We have had the History of Æsop so many times over and over, as Sir Roger Lestrange observes, and dress’d up so many several Ways, that it would be but Labour lost to multiply unprofitable Conjectures upon a Tradition of so great Uncertainty.Writers are divided about him, almost to all manner of Purposes; and particularly concerning the Authority even of the greater Part of those Compositions that pass the World in his Name: For the Story is come down to us so dark and doubtful, that it is impossible to distinguish the Original from the Copy; and to say which of the Fables are Æsop’s, and which not; which are genuine, and which are spurious; beside, that there are divers Inconsistencies upon the Point of Chronology, in the Account of his Life, (as Maximus Planudes and others have deliver’d it) which can never be reconciled.

This is enough in all Conscience to excuse any Man, says Sir Roger, from laying over-much Stress upon the historical Credit of a Relation that comes so blindly and so variously transmitted to us; over and above, that it is not one Jot to our Business (further than to gratify an idle Curiosity) whether the Fact be true or false; whether the Man was strait or crooked; and his Name Æsop, or (as some will have it) Lochman: In all which Cases the Reader is left at Liberty to believe his Pleasure. This Uncertainty at first inclined us to avoid entring into the Life of Æsop, which we find mingled with so many trifling Circumstances, and subject to so great Confusion: But our Booksellers acquainting us, that something of this kind would be very acceptable to the Generality of Readers, and that those Editions had been most inquired after, which contained the Life of this excellent Person; in Compliance with their Request, we will give a brief Summary of it, as we find it collected by the celebrated Sir Roger Lestrange, omitting however such Parts of it, as seem either trivial or improbable.