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PREFACE.

HE following lectures were read in the university of Edinburgh, for twenty-four years. The publication of them, at prefent, was not alto-gether a matter of choice. Imperfect copies of them in manufcript, from notes taken by ftudents who heard them read, were first privately handed about; and afterwards frequently expofed to public fale. When the author faw them circulate fo currently, as even to be quoted in print*, and found himself often threatened with furreptitious publications of them, he judged it to be high time that they should proceed from his own hand, rather than come into public view under fome very defective and erroneous form..

They were originally designed for the initiation of youth into the ftudy of belles lettres, and of compofition. With the fame intention they are now published; and, therefore, the form of lectures, in which they were first compofed, is ftill retained. The author gives them to the world,

Biographia Britannica. Article, ADDISON.

81X 3 8 2

neither as a work wholly original, nor as a compilation from the writings of others. On every fubject contained in them, he has thought for himfelf. He confulted his own ideas and reflexions: and a great part of what will be found in these lectures is entirely his own. At the fame time, he availed himfelf of the ideas and reflexions of others, as far as he thought them proper to be adopted. To proceed in this manner was his duty as a public profeffor. It was incumbent on him, to convey to his pupils all the knowledge that could improve them; to deliver not merely what was new, but what might be ufeful, from whatever quarter it came. He hopes, that to fuch as are studying to cultivate their tafte, to form their ftyle, or to prepare themfelves for public fpeaking or compofition, his lectures will afford a more comprehenfive view of what relates to thefe fubjects, than, as far as he knows, is to be received from any one book in our language.

In order to render his work of greater fervice, he has generally referred to the books which he confulted, as far as he remembers them; that the readers might be directed to any farther illuftration which they afford. But, as fuch a length of time has elapfed fince the first compofition of his lectures, he may, perhaps, have adopted the fentiments of fome author into whofe writings he had then looked, without now remembering whence he derived them.

In the opinions which he has delivered concerning fuch a variety of authors, and of literary matters, as come under his confideration, he cannot expect that all his readers will concur with him. The fubjects are of fuch a nature, as allow room for much diverfity of tafte and fentiment: and the author will refpectfully fubmit to the judgment of the public.

Retaining the fimplicity of the lecturing ftyle, as belt fitted for conveying inftruction, he has aimed, in his language, at no more than perfpicuity. If, after the liberties which it was neceffary for him to take, in criticifing the ftyle of the moft eminent writers in our language, his own ftyle fhall be thought open to reprehenfion, all that he can fay, is, that his book will add one to the many proofs already afforded to the world, of its being much easier to give inftruction, than to fet example.

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