PREFACE. WE E are unwilling to fend into the world this THIRD VOLUME of our Mifcellany, without taking occa fion to exprefs the gratitude and fatisfaction we feel for the liberal fupport of every kind with which we have been favoured. We may now prefume to hope, that the literary character of our undertaking is fully establifhed-that its fpirit has fufficiently declared itfelf-that the abundance of its refources is experimentally provedand that its friends and contributors may henceforth look with confidence to the duration of a plan, which they have honoured with their approbation. We truft, it will have appeared to the candid, that though our work has decidedly taken its ftation among thofe intended to favour the progreffional improvement of mankind, in its most important concerns, and which are enslaved to no systems of human authority; yet, that it has difplayed no partial adherence to any one fet of opinions, but has freely admitted arguments on oppofite fides, when rationally and liberally expreffed. We have, as much as poffible, endeavoured to accommodate our matter to the taftes of those who may be fupposed to form the general body of our Readers; and if, in each Number, there may be parts not interefting to every individual, we hope, that all will acquiefce in the PRE FAC E. propriety of devoting fome pages to the particular purfuits of a few, provided a much larger proportion be fuited to the whole. WE fcarcely find it neceffary to fuggeft to our Corre-, fpondents any peculiar topic, concerning which we are defirous of more copious aid than we already habitually receive, unless it be the present state of this and other countries, with respect to the population, manufactures, agriculture, and all the great objects of civil and domeftic polity information of this kind, from authentic fources, will always be fingularly acceptable to us. Nothing, in fact, can be more conducive towards the progrefs of univerfal improvement, than mutually making known to the different members of fociety, the advantages poffeffed by each, the defects they labour under, and the remedies by which they have been relieved. Solicitous as we are to procure entertainment for our Readers, we are still more anxious to contribute to their utility. Where we can unite both objects, our highest wishes are gratified. LONDON, JULY, 1797. GENERAL |