Embellished with a number of PORTRAITS of the most diftinguished Printed and Published by Johnson & Stryker, AT THE LITERARY PRINTING-OFFICE No. 29 Gold-Street 1801. [COPY-RIGHT SECURED ACCORDING TO LAW.] AMONGST the various species of literary composition, there is, perhaps, none, which is more generally allowed to be productive of amusement and instruction, than BIOGRAPHY. The actions and characters of great men, naturally excite the most lively interest in the human mind; and, therefore, we cannot be indifferent respecting the memoirs of the lives of those excellent and eminent personages, who have been an ornament to the world, have enlightened it by literature and science, and by their virtues and abilities, have raised them, selves to the highest pitch of reputation and honour amongst mankind. The world has produced a great many men, distin, guished by elevated genius and exalted virtue, the perusal of whose atchievments and illustrious actions, must have a natural tendency to excite in us a gene rous emulation, and to animate us to the most worthy and laudable pursuits. The statesman may be expected to aspire after a greater degree of political knowledge, and to investigate the means of promoting, in the best manner, the interest of the state over which he is appointed to preside, by the examples, of a Walsingham, a Burleigh, a Chatham, a Hancock, a Franklin, &c. The soldier and the seaman, may be animated to the pursuit of military honours, by the heroic actions of a Blake, a Du Quesne, a Howe, a Marlborough, a Green, a Montgomery, a Mercer, a Warren, a Wayne, &c. |