idler hours of a fortnight’s time:  for I can only esteem it a laborious idleness, which is Parent to so inconsiderable a Birth.  I have gratified the Bookseller in pretending an occasion for a Preface; the other two Persons concern’d are the Reader and my self, and if he be but pleased with what was produced for that end, my satisfaction follows of course, since it will be proportion’d to his Approbation or Dislike.

Incognita: 
Or,
Love & Duty
Reconcil’d

Aurelian was the only Son to a Principal Gentleman of Florence.  The Indulgence of his Father prompted, and his Wealth enabled him, to bestow a generous Education upon him, whom, he now began to look upon as the Type of himself; an Impression he had made in the Gayety and Vigour of his Youth, before the Rust of Age had debilitated and obscur’d the Splendour of the Original:  He was sensible, That he ought not to be sparing in the Adornment of him, if he had Resolution to beautifie his own Memory.  Indeed Don Fabio (for so was the Old Gentleman call’d) has been observ’d to have fix’d his Eyes upon Aurelian, when much Company has been at Table, and have wept through Earnestness of Intention, if nothing hapned to divert the Object; whether it were for regret, at the Recollection of his former self, or for the Joy he conceiv’d in being, as it were, reviv’d in the Person of his Son, I never took upon me to enquire, but suppos’d it might be sometimes one, and sometimes both together.

Aurelian, at the Age of Eighteen Years, wanted nothing (but a Beard) that the most accomplished Cavalier in Florence could pretend to:  he had been Educated from Twelve Years old at Siena, where it seems his Father kept a Receiver, having a large Income from the Rents of several Houses in that Town.  Don Fabio gave his Servant Orders, That Aurelian should not be stinted in his Expences, when he came up to Years of Discretion.  By which means he was enabled, not only to keep Company with, but also to confer many Obligations upon Strangers of Quality, and Gentlemen who travelled from other Countries into Italy, of which Siena never wanted store, being a Town most delightfully Situate, upon a Noble Hill, and very well suiting with Strangers at first, by reason of the agreeableness and purity of the Air:  There also is the quaintness and delicacy of the Italian Tongue most likely to be learned, there being many publick Professors of it in that place; and indeed the very Vulgar of Siena do express themselves with an easiness and sweetness surprizing, and even grateful to their Ears who understand not the Language.