THE BRITISH CRITIC, A NEW REVIEW, FOR JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, M DCC XCVIII. Reddere Perfone feit convenientia cuique. HOR. VOLUME XII. London: PRINTED FOR F. AND C. RIVINGTON, 1798. PREFACE. THE HE general favour with which books of Travels are received, gives us an inclination to reprefent our Prefaces as allied to that fpecies of compofition. We are, however, kinder to our readers than the generality of travel-writers. The hardships they encounter are generally detailed at full length; frequently, perhaps, not without exaggeration even fea-fickness has been minutely and copioufly defcribed, as a new phænomenon, by a very late voyager. But we, whatever fickness or wearinefs we may have felt, in our progrefs through many dreary paths of Literature, have determined to communicate to our readers only the pleafing parts of our journey. We could indeed, were we difpofed to indulge a fatirical humour, amufe the public occafionally, by the recital of many lamentable adventures; the difficul ties we encounter in one place, the ingratitude that affails us in another; our wanderings through Bootian mifts, from which when we emerge, we are told that we ought to have defcribed an Athens. But not perceiving that the caufe of Literature would be benefited by fuch confeffions, we are content with a harmless laugh among ourfelves, and perfift in our plan of laying the fair fide only before the public, in BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XII, a 409101 our |