vi PREFACE

me than it would be to one whofe refearches aremore extended.

Whoever is much accuftomed to write for hisown ufe merely, muft contrata more carelefs ftylethan another who has made language his ftudy, andwho writes in hopes of acquiring a literary reputa-tion, I never; till very lately, thoughtof appearingas an author; and in the frequent perufals of whatThad writ, my correftions were chiefly in favor ofperipicuity: add to this, that the language in whichI now write was, for many years, foreign to thofewith whom 1 lived and converfed. When thefecircumfitances are combined with the intricacy ofmy fubject, which conftantly carried off my atten-tion fiom every ornament of language, I flattermyfelf that thofe of my readers, at leaft, who enteras heartily as I have done into the{pirit of thiswork, will candidly overlook the want of thatelegance which adorns the ftyle of fore celebratedauthors in this Auguftan age. Iprelent this inquiryto the public as nothing more than an effay whichmay ferve as a canwafs for better hands than mineto work upon.

It contains fuch obfervations only as the generalview of the domeftic policy of the countries 1 Lavefeen, has fniggefted. Itisa fpeculation, and no more.Itisa rough drawing of 2 mighty plan, proportionedin correcinefs to my own lugicity,, to my know-ledge of the fubje€t, and to the extent of my com.kinations.