Xll 



PKEFACE. 



engage the larp:est siiare of the author's attention. 

 The reason of this is obvious ; he is best acquaint- 

 od with such writers; and, from his ignorance 

 of most of the languages of the continent of 

 li,urope, he has probably failed of mentioning 

 many works quite as worthy of respectful notice 

 as otiiers on which he has bestowed liigh praise. 

 Perhaps a still more formal apology will be deemed 

 necessary for the disposition to introduce Ameri- 

 (Mn writers and publications, even of moderate 

 character, which he has so frequently discovered. 

 Eut, beside indulging a natural partiality for his 

 o>\n country, which is at least pardonable, he 

 was desirous of collecting and exhibiting as much 

 information on the subject of American literature 

 as the nature of his undertaking admitted. And 

 as no 'attempt to give a general historical view 

 of this subject has evcT been before made; as a 

 considerable portion even of the humble and 

 meagre records from wliich he has drawn his ma- 

 terials, arc daily perishing; and as peculiar cir- 

 cumstances sometimes give to literary characters 

 and events a relative importance, beyond their 

 absolute value, he thought it advisable to take 

 notice of more obscure names, and of smaller 

 publications, than could with propriety have been 

 mentioned in countries of a more mature literary 

 character. Perhaps, however, in his zeal to collect 

 every thing he could find on this subject, he has 

 sometimes descended too low. 



Should any reader be offended by the language 

 of paiKigyric, m liich is frequently bestowed on the 

 intillectuid and scientific endowments of some 



