220 EXERCISE. 



rieties to pafs current upon the public, with- 

 out obtruding a few words to elucidate, or 

 rather expof^ the myllery. 



To eflabhfli the credit and juftify the re- 

 putation of the *' Stable Directory/' as well 

 i^s to obtain the approbation of thofe who at 

 no time condemn without infpedtion, or ap- 

 plaud without reafon ; I have never advanced 

 /^n opinioft, or reported a fa^, but what 

 has been founded upon principles of in- 

 controvertible information or acknowledged 

 utility. It has been my invariable fludy to 

 enlighten, not to perplex j what has been 

 too much the fyilem of other writers upon 

 limilar fubjedls, may be more properly col- 

 lefted from a revifion of their productions, 

 than the pen of a competitor. But I will 

 venture to afiirm, if any part of my obfcr- 

 vations had contained {q many abfurd con- 

 trarieties, or tedious and inapplicable digref- 

 lions, as the elabonite volumes of Bracken" ; 

 the ienih edition of tlie former volume, or 

 the title-page of the fecond, could never have 

 3)iet the light, in the prelbnt enlightened fcene 

 of cquellrian iiKuiiry and literary in^ prove-? 



ment. 



