TREATISE Concerning the STATE of Departed SOULS, Before, and At, and After the RESURRECTION. Written originally in Latin by the late Rev. Translated into English by Mr. DENNIS. The SECOND EDITION, Corrected. LONDON: Printed for A. BETTESWORTH and C. HITCH, (M.DCC.XXXIX.) To the HONOURABLE Colonel BLADEN, One of the Lords Commiffioners of Trade and Plantations. SIR, THINK myself obliged to embrace this first Opportunity of returning my hum ble Thanks to You in this publick Manner, for the Honour which you lately did me, and the the Favour which I received from You; a Favour attended with fo many engaging Circumstances, that I know not which of them render'd it most agreeable to me: For it was not only done to one, who was so entirely a Stranger to all of You, but Your Character, and Your Writings, that I whom Time and Fortune have deprived of Sight, unless the Object is very near to me, never had the Honour and Pleasure of feeing You: But it was done at the most seasonable Juncture, and in fo handsome and graceful a Manner, as gave me the Pleasure of thinking, that some Things which I had published had not been disagreeable to You, but had gain'd me fome little Share in the Efteem of a Gentleman whom every one efteems, whose Merit has fhone confpicuously out, both in the Camp, and in the Repub lick of Letters; in the Council of Trade, and in the great Council of the Nation; who appear'd able to make Cæfar speak like Cæfar, speak in English with that Spirit with which he conquered France, with which his own Victories were so nobly recorded by him. HE who has uncommon Merit himself, is alone capable of discerning and regarding it in others; and he, if he had Power equal to his Will, would, by the Encouragement which he would give to them, revive those beautiful and noble Arts, which now feem loft and dead to us. For he who in fo obliging a Manner has made his Favour defcend to me, what would he not do for more deferving Lovers of the Mufes? But though, SIR, Your Power were equal to Your |