P R E F A C E. 



AS the greateft pain I feel in com- 

 mitting the following flieets to 

 the prefs/ arifes from an apprehenlion 

 that many of my readers will accufe me 

 of egotifm I will not incur that charge 

 in my preface, by detaining them with 

 the reafons which have induced me, at 

 this time, to yield to the defire of my 

 friends. It is equally indifferent to the 

 public to be told how it happened, that 

 nothing fhould have got the better of 

 my indolence and reludlance to comply 

 with the fame requefts, for the fpace of 

 twenty years. 



I will employ thefe few introductory 

 pages merely to fliew what pretenfions 



A 2 ^ this 



