INTRODUCTION. * 
O 
reading ; and what delights the imagination, whilft it nou- 
rishes the underftanding, feems natural, in the youthful part of 
life, to gain a preference to that which improves the underftand- 
ing only. 
You will find feveral paflages in thefe letters in the ft rain of 
rhapfody, fuch as the fubject leads to, and as it rifes fpontane- 
oufly, not premeditated, nor yet reftrained by any eftablifhed 
rule of writing. 
Like an author of quality, or as one who afpires high in his 
dedication, you fee my book has a fplendid cover to recom- 
mend it 1 ; and becaufe I travel through the clouds, and treat of 
celeftial matters, as well as thofe which merely belong to the 
earth, the gilded leaves may be looked upon as alluding to the 
glory of the fun 3 and not as an offering to mammon ; for you are 
to fuppofe fo philofophical a writer can have no immoderate at- 
tachment to gold. The green binding will naturally remind 
you of the livery of nature, and from thence carry your mind 
to groves, and meads, and lawns. 
A mere journal, without any ftriking occurrence, could have 
given me as little pleafure in writing, as you in reading. I there- 
fore throw it into the form of letters ; if there is any fpirit in 
them, it is derived entirely from the perfons to whom they are 
addrefied. But in any cafe you may confider them as true 
pictures of my mind, which letters to our friends are generally 
fuppofed to be. 
B 2 As 
* Thefe letters were originally defigned to remain in manufcript. 
