l8oo. Account of the Rev. Mr Dichfon. 441 



This they will find done to their hands by the author, who 

 has collefted, under proper heads, from the ancient writers, 

 whatever is material to the moderns \ has compared the fafts 

 and rules together, and has fet them in one view before his 

 readers, both in a Tranflation, and in the original Latin. 

 His perfe£l; knowledge of the fubjeft, has enabled him to clear 

 up many difficulties, which the learned commentators on the 

 Ret Rustics ScriptoreSi being entirely ignorant of hufbandry, 

 had rendered more obfcure ; while his ikill in modern agri- 

 culture enabled him to make a judicious comparifon between 

 that and the practice of the ancients. 



It appears from the author's preface, which follows, that 

 his work was ready for the prefs before his death j though, by 

 the copy of a letter in the editor's hands, ht had not then de- 

 termined whether he would treat with a bookfcller, or publiftx 

 it by fubfcription. But although the work was completed for 

 the prefs, the candid reader may probably find defeats and in- 

 accuracies in it, that would have been fupplied or corrected, 

 had the author lived to fuperintend the prefs. He will alfo 

 refieft, that the book was written fully twelve years ago, and 

 therefore will make an allowance for there being no notice 

 taken in it of improvements or difcoveries in hufbandry, that 

 may have been made fince that time. 



The manufcript was given to the e-ditor a few years ago, 

 by a daughter of the author's, who furyived him, with a recom- 

 mendation to do with it what he thought beft, for the memory 

 of her deceafed father, and his own friend. After revifing it 

 with care, the editor put it into the hands of the noble Lord 

 to v/hom it is infcribed •, with whofe approbation, and under 

 whofe patronage, he ventured to offer it to the public, in the 

 fhape in which it now appears, with little doubt of its meet- 

 ing with a favourable reception. 



^OR 



