The editor’s preface. As it is generally customary to say something before these 

works, by way of introduction, the person to whose care this publication is 

instrusted, is determined not to render himself singular in that respect. It may not 

be amiss then to inform the reader, that the editor of these sheets published them by 

the desire of a friend, whom he thinks himself bound to oblige. Who that friend is, or 

how these anecdotes came into his hands; whether he has ever written before, &c. 

are affairs by no means of consequence to trouble the public with a long detail of. 

Suffice it then to say, that in this history the facts are not made, but related; and 

thought it might be highly proper (for obvious reasons) to vary them, as well as the 

names, yet it would have been no less improper totally to have suppressed them. 

And the editor would caution all particular persons not to take offence at any 

characters herein after drawn, how particularly soever they may seem adapted to 

individuals, as there can be no person, how good soever to many of whose virtues, 

nor any so bad to as many whose vices, numbers may not justly lay a claim: and the 

reasons are evident. —Virtue and vice, arising from the same respective springs in 

every one, and being varied only by constitution and external circumstances, they 

will necessarily wear nearly the same appearance in all those with whom these 

circumstances are alike: this must needs be evident to all who know any thing of 

human nature, of which, as has been hinted, this tract is a picture. As to the method 

to be observed in the course of the work, the compiler frankly owns he shall not be 

over scrupulous in confining himself to the strict rules of critical nicety, but will rest 

contented with  a narrative as plain and intelligible as possible, interspersed 

occasionally with such reflexions as naturally arise from the subject, and may be 

useful or entertaining; —and though he is well assured this performance, if it be 

judged by the common rules of the Nouvelle, will appear amply defective; yet, 

considered in itself, he hopes it will not be found so. —And it is necessary to caution 

the readers, not to form a judgment of a work by rules, which it was never intended 

to follow. In chronology and geography, the caviling critic will, doubtless, declare 

this work particularly deficient; but if it be so, let him understand such defect arises 

neither from ignorance nor neglect, the reasons of which, were he disposed to give 

them, would sufficiently excuse these defects. On the whole, though the editor is not 

very sollicitous what these gentlemen may say of him; he would yet, by no means, be 

supposed to snarl at every one who assumes that name, still less to point out any 

particular set of men so distinguished; as it is, perhaps, a sign of conscious guilt, for 

the culprit to arraign his judges. All he means is, that having wrote on a plan, with 

which every one is not acquainted, he would caution them to read with attention, 

before they praise or censure a piece, the constituent parts of which, they may not 

be acquainted with. As for the reflexions occasionally interspersed, they are such as 

naturally offered, yet he forces them on none; but concludes with the words of 

Horace: Si quid novisti rectius istis, candidus imperti; si non, his utere mecum. He 

remains, the public’s most obedient servant, the editor.