C THE MISCELLANEOUS WORK S O F DR GOLDSMITH, CONTAINING ALL HIS ESSAYS AND POEMS. LONDON: PRINTED FOR W. GRIFFIN, AT GARRICK'S-HEAD, IN M, DCC, LXXVIII, PREFACE. THE HE following Effays have already appeared at different times, and in different publications. The pamphlets in which they were inferted being generally unfuccefsful, thefe fhared the common fate, without affifting the bookfeller's aims, or extending the writer's reputation. The public was too ftrenuously employed with their own follies; to be affiduous in eftimating mine, fo that many of my best attempts in this way, have fallen victims to the tranfient topic of the times; the Ghost in Cock-lane, or the fiege of Ticonderago. Bur though they have past 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 respect.. Moft of thefe Effays have been regularly reprinted twice or thrice a year, and conveyed to the public through the kennel of fome engaging compilation. If there be a pride in multiplied editions, I have feen fome of my labours fixteen times reprinted, and claimed by different parents as their own. I have feen them flourished at the beginning with praife, and figned at the end with the names of Philantos, Philalethes, Philaleutheros, and Philanthropos. Thefe gentlemen have kindly flood fponfors to my productions, and to flatter me more, have always paft them as their own. |