S OBSERVATIONS. 



ftand in compels me to proceed to a thorough 

 explanation, feeling myfelf pledged by a pub- 

 lic promife not only to inve/iigate^ tnake clear ^ 

 and endeavour to explode^ the cruelties of an- 

 cient pradlice, but to point out the equal dan- 

 ger of modern cofupofition even in its infancy ; 

 more particularly when uihered into the 

 world by fuch high founding authority as 

 may give it temporary weight with unthink- 

 ing injudicious readers, or experimental ad- 

 venturers. 



Previous to farther animadverfion upon the 

 elaborate periodical work in queftion, I fhall, 

 without the leaft intentional gratification of my 

 own vanity, offer to the prefent reader one 

 congratulatory fadl beyond the power of 

 fophijlry to confute, or criticijm to condemn, 

 Amidft the paltry produ^ions that have been 

 obtruded upon the public under various titles, 

 (thofe fervile imitations or wretched mutila- 

 tions of what had gone before) it is a moil 

 flattering circumftance to the author, and no 

 indifferent confolation to the publifher, that 

 this 'work will ever fupport itfelf upon the bafis 

 pf its own origin. The great fuccefs and rapid 

 circulation of the former editions have totally 



exculpated 



