PART II. 



PREFACE. 



I TOO often find myself in situations in which I feel 

 it to be necessary to make apologies for delays and 

 irregularities in the publication of my writings. This 

 second part of my tenth Essay was announced in the 

 beginning of the year 1800; and it ought certainly 

 to have made its appearance long ago, but a variety 

 of circumstances has conspired to retard its publi- 

 cation. 



During several months, almost the whole of my time 

 was taken up with the business of the Royal Institution ; 

 and those who are acquainted with the nature and objects 

 of that noble establishment will, no doubt, think that I 

 judged wisely in preferring its interests to every other 

 concern. For my own part, I certainly consider it as 

 being by far the most useful, and consequently the most 

 important, undertaking in which I was ever engaged, 

 and of course I feel deeply interested in its success. 

 The distinguished patronage and liberal support it has 

 already received afford good ground to hope that it 

 will continue to prosper, and be a lasting monument of 

 the liberality and enterprising spirit of an enlightened 

 nation. 



It is certainly a proud circumstance for this country 

 that in times like the present, and under the accumu- 

 lated pressure of a long and expensive war, individuals 



