A General Chronological History: Dedication

To

Dr. MEAD,

Physician to His Majesty, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians,

And of the Royal Society, London.

 

Sir,

I Should not have troubled the World with the following History of the Air, and of its Effects on Animal and Vegetable Bodies, if I had not hoped that it might prove in some Degree beneficial to Mankind.

Should the public Opinion, on a thorough Perusal and candid Judgment, differ from mine, I own it would be a severe Rebuke to my Vanity in becoming an Author, as well as to my Presumption in offering an useless Work to so good a Judge.

More infop. iv On the other hand, should the Execution be sound equal to the Design of my Performance, every one must unanimously applaud my Choice of a PatronA person who gives financial or other support to a client, person, organisation, or cause., so distinguished by his Abilities, and yet more by the Goodness of his Heart.

But whatever may be it's Fate, I flatter myself that you, Sir, will chiefly consider it's Intention ; and, since that, is apparently good, accept of this Address as a faint Mark of that high Esteem and Respect with which your great Talents and amiable Qualities have made me, among many others,

Sir,

Your most Obedient and most Humble Servant.

Fact of the Day

When Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa laid siege to the Italian city of Crema, he allegedly let his troops play football with the severed heads of his captives.

Quote of the Day

"I fear the Greeks, even those bearing gifts. "
~ Virgil

On This Day

1579 Thomas Gresham, merchant, financier, and founder of the Royal Exchange, died suddenly, apparently of apoplexy. He bequeathed his estate, after the death of his wife, to the Corporation of London and the Mercers' Company to set up a college to provide free lectures to the public; Gresham College thus became London's first institution of higher education.
1916 The hospital ship Britannic, sister-ship of Titanic, hit a mine and sank, killing 30.
1918 Ten days after the Armistice, the German navy surrendered to the British in the Firth of Forth. 
1920 The assassinations of British intelligence officers ordered by Michael Collins in the Irish War of Independence led to thirty-one dead (from both sides) in what became known as 'Bloody Sunday'.
1974 21 people were killed and 182 injured when bombs exploded in two Birmingham pubs. The IRA was probably responsible, but the real culprits have never been found. The Birmingham Six, originally convicted of the bombings, were released because of dodgy police practices.
1981 The proceedings of the House of Commons were televised live for the first time.