Some Memoirs of the Life of Job

Introduction

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(9)

SOME

MEMOIRS

OF THE

Life of JOB, &c.

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INTRODUCTION.

HAVING had occaſion to inform my ſelf of many conſiderable and curious Circumſtances of the Life of Job, the African Prieſt, in a more exact and particular Manner than the Generality of his Acquaintance in England could do; I was deſired by himſelf, a little before his Departure, to draw up an Account of him agreeable to (10) the Information he had given me at different Times, and to the Truth of the Facts, which I had either been a Witneſs to, or perſonally concerned in upon his Account. I have been ſolicited alſo by ſeveral Gentlemen, who were Benefactors to Job, to publiſh what I knew of him: And I am of opinion ſuch an Account is pretty generally wanted; at leaſt it cannot but be agreeable to thoſe Perſons, who were pleaſed to do kind Offices to this Stranger, merely from a Principle of Humanity, before any particular Account of him could be had. Therefore I have at length reſolved to communicate to the World ſuch Particulars of the Life and Character of this African Gentleman, as I think will be moſt uſeful and entertaining; intending to advance nothing as Fact, but what I either knew to be ſuch, or have had from Job's own Mouth, whoſe Veracity I have no reaſon to doubt of. (11)

Purſuant to this Reſolution, I ſhall not trouble my Reader with any very long and particular Detail of the Geography, Hiſtory, or Rarities of that Country of Africa which Job belongs to; nor ſhall I meddle any farther with theſe Matters, in the preſent Account, than to relate ſuch Obſervations concerning them, as Job himſelf made to me in Converſation; being either not generally known, or ſo curious as to bear a Repetition here, conſiſtently with the Deſign of theſe Memoirs. However, I ſhall endeavour to make the whole as agreeable as the Nature of the Subject, and the Limits of this Pamphlet will allow; and therefore, without any farther Preface, ſhall proceed to the Thing propoſ'd.