INTRODUCTION. I xr 



ance, concluded her at laft, in very early life, to her 

 grave *. 



The love of folitude is the conflant follower of affliction ; 

 this again naturally turns an inftrueted mind to ftudy. My 

 friends unanimoufly afTailed me in the part mofl acceffible 

 when the fpirits are weak, which is vanity. They repre- 

 fented to me how ignoble it was, after all my dangers and 

 difficulties were over, to be conquered by a misfortune inci- 

 dent to all men, the indulging of which was unreafonable 

 in itfelf, fruitlefs in its confequences,and fo unlike the ex- 

 pectation I had given my country, by the firmnefs and in- 

 trepidity of my former character and behaviour. Among 

 thefe, the principal and moil urgent was a gentleman well 

 known to the literary world, in which he holds a rank near- 

 ly as diftinguiflied as that to which his virtues entitle him 

 in civil life ; this v/as the H on. Daines Barrington, whofe 

 friendfhip, valuable on every account, had this additional 

 merit, that it had exifted uninterrupted fince the days we 

 were at fchool. It is to this gentleman's perfuafions, affifl- 

 ance, protection, and friendfhip, that the world owes this 

 publication, if indeed there is any merit in it ; at leaft, 

 they are certainly indebted to him for the opportunity of 

 judging whether there is any merit in it or not. 



No great time has paned fince the work was in hand. 



The materials collected upon the fpot were very full, and 



feldom deferred to be fet down beyond the day wherein 



the events defcribed happened, but oftner, when fpeeches 



Vol. I. i and 



* Mrs Bruce died in 1784. 



