THE AN EACHE R, 
He Defign of making a Colleétion of the Ancient Monu- 
ments , of the Umited Provinces , Having been formed by 
fome Lovers of Art, We made ufe of the Draughts of the 
greateft Mafters of old, that We could find in the Cabinets of 
the virtuofos ; and becaufe thofe Draughts were of no ufe but to 
the Poffeflors of them, we got them to be ingraved , to Impart 
them tho the Publick. - 
To Compleat our Colleétion as much as Poflible , We Went 
in to the Places Where the. Moft valuable views and Monu- 
ments might be feen , whofe Draughts were Wanting, to Draw 
them d'apres nature. 
We don’t Doubt but this Project fhall be favourably Ac- 
cepted by all the Lovers of Art, and Particularly by the In- 
habitants of thefe Provinces , which are naturally Inclined to 
Acquire an Exact knowledge of the Ancient Monuments that 
formerly Were, or are to be found at prefent, in their 
Country. 
The greateft part of thofe monuments have been deftroy’d 
by the Length of time, or by fome Accidents; Others are no 
More to be feen, but in their own Ruins; And at laft fome 
of them have been fo much altered , that they are quite diffe- 
rent from what they Were of old. So That the reprefenting 
of all thofe Monuments as they Were formerly , cannot Want 
a fayourable acceptance. 
Of all thofe Monuments, that we have reprefented in this 
Colletion , very few of them had been before this Time, 
rene