V. Concerning Holland and the rest of the Seven United Provinces.
TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY
Sir,
Your Majesty having graciously accepted my two late essays, about
the cities and hospitals of London and Paris, as also my
observations on Rome and Rouen; I do (after six months' waiting for
what may be said against my several doctrines by the able men of
Europe) humbly present your Majesty with a few other papers upon the
same subject, to strengthen, explain, and enlarge the former; hoping
by such real arguments, better to praise and magnify your Majesty,
than by any other the most specious words and eulogies that can be
imagined by
Your Majesty's
Most humble, loyal
And obedient subject,
WILLIAM PETTY.
THE FIRST ESSAY.
It could not be expected that an assertion of London's being bigger
than Paris and Rouen, or than Paris and Rome put together, and
bigger than any city of the world, should escape uncontradicted; and
'tis also expected that I (if continuing in the same persuasion),
should make some reply to those contradictions. In order whereunto,
I begin with the ingenious author of the "Republique des Lettres,"
who saith that Rey in Persia is far bigger than London, for that in
the sixth century of Christianity (I suppose, A.D. 550 the middle of
that century), it had 15,000, or rather 44,000 mosques or Mahometan
temples; to which I reply, that I hope this objector is but in jest,
for that Mahomet was not born till about the year 570, and had no
mosques till about 50 years after.
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