It is related of the great Dr. Clarke, that when in one of his leisure hours he was unbending himself with a few friends in the most playful and frolicksome manner, he observed Beau Nash approaching; upon which he fuddenly stopped:-" My boys, (faid he,)

let us be grave: here comes a fool." The world, my friend, I have found to be a great fool, as to that particular, on which it has become neceffary to speak very plainly. I have, therefore, in this work been more reserved; and though I tell nothing but the truth, I have still kept in my mind that the whole truth is not always to be expofed. This, however, I have managed so as to occafion no diminution of the pleasure which my book should afford; though malignity may sometimes be disappointed of its gratifications.

ADVERTISEMENT.

At laft deliver to the world a Work which I have long promifed, and of which, I am afraid, too high expectations have been raifed. The delay of its publication must be imputed, in a confiderable degree, to the extraordinary zeal which has been fhewn by distinguished perfons in all quarters to fupply me with additional information concerning its illuftrious Subject; refembling in this the grateful tribes of ancient nations, of which every individual was eager to throw a stone upon the grave of a departed Hero, and thus to share in the pious office of erecting an bonourable monument to his memory.

The labour and anxious attention with which I have collected and arranged the materials of which thefe volumes are compofed, will hardly be conceived by thofe who read them with careless facility. The ftretch of mind and prompt affiduity by which fo many conversations were preferved, I myself, at fome diftance of time, contemplate with wonder; and I must be allowed to fuggeft, that the nature of the work in other refpects, as it confifts of innumerable detached particulars, all which, even the most minute, I have spared no pains to afcertain with a

fcrupulous authenticity, has occafioned a degree of trouble far beyond that of any other species of compofition. Were I to detail the books which I have confulted, and the inquiries which I have found it neceffary to make by various channels, I should probably be thought ridiculously oftentatious. Let me only obferve, as a Specimen of my trouble, that I have fometimes had to run half over London, in order to fix a date correctly; which, when I had accomplished, I well knew would obtain me no praise, though a failure would have been to my difcredit. And after all perhaps, hard as it may be, I shall not be furprized if omiffions or mistakes be pointed out with invidious feverity. I have also been extremely careful as to the exactness of my quotations; holding that there is a respect due to the Publick which should oblige every Authour to attend to this, and never to prefume to introduce them with-"I think I have read;"-or," If I remember right;"when the originals may be examined.

I beg leave to express my warmest thanks to those who have been pleafed to favour me with communications and advice in the conduct of my Work. But I cannot fufficiently acknowledge my obligations to my friend Mr. Malone, who was fo good as to allow me to read to him almost the whole of my manufcript, and made fuch remarks as were greatly for the advantage of the Work; though it is but fair to him to mention, that upon many occafions I differed from him, and followed my own judgement. I regret exceedingly that I was deprived of the benefit of his revifion, when but about one half of the book had passed through the prefs; but after having completed his very laborious and admirable edition of Shakspeare, for

which he generously would accept of no other reward but that fame which he has fo defervedly obtained, he fulfilled his promife of a long-wished-for vifit to his relations in Ireland; from whence his fafe return finibus Atticis is defired by his friends here, with all the claffical ardour of Sic te Diva potens Cypri; for there is no man in whom more elegant and worthy qualities are united; and whofe fociety therefore is more valued by those who know him.

It is painful to me to think, that while I was carrying on this Work, feveral of thofe to whom it would have been moft interefting have died. Such melancholy disappointments we know to be incident to humanity; but we do not feel them the lefs. Let me particularly lament the Reverend Thomas Warton, and the Reverend Dr. Adams. Mr. Warton, amidst his variety of genius and learning, was an excellent Biographer. His contributions to my Collection are highly eftimable; and as he had a true relish of my "Tour to the Hebrides," I truft I should now have been gratified with a larger share of his kind approbation. Dr. Adams, eminent as the Head of a College, as a writer, and as a moft amiable man, had known Johnson from his early years, and was his friend through life. What reafon I had to hope for the countenance of that venerable Gentleman to this Work, will appear from what he wrote to me upon a former occafion from Oxford, November 17, 1785:—“ Dear Sir, I hazard this letter, not knowing where it will find you, to thank you for your very agreeable

Tour,' which I found here on my return from the country, and in which you have depicted our friend so perfectly to my fancy, in every attitude, every scene and fituation, that I have thought myself in the

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company,