preferrableness

preferrableness (uncountable)

1. Alternative form of preferableness
   • 1675, Robert Boyle, Experiments, Notes, &c. about the Mechanical Origine or Production of Divers Particular Qualities: Among Which Is Inserted a Discourse of the Imperfection of the Chymist’s Doctrine of Qualities; Together with Some Reflections upon the Hypothesis of Alcali and Acidum, London: E. Flesher, for R. Davis, page 16:

     And for this Reason I have ſet down among the Inſtances belonging to particular Qualities ſome ſuch Experiments and Obſervations, as we are now ſpeaking of, ſince, although they be not direct proofs of the preferrableneſs of our Doctrine, yet they may ſerve for Confirmation of it;

   • 1701, J. H., An Argument Proving That It Is More the Interest of the Government and Nation of England, That the Forfeited Estates in Ireland Be Purchased by an Incorporated Company, than by Single Purchasers, London, pages 1–2:

     AN ARGUMENT / For the Preferrableneſs of a Company to Single Purchaſers, in Diſpoſing of the Iriſh Forfeitures, with regard to Publick Benefit. […] The very common Notion, which all Men have, of the Preferrableneſs of Freedom to Reſtraint in Point of Dignity doth make this certain.

   • 1703, The Source of Our Present Fears Discover’d: or, Plain Proof of Some Late Designs Against Our Present Constitution and Government, London: J. Nutt, page 57:

     The drift of all his Reaſonings (if the Logicians will forgive me for calling Abſurdities ſo) is to ſhew the Preferrableneſs of a Government, by one or a few Perſons, to a Government by many;

   • 1726, Samuel Willard, A Compleat Body of Divinity in Two Hundred and Fifty Expository Lectures on the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism, Boston, Mass.: B. Green and S. Kneeland for B. Eliot and D. Henchman, page 659, column 1:

     Now, this Life is the Man’s firſt and moſt weighty Concern to ſeek the ſecuring and advancing of; as will be evident from the Preferrableneſs of it before the other, Matth. 16. 26.

   • 1727, James Peirce, A Paraphrase and Notes, on the Epistle to the Hebrews, London: J. Noon, ; and J. Chandler, , page 21:

     There is no room to doubt of the goodneſs of this tranſlation, and its preferrableneſs to that of our margin;

   • 1747, Henry Knight, The Being and Attributes of God Demonstrated, in a Method Intirely New, yet Easy to Be Understood by Even the Unlearned: or, An Essay Concerning God, in Four Parts, London: J. Noon, ; J. Waugh, ; J. Highmore, ; and R. Baldwin, Jun. , page 6:

     There is not the leaſt doubt of the preferrableneſs of true theology to every atheiſtic ſcheme, antient or modern, as Epicurus himſelf owns (b);