( xiii ) 



PREFACE 



TO 



THE SECOND EDITION. 



When the first Edition of this work appeared in 

 print, it became certainly at once a candidate for 

 public favour, and an object of professional 

 criticism. Its reception in the former character 

 has been to me honourable and gratifying in the 

 extreme* ; and had Criticism exercised its talent 

 with personal candour and liberality, its remarks 

 on points of practice or hypothesis should have 

 met with respect and attention from me ; even 

 though they had shown my positions to be errone- 

 ous ; but its utmost severity would not have 

 extorted a word of complaint. Nor shall I now 

 trespass longer on the time or patience of the 



* An impression of 1500 copies, in 4to, having been sold 

 little more than eight months. 



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