ADVERTISEMENT. 



\Yhile the Editor contemplated this under- 

 taking at a d'l/lance^ he perceived difficuhies ; but 

 they were difficulties of fuch a fort, as only tend- 

 ed to roufe the mind, and make it aft with greater 

 energy and vigour : As the time of publication 

 drew nearer, however, difficulties of another fort 

 occurred, which have only excited anxiety and 

 perplexing doubts, that tend to enervate and to 

 freeze the mental faculties. The many obliging 

 letters he has received from perfons of diftin- 

 gulfhed eminence in all quarters, while they 

 claim his moft grateful acknowledgments to their 

 refpedlive writers, have made a deep and melan- 

 choly impreffion on his mind, which it will be dif- 

 ficult to efface : for though he is willing to af- 

 cribe no fmall fhare of the obliging things 

 that there occur, to that complimentary polite- 

 ntk every one thinks it neceffary to affume on 

 occafions of this fort ; yet their general tenor 

 is fo ftrong and fo uniform, as to leave him no 

 room to doubt that the public hath, in general, 

 formed an eftimate of his abilities infinitely more 

 favourable than they deferve. Confcious as he 

 himfelf is, that the only claim he can juftly lay 



