Illustration.
Preface.
Thenecessity which custom has intailed upon authors, of prefixing an apology to their performances, makes it requisite for me to say somethingon introducing the following sheets to the public; and as long prefaces are in general of little estimation amongst the readers of books of entertainment, I will trespass as little upon their patience as possible.
To excite virtue, depress vice, and ridicule folly, is as much the business of the Novelist, as it is the design of the Drama; and though the former cannot, like the dramatic-writer,represent his scenes to theSenses, yet it is in his power to set his characters in such a light, as to strike theMindsof his readers, in a very forcible manner, with the virtues he would have them imitate, or the errors he would wish them to amend.—But our present novel-writers seem to have little else in view than to amuse their readers; or, if they have any design to instruct them, theygildthe pill so very thick, thatall its latent good qualities are destroyed, or its effects prevented. To mix pleasure with instruction, is certainly the most efficacious method a writer can take, to render his labours agreeable to his readers. All I shall say of the followingpetitperformance is, that I have endeavoured to make theAuthorless conspicuous than themoral.
If a blush should arise on the cheek of conscious vice, or a sense of shame be awakened in the bosom of folly, on perusing any of the characters exhibited in this performance, my intentions will be answered, and there are hopes that such are not incurable. In this age ofMagazinesandChronicles, theCacoethes Scribendihath infected the town so much, that almost everyshop, orwork-room, harbours an author;andgentlemenof thefile, now leave their more useful labour at thevice, and toil topolish periods. When suchgentlemenassume the pen, I hope it will not be deemed vanity, if I decline standing as candidate for literary fame, and declare myself not desirous of sharing with them thehonoursthat may be bestowed on their labours: but though I profess myself careless of fame, I am not callous to contempt; and should be pleased to hear criticssay, that though theperformanceclaims no panegyric, yet thedesignof it merits some praise.
Politicians will find nothing in this little work that will gratify their malevolence, nor has my pen been employed to paragon the wisdom of the present ministry.—In short, state affairs is not the subject of the following pages; neither have I drawn upon myself the enmity of so largeand respectable a body as the clergy, by invading the rich province of religion.
But not to detain my readers any longer, nor awaken their entertainment by anticipating their expectations, I now refer them to the performance itself, if they should not be prejudiced against it, by deeming what they have here read asblossoms of weeds.