iv DEDICATION. 



Commonly the delign of an au- 

 thor, in his dedication, is to exhibit 

 to the world a flattering portrait of 

 his patron : a cuftom proceeding pro- 

 bably from a perfuafion, that man- 

 kind in general are delighted with 

 praife, and not offended by adulation ; 

 or from a fuppofition, that the virtues, 

 real or imaginary, of the perfonage, 

 under whofe aufpices the author ap- 

 pears, will reflect fome luftre on him- 

 felf. Whatfoever may be his motive, 

 he is certainly miftaken in the efiedt ; 

 by afcribing fuch fuperlative excel- 

 lence to humanity, he exceeds the li- 

 mits of human nature, and, inftead 

 of a juft refemblance, prefents us with 

 a perfeSi monfter. The natural con- 

 fequence, however, of this prevalent 

 custom is, that mankind are taught to 



regard 



