While developing e-books for WORDsearch, my friend Curt will occasionally send me amusing snippets that he comes across. This one, written in 1658, cracked me up. Please note that I had to abbreviate it to get it to a length I thought people might read:
“Upon this occasion was I prevailed with to publish this late piece, wherein I have purposely used a homely and plain style, lest otherwise–though, when I have stretched myself to the utmost, I am below the judicious and more understanding–I should be above the reach of the rude and ignorant, whose advantage I have mainly, if not only, consulted. I have, likewise, studied brevity in everything, so far as I conceived it to be consistent with plainness and perspicuity; knowing that the persons to whom I address myself herein, have neither much money to spend upon books, nor much time to spare in reading.”
(from The Christian’s Great Interest, by William Guthrie)