“Le vrai n'est pas toujours vraisemblable.”
“ These familiar histories may, perhaps, be made of greater
use than the solemnities of professed morality, and convey the
knowledge of vice and virtue with more efficacy than anxioms
and definitions."

Dr. JOHNSON.

Second Edition.

VOLUME I.

London:

PRINTED FOR FRANCIS WESTLEY, 10, STATIONER'S COURT, AND
AVE-MARIA LANE; AND SOLD BY MESSRS. LONGMAN, HURST,

REES, ORME AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER ROW.

AN

22SSP 1962

A. TEAPE, PRINTER, TOWER HILL, LONDON. ΤΟ

YOUTH,

AS THE BLOOM OF THIS AGE,

AND THE PROMISE OF THE FUTURE,

THE SC VOLUMES

ARE ESPECIALLY

Dedicated;

BY ONE WHO

SYMPATHIZES IN THEIR JOYS,

HAS CONTENDED WITH THEIR DANGERS,

AND AFFECTIONATELY DESIRES

THEIR WELFARE.

PREFACE.

“LET no one say-1 will write a duodecimo." When the rude sketch of the following work lay beneath the eye, nothing more was proposed than to prepare à few short chapters, for a monthly miscellany. Yet, in 'embodying it, with a uniform endeavour to be concise, it has spread itself into two volumes. Thať it might, indeed, have been kept within smaller limits, is readily acknowledged; but this restriction, it is conceived, would, in