Courteous Reader, I might in this place attempt to gain thy Favour, by declaring that I write Almanacks with no other View than that of the publick Good; but in this I should not be sincere; and Men are now a days too wise to be deceiv'd by Pretences how specious foever. The plain Truth of the Matter is, I am excessive ppor, and my Wife, good Woman, is, I tell her, excessive proud; she cannot bear, she says, to sit Spinning in her Shift of Tow, while I do nothing but gaze at the Stars and has threatned more than once to burn all my Books and Rattling-Traps (as she calls my Instruments) if I do not make some profitable Use of them for the good of my Family. The Printer has offer'd me some considerable share of the Profits, and I have thus begun to comply with my Dame's desire. Indeed this M