INTRODUCTION. & 



fine, for whom only it is worth while to travel or to write, fup- 

 poling (perhaps with fome degree of truth) that an undefcr- 

 ved and unexpected neglect and want of patronage had 

 been at leaft part of the caufe, adopted a manner, which, 

 being the moll liberal, they thought likely to fucceed : They 

 endeavoured to entice me by holding out a profpect of a 

 more generous difpofition in the minds of future miniflers, 

 when I fhould mew the .claim I had upon them by having 

 promoted the glory of the nation. Others, whom I mention 

 only for the fake of comparifon, below all notke on any 

 other ground, attempted to fucceed in this by anonymous 

 letters and paragraphs in the newfpapers ; and thereby ab- 

 furdly endeavoured to oblige me to publifh an account of 

 thofe travels, which they affected at the fame time to believe 

 I had never performed. 



But it is with very great pleafure and readinefs I do now 

 declare, that no fantaftical or deformed motive, no peevilh 

 difregard, much lefs contempt of the judgment of the 

 world, had any part in the delay which has happened to this 

 publication. 1 look upon their impatience to fee this work 

 as an earneit of their approbation of it, and a very great 

 honour done tome; and if I had Mill any motive to defer 

 fubmitting thefe obfervations to their judgment, it could 

 only be that I might employ that interval in poliihing and 

 making them more worthy of their perufal. The candid 

 and inftructcd public, the impartial and unprejudiced 

 foreigner, are tribunals merit mould naturally appeal to ; it 

 is there it always has found fure protection againfl the in- 

 fluence of cabals, and the virulent fh-okes of malice, envy, 

 •and ignorance. 



a 2 l x 



