THE BRITISH CRITIC, FOR JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, Βελῇ καὶ μύθοισι· τὸ γὰρ γέρας ἐςὶ γερόντων. Ηom. VOLUME ΧΧΙΙΙ. London : PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON, NO. 62, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. 1804. PRINTED BY C. RICKABY, PETERBOROUGH-COURT, FLEET-STREET. PREFACE. T HERE are few employments more exhilarating than to watch the progress of improvement, and to note the accessions conftantly made to objects of primary value and utility to mankind. In this respect, our occupation, for eleven years past, has been abundant in gratification; and though in our progress we have found many things to regret, and many to condemn; yet we have watched also the regular influx of literary wealth; and at stated periods have paused to enjoy the unmixed contemplation of those works, on the production of which we are able to congratulate our age and country. We have feen, in this period, Theology illustrated, Revelation confirmed, the lights of History increased, the walks of Science and of Art extended; Philosophy enriched by new discoveries, and Poetry enlivened by successful excursions. We have illuftrated the labours of men, whose names have become a sufficient panegyric, and whom, therefore, we might here with pleasure enumerate, were not fo large a part of them still living, as to give it the appearance of adulation. These have been delightful tasks; and whoever shall recur to all, or any of our three and twenty Prefaces*, will enjoy, without the labour, a confiderable share of that fatisfaction we have now described; he will fee the glories of his * They who wish to contemplate the objects of critical animadversion, muft turn to our volumes themselves, among the names not recited in the Prefaces. In this lift, let them not overlook our critiques on Plowden's Hist. Review, begun in vol. xxii. pp. 461, 648, and continued in this, pp. 18, 180, 291. a2 409112 coun |