Vlll 



Confcious how little his Notes" are calcu- 

 lated to witbftand the fcrutinizing feverity of cri- 

 ticifm, he may obferve that, at no time, during 

 the period of writing them, had he a thought that 

 they were deflined to appear at the bar of the pub- 

 lic. To fulfil the wiflies of one, whofe fentiments 

 and opinions were dear to him, was a grateful 

 talk : it was congenial to his feelings, and, regard- 

 lefs of ftudied rules, he performed it with all the 

 freedom' of familiar intercourfe. He, daily, devoted 

 to his friend the few lad minutes, previous to em- 

 bracing his pillow : it, confequently, happened 

 that his remarks were, frequently, traced with a 

 drowfy pen,, or hurried over with a wearied and re- 

 ludant arm : huXy from adopting this habit,, the bufy 

 occupation of the day fuffered no interruption ; 

 all the occlirrences were noted, whiHt they were 

 ftrongly alive in the memory ; and thofe who have 

 known the privation of a long and perilous abfence 

 from their home, and the objecls of their efceem, 

 will comprehend the many happy alTociations, 

 which v/ere, thus, brooght to fweeten the hours of 

 repofe. 



At the time of the author's arrival in the 

 Wed; Indies every thing, in the tropical regions, was 

 new to him* His defire to obtain information was 

 ardent, and without waiting to digeil his remarks 



