The secret to managing is to keep the ones who hate you away from the ones who are undecided

"And truly, had not the duty I owe unto the importunity of friends, and the allegiance I must ever acknowledge unto truth, prevailed with me, the inactivity of my disposition might have made these sufferings continual, and time, that brings other things to light, should have satisfied me in the remedy of its oblivion.  But because things evidently false are not onely printed, but many things of truth most falsely set forth, in this latter I could not but think my self engaged : for, though we have no power to redress the former, yet in the other the reparation being within our selves, I have at present represented unto the world a full and intended Copy of that Piece, which was most imperfectly and surreptitiously published before.  This, I confess, about seven years past, with some others of affinity thereto, for my private exercise and satisfaction, I had at leisurable hours composed ; which being communicated unto one, it became common unto many, and was by Transcription successively corrupted, until it arrived in a most depraved Copy at the Press.  Any that shall peruse that work, and shall take notice of sundry particularities and personal expressions therein, will easily discern the intention was not publick ; and, being a private Exercise directed to my self, what is delivered therein, was rather a memorial unto me, than an Example or Rule unto any other ; and therefore, if there be any singularity therein correspondent unto the private conceptions of any human, it doth not acknowledge them ; or if dissentaneous thereunto, it no way overthrows them.  It was penned in such a place, and with such disadvantage, that, (I protest,) from the first setting of pen unto paper, I had not the assistance of any good Book whereby to promote my invention or relieve my memory ; and therefore there might be many real lapses therein, which others might take notice of, and more than I suspected my self.  It was set down many years past, and was the sense of my conceptions at that time, not an immutable Law unto my advancing judgement at all times ; and therefore there might be many things therein plausible unto my passed apprehension, which are not agreeable unto my present self.  There are many things delivered Rhetorically, many expressions therein meerly Tropical, and as they best illustrate my intention ; and therefore also there are many things to be taken in a soft and flexible sense, and not to be called unto the rigid test of Reason.  Lastly, all that is contained therein is in submission unto maturer discernments ; and, as I have declared, shall no further father them than the best and learned judgments shall authorize them : under favour of which considerations I have made its secrecy publick, and committed the truth thereof to every Ingenuous Reader."