;3 4? On th^Moia I In^'iencc of His ton/. 



;and ytjt feVv, if any, better i§pecimens of human 

 jcbavacters are exhibited, must have a sitror% 

 'tendency to corrupt the heart of the reader ; to 

 chill all the warm affections of his innocent 

 youth, to induce a cold,. Illiberal and misan- 

 thropic spirit, or, as if alhi^esistance to the ge- 

 ;neral current, were impotent, to: reconcile' jhim 

 to a partnership in the selfishness and depravity 

 of man. , For, as the reader becomes- more and 

 -more conversant with, the continued tale of 

 human folly and wickedj.aiessj his estimati^ii of 

 his spegies must be lowered, and his huniane 

 and ben;evolent priiiciple^ impaired.- ..jlt';r^r 

 quires indeed a strong mi'nd, and standing^ipon 

 strong principles, such as the world will not 

 teach him, to resist this^ most malignant qf all 

 impressions. Now and then iqdeed, it must be 

 allowed that some characters arise, such "as 

 Alfred. — rr-What ! does history pause at th^ 

 mention of this single name, and in her length- 

 ened catalogue of kings and legislators and 

 boasted heroes, has she no fellow worthy to 

 place beside thee ? Then stand alone, thou 

 glory of the British isle, and be thou alone, 

 that verdant spot in the wide waste of an 

 Arabian desert, on ^^hich the wearied and 

 disgusted eye, can gaze with delight ; and at 

 the mention of thy name may the heart be 

 warmed anew, and re-excited tQ every virtuous 



