it immediately intitles us to the only legal and parliamentary Method of Proof both in Civil and Ecclefiaftical Courts, which is an Oath. Every body knows that a Will is of no Validity or Force till it be duly proved in the proper Court upon the Oath of the Executor, that from thenceforth it has the Force and Power of a Teftamentary Record, and, being depofited in the proper Office, remains an unalterable Statute, or Decree, like the Laws of the Medes and Perfians. In the fame manner, I would humbly propose, that, by virtue of the above-faid Grant, or Patent, a certain Office may be erected, under the Direction of fome felect Members of our Society, who fhall be called, The Commiffioners of the Negative Office, and be invested with full Power and Authority to make or receive, from time to time, due and legal Proof of fuch Kind of Negatives, whether in Religion, Law, or Politics, as the Neceffity of public or private Affairs may require, which fhall from thenceforth be confidered as Matters of perpetual and unalterable Record, and being depofited in proper Cells, Cabinets, Rooms, or Repofitories, like thofe in the Tower of London, fhall, upon proper Occafions, be produced as undeniable Evidence, in any Debate or Controversy, upon religious Subjects, or any Matter or Cause depending in Parliament, or any of his Majesty's Courts of Law or Juftice, against which no Exception, Protection, or Wager at Law,

fhall,

fhall, in any Cause, or on any Pretence, be allowed.. And as this will be a Matter of great Advantage to our Society in particular, so we propose to make it as extenfive and beneficial to the Public as poffible: For this Purpose we intend to erect a large and commodi ous Building in fome convenient Place within the City of Westminster, for the better Regulation and Management of the above-faid Negative-Office, and Reception and Accommodation of the Commissioners, a certain Number of whom fhall be obliged to refide and give conftant Attendance during the four feveral LawTerms, and the Seffions of Parliament, for the more eafy and convenient Supply of such Kinds and Quan-tities of Negatives, duly proved and stamped accordding to Law, as fhall be required, for the more speedy and effectual Difpatch of either public or private Affairs. And as the intire Manufacture and Property of Negatives will be vested in our Society, fo we propose farther to fupply the Public at a much cheaper and easier rate than has hitherto been done by the usual irregular Methods of Proceeding. We have been credibly informed, that, for Want of fuch Regulations as we have projected, certain evil-minded People, cunningly foreseeing that there would be a great Demand for Negatives, upon certain weighty and urgent Occafions, had maliciously contrived to monopolize and engross the whole Commodity into very few Hands, who, taking the Advantage of the public Neceffity, combined together to raise them to a moft exorbitant Price, infomuch that (if we are not mifinformed) fome Perfons, who are under an unavoidable Neceffity of purchafing at any rate, were forced to pay more than 90 per Cent. above the intrinsic Va

lus..

lue. This is a Grievance of a public Nature, which calls aloud for Redrefs, and which, for the future, we propose intirely to prevent, by supplying any Person, from time to time, with fmall Quantities, or even fingle ones, upon urgent Occafions, at very cheap and reasonable rates, with proper Allowance to those who take a Quantity, and a large Draw-back to be made to those who shall make due Proof that they are purchased folely for the Benefit of the Public, either at Home, or in any of our foreign Plantations; for whofe Relief and Benefit this Scheme is principally calculated and intended.

Nor is the Article of Reconciling Contradictions of less Confequence to us and the Public, than that of proving Negatives, being both abfolutely neceffary for the Support of our Society, and by Confequence for the Welfare of the Public. I mean such Contradictions as are generally and vulgarly fo called, and esteemed as oppofite as Black and White, as Light and Darkness. And these are of two Sorts, 1. Religious. 2. Political. Of the former I have a long Lift now lying before me, fome direct, or in Terms, others indirect, or confequential; on the clearing and reconciling of which, the Intereft and Credit of our Society greatly depends. And forafinuch as this cannot easily be done by the ordinary Rules of the vulgar Logic, we are therefore compelled to have recourse to such Ways and Means as the Favour of our Superiors, and the Powers to be conveyed to us, by our future Grant, or Patent, fhall allow. We humbly propose therefore, that in one Part of the Structure to be hereafter built for the Use of the Negative-Office, another Office fhall be erected by the Name of the Contradiction-Office,

under