To All Noble and Worthy Ladies
This present Description of a New World, was made as an appendix to my Observations Upon Experimental Philosophy; and, having some sympathy and coherence with each other, were joined together as two several worlds, at their two poles. But, by reason most ladies take no delight in philosophical arguments, I separated some from the mentioned Observations, and caused them to go out by themselves, that I might express my respects, in presenting to them such fancies as my contemplations did afford. The first part is romancical; the second, philosophical; and the third is merely fancy; or, (as I may call it) fantastical. And if (noble ladies) you should chance to take pleasure in reading these fancies, I shall account myself a happy creatoress: If not, I must be content to live a melancholy life in my own world; which I cannot call a poor world, if poverty be only want of gold, and jewels: for, there is more gold in it, than all the chemists ever made; or, (as I verily believe) will ever be able to make. As for the rocks of diamonds, I wish, with all my soul, they might be shared amongst my noble female friends; upon which condition, I would willingly quit my part: And of the gold, I should desire only so much as might suffice to repair my noble lord and husband’s losses: for, I am not covetous, but as ambitious as ever any of my sex was, is, or can be; which is the cause, that though I cannot be Henry the Fifth, or Charles the Second; yet, I will endeavour to be, Margaret the First: and, though I have neither power, time, nor occasion, to be a great conqueror, like Alexander, or Caesar; yet, rather than not be mistress of a world, since Fortune and the Fates would give me none, I have made one of my own. And thus, believing, or, at least, hoping, that no creature can, or will, envy me for this world of mine, I remain,