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PREFACE, 



X O the feveral advantages which Europe has within 

 thefe latter centuries experienced from the cultivation 

 of Icience and polite literature, this kingdom unfortu- 

 nately has remained in a great meafure a ftranger. As 

 no Irifhman's partiality will deny this, fo no man's 

 prejudice fhould be fuffered to make it an occafion of 

 illiberal imputation on the capacity of Irifhmen, while 

 in the jflate of the country fo many local peculiarities 

 may be found fully fuiHcient to account for it. The 

 important changes which took place in the government 

 upon the invafion by Henry the Second were not carried 

 on with fo little difturbance, as to permit the nation to 

 apply itfelf immediately to the peaceful employments of 

 literary enquiry : nor could it reafonably be prefumed, 

 that two clafTes of inhabitants entirely diffimilar in their 

 inclinations and habits, and afterwards more widely 

 feparated by a difference in religion, fhould be readily 



B prevailed 



