advancement of any kind of knowledge. (13*) I am very sensible that 

 proper Icons are of very great service to illustrate a Work of this nature ; 

 but this piece being in its kind new, and not being able to guess at 

 what reception it may meet with from the World ; I knew the expenses 

 of exact cuts would swell the price too high for many that may have a 

 mind to purchase this Work ; and on the contrary, that if they are not 

 delineated with the utmost accuracy according to their various charac- 

 teristicks, they only puzzle the mind, and render the description of them 

 more obscure ; and, therefore, I chose rather to have none, than bad ones. 



14. — In the sequel of this Work, I have endeavoured as near as possible 

 to give exact criterions for the knowledge of each distinct species; and 

 being aware that bare descriptions are often tedious and irksome, I have 

 sometimes endeavoured to relax the mind by throwing in some diverting 

 parts of history, which though not altogether necessary to the main pur- 

 port of the Treatise, will I hope answer the end for which they were 

 designed. 



15. — Being well assured that this book will fall into the hands of many 

 of the illiterate part of mankind, who are altogether ignorant of the terms 

 of Art, and even in the meaning of many words of more frequent use 

 among the politer part ; I have for the sake of such added an Alphabetical 

 Explanation of the less common words made use of in this Treatise. 



16. — So hoping it will have the desired effect, of pushing on some abler 

 Pen, I commit it at once to the candid censure of Mankind. 



Work, and Works of prior date ; if Mr. Moore- bad seen some of the Works recently 

 published he would have thought it a burlesque upon Pigeons. 



(Eaton.) — Mr. Mooee, in the same Paragraph, states, " Not being insensible that 

 I shall leave much room for others to make great improvements." Query ? I very 

 much doubt whether any Fancier could surpass his Observations and Reflections ; if a 

 Fancier could not accomplish it, no other Writer could ; with regard to others follow- 

 ing in the tract, which he says " I have only pointed out to them ;" from whatever 

 cause very few have followed him, although mauy have promised. If it were possible 

 for Mr. MoOEE to have seen the progress, that Authors and Pigeon Fanciers, have 

 made after One Hundred and Twenty-three Years, he would not have had occasion to 

 hope, the Learned World knew how to make allowances for a first attempt in any 

 kind of knowledge. 



13* (Eaton.) — Moreover, he is fully convinced " that proper Icons are of very great 

 service to illustrate a work of this nature," &c. It is my intention to illustrate this 

 Work with the best engraved coloured portraits of Fancy Pigeons, as encouraged by 

 the acknowledged best Fanciers, that ever lived. It will be seen they have never been 

 surpassed. Mr. MooEE observes, " the Work being New, and not knowing whether it 

 would be attended with profit or loss," — that appears to me to be the tnie reading of 

 it — ^besides swelling the price too high for many, he abandoned having Portraits rather 

 than bad ones, which shewed his good sense. I only wish it were possible he could 

 witness the Icons, as he called them, that wiU accompany this Work ; it is possible, 

 provided we could find, and place the engravings that will accompany this work over, 

 liis grave, like the ''Tally Ho" over Tom Moody's grave, that he is fairly ran down. 



14. (EATON.)--It is certain Mr. Moore must have been a rare Fancier, or he never 

 cotJd have defined'!^ e different species, their properties, and markings, so true as he has 

 done, unless he hatd'^been a great Observer and Reflector. 



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