’ 
PRE ACE 
ee 
THE Editor of the Annual Review cannot allow the second 
volume to appear before the Public without acknowledging; in 
his own name and that of the Proprietors, the grateful sense 
entertained by them, of the encouragement which has hitherto 
attended their undertaking. Animated by the testimonies of 
approbation that have been received from various quarters, and 
by the extensive circulation of their first volume, they have 
used every exertion to render the present not unworthy of the 
public patronage. Its literary merit must be wholly appre- 
ciated by the reader; for, on this head the Editor feels it his 
jduty to be silent. He may be allowed, however, to ‘remark, 
jthat a considerable advantage has been gained with respect to 
\the time of publication, not more than eight months and_a 
{half having elapsed since the appearance of the first volume ; 
jand it is hoped that, in future,. his annual labours will ter- 
jminate by the latter end of March. In addition to the 
jobvious advantages of an arranged over a miscellaneous His- 
tory of Literature, it has been almost unexpectedly discovered, 
hat eyen in priority of notice the Annual Review has an ad- 
antage over any monthly one ; out of nearly Five Hundred 
tticles, which compose the present volume, not one-third 
fave made their appearance in any other Review of Books. 
