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PRINTED AT BOSTON,

BY P. EDES FOR THOMAS & ANDREWS,

FAUST'S STATUE, No. 45, Newbury-Street.

MDCCXCII :

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THE

PREFACE.

HE following Effays have already appeared at different times, and in different publications. The phamphlets in which they were inferted being generally anfuccefsiul, thefe thared the conimon fate, without affifting the bookseller's aims, or extending the writer's reputation. The public was too strenuously employed with their own follies, to be affiduous in eftimating mine; to that many of my belt attempts in this way, have fallen victims to the tranfient topics of the times, the Ghoft in Cock-lane, or the Siege of Ticord.roga.

But though they have paffed pretty filently in the world, I can by no means complain of their circulation. The magazines and papers of the day have, indeed, been liberal enough in this refpect. Most of thefe Effays have been regularly reprinted two or three times a year, and conveyed to the public through the channel of tome engaging compilation. If there be a pride in multiplied editions, I have feen toine of my labours fixteen times reprinted, and claimed by different parents as their own. I have feen them flourished at the beginning with praise, and figned at the end with the names of Philantos, Philalethes, Philaleutheros, and Philan thropos. The gentlemen have kindly stood fponfors to my productions, and to flatter me more, have always paffed them as their

own..

It is time, however, at laf, to vindicate my claims ; and as these entertainers of the public, as they call themselves, have partly lived upon me for fome years, let me now try if I cannot live a little upon myfelf. I would defire, in this cafe, to imitate that fat man whom I have fomewhere heard of in a shipwreck, who, when the failors, preft by famine, were taking flices from his pofteriors to fatisfy their hunger, infifted with great juftice on having the first

cut for himself.

Yet, after all, I cannot be angry with any who take it into their heads to think that whatever I write is worth reprinting, particularly when I confider how great a najority will think it fearce worth reading. Trifling and fuperficial, are terms of reproach that are easily objected, and that carry an air of penetration in the obferver. Thele faults have been objected to the following Effays; and it must be owned, in fome measure, that the charge is true However, I could have made them more metaphyfical, bad I thought fit; but I would afk, whether, in a short essay, it is not neceffary to be fuperficial? Before we have prepared to enter into the depths of a fubject, in the usual forms, we have got to the bottom of our leanty page, and thus lole the honours of a victory by too tedious a preparation for the combat.

The There

.

"There is another fault in this collection of trifles, which I fear will not be so easily pardoned. It will be alledged, that the humour of them (if any be found) is tale and hickneyed. This may be true enough, as matters now stand; but I may with great truth affert, that the humour was new when I wrote it. Since that time, indeed, many of the topics which were first started here, have heen hunted down, and many of the thoughts blown upon. In fact, thefe Elfays were confidered as quietly laid in the grave of oblivion; and our modern compilers, like fextons and executioners, think it their undoubted right to pillage the dead.

However, whatever right I have to complain of the public, they can, as yet, have no jutt reason to complain of me. If I have written dull Effays, they have hitherto treated them as dull Effays. Thus far we are at leaft upon a par; and until they think fit to make me their humble debtor by praife, I am refolved not to lose a single inch for my felf importance. Instead, therefore, of attempting to establish credit amongst them, it will perhaps be, wifer to apply to fome more diftant correfpondent; and as my drafts are in fome danger of being protested at home, it may not be imprudent, upon this occafion, to draw my bills upon posterity. "Mr. Pofterity-Sir, nine hundred and ninety-nine "years after fight hereof, pay the beater, or order, a thousand “pounds worth of praife, free from all deductions whatsoever, it "being a commodity that will then be very serviceable to him, "and place it to the account of, &c.

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