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ness is to be derived, ought never to be forgotten. Truth alone must be the foundation of all permanent good; therefore, never let us be found hunting the shadow instead of grasping the substance of the only fundamental principle of eternal happiness.

I am under some apprehensions that many incidents related in the following sheets may scarcely be credited by those who are unacquainted with similar circumstances; but I have been careful to select illustrations that I have myself been witness to, or have received from persons upon whose veracity I could rely.

My principal motive for sending forth these tales from the obscurity in which they were involved, arose from a painful knowledge of the incalculable injury that many infatuated beings even within the small sphere of my observation have sustained by flying to the ébullitions of distempered fancy, for a temporary pleasure, and which have imparted such a far greater portion of evil than good. Impressed with this truth, I conceived a design of writing a series of tales and essays founded upon interesting facts, which I would endeavour to render equally as amusing as fictious productions, to those who read only for amusement; but with this decided advantage, that as

they should pourtray vices which do exist to the disgrace of mankind, as well as exhibit the exalted charms of virtue that irradiates the names of a distinguished few, they might prove more acceptable to the public, especially as the mirror of truth is often only required to be held up, when at one glance the hidden recesses and extended empire of iniquity are exposed. That I persisted in the plan this my first volume will testify; and such as it is, with all its faults, I now present it to (I hope) an indulgent public: but I cannot take my leave of it without mentioning my motives for introducing numerous quotations from our best poets, because I anticipate some censure from individuals on that account. In the first place, I imagine no one will deny that happy illustrations are of great service to any work, however high; and also that if quotations are for this purpose, they ought to be selected from our best authors, and to be used where a writer finds himself unable to express his thoughts in a sufficiently energetic or descriptive manner without having recourse to another. In such a case, I think no one will deny the utility of such an assistance in writing: besides, setting aside the importance of such aid, the beautiful and impressive passages of our most

exalted poets cannot be too frequently brought fore our view, especially when we consider that numbers may by this means become acquainted with striking beauties in poetry (which uns questionably is the highest walk of the imagination) which otherwise they might never have known. That, I have made use of poetical quotations as much for illustration as for embellishment, I am not ashamed to acknowledge. Wherever I conceived such an assistance would increase the importance or add interest to my subject, I have not scrupled to make use of it, as this volume abundantly testifies; and I am not disposed to censure myself on this account, whatever blame it may insure me from others.

Now that I have declared to the world all my motives for introducing this work to its notice, and after claiming its utmost indulgence, I will take my leave in the language of a well-known ancient

Vive, vale si quid novisti rectius istis,
Candidus imperti; si non, his utere mecum

Richmond Hill, I

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C. F.

Farewel, and be happy: if you know of any precepts better than these, be so kind as to communicate them; if not, partake of these with me.

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