The Commonwealth of Oceana

Summary

Tantalus a labris sitiens fugientia captat

Flumina: quid rides? mutato nomine, de te

Fabula narratur.

Horace

Dedicated to His Highness

The LORD PROTECTOR of The Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland

By JAMES HARRINGTON

[This title page is a composite. Two editions appeared simultaneously in 1656, one bearing the name of Livewell Chapman as bookseller, the other that of Daniel Pakeman (referred to in notes as ‘C’ and ‘T’). In both editions, there is a first title page consisting of the title, the lines from Horace, the name of the bookseller and (in ‘Chapman’) the printer; and (in both) a second title page, repeating the title and adding the dedication.]

Epistle to the Reader

Sir,

If this writing be not acceptable, here is already enough, and too much of it; but if it be, it is but a rough draft, for I have not been yet two years about it, nor ever saw all or half my papers together. And now, in the bringing them to light, they have been dispersed into three presses where, because I could not be present at them all, I was present at none, by which means the weakness of my performance hath been so strangely managed for the worse, that I am quite out of countenance at my work, which, the ensuing errors mended, will not be perfect, but not mended, is not to be understood.