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Mr. Knight's very just consciousness of his 

 own powers, might naturally have presented 

 itself to him, was never made use of by me. 

 Perhaps it may be a question, how far what 

 I may have signified unguardedly and in 

 private, should be formally announced to 

 the public; as to myself, I certainly should 

 have had some scruples of announcing, 

 without consulting him, any intention of 

 his under the same circumstances. To him, 

 however, it would have been of less conse- 

 quence ; as, from the abundant stores of 

 his mind, and above all from his power of 

 application, he could easily have performed 

 any engagement I might have made for 

 him; but it surprises an indolent writer, 

 who can so little depend on any constant 

 and regular exertions, to find himself en- 

 gaged, not only to combat, but to refute 

 the arguments of such an adversary, before 

 he had even begun to write. How long it 

 may be before the work, thus prematurely 

 and unexpectedly announced, will be finish- 

 ed, is rather uncertain; I therefore have 

 thought it best in this new edition of my 



