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become British writers treating of the imterests of 
their country, and addressing themselves to British 
~ 
readers. 
We trust, also, that, in the o-her departments of 
this work, our desire to deserve the public patronage 
will be found to have excited us to such endeavours, 
as are not wholly unworthy of it. The value of 
our literary extracts, must, of necessity, depend in 
some degree on the character and merit of the se- 
veral publications, to which the year may have given 
birth: yet, few indeed are the works which may not, 
by judicious selection, afford materials both for the 
entertainment and instruction of the readers of a mis- 
cellany such as this: and whatever discredit the con- 
fession may reflect upon our own labours, we do not 
hesitate to declare, that, far from experiencing any 
deficiency in this respect, we believe and hope, that 
the state of literature, both in its useful and its orna- 
* mental branches, is daily improving in every part of 
this United Kingdom. 
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