The A U T H O RY PREFACE, m 



ong the lower clafs of people, deprives us of moft of thefe, for, 

 when they happen to catch a nfh of a flrange, lingular figure, 

 confequently the greater fiibjecl: of curioiity, they are fure imme- 

 diately to throw it over-board; to thofe of the monftrous fpecies 

 the peafants give the general appellation of trold, devil, or trold- 

 fifh, devil-flm, and are weak enough to imagine, that unlefs it be 

 immediately fet at liberty, their fifhing will be unfuccefsful, and 

 fomething or other amifs will certainly befall them. 



I have now, delivered what I principally intended in this pre* 

 face, I mall only repeat the before-mentioned declaration, that I 

 do not fend this efTay abroad as a mafter-piece, and mall rejoice 

 to fee it improved by more interefting articles, and more refined 

 obfervations ; and to fee a complete fuperftructure raifed on this 

 foundation, by perfons of more leifure and opportunity. 



However, I own myfelf entirely in the fentiments of a very 

 eminent writer on the like occasion, who, in his iirft efiay of a 

 natural hiftory of Hungary, afierts the claim of an original writer 

 to the indulgence of the public, in the following words; " Res 

 omnino remotas e fua, ut ita dicam, barbarie primus exemi ; 

 propterea veniam mereri videor mihi, fl nee omnia eruerim, 

 nee omnia correcle .... fentio inefle multa quae corrigi, deeiie 

 qua? valeant fuppleri *. . Had I not judged this work to ftand 

 in need, or to admit of any amendment, I fhould not fo fre- 

 quently have called it an effay in this preface; but it is, indeed, 

 the firft effay on this fubjecl:, and of courfe encumbered with 

 difficulties too great for the application and talents of one man; 

 and on this ground, I hope that every candid judge, who knows 

 how little leifiire my indiipenfible functions leave me, will not 

 require more, or a more perfect work of this kind from one, who 

 may appear to have performed more than could be expected, who 

 has denied himfelf many hours of natural repofe, if not fufTered 



* Aloyfius Comes Marfilli in Danub. Panon, Myfic Tom, i, Prasfat. 



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