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THE

BRITISH CRITIC,

FOR

JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER,
NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER.

M DCCCIL

"Felici!-che nel mondo ognora
Chiari vivrete, in bocca delle gente."

VOLUME XX.

BIR. TASSO.

London :

PRINTED FOR F. AND C. RIVINGTON,
NO. 62, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD.

1802.

PRINTED BY C. RICKABY, PETERBOROUGH-COURT,

FLEET-STREET.

PREFACE.

AFTER a labour as long as the fiege of Troy, we have again to addrefs our readers in our periodical recapitulation. Twenty volumes now bear witnefs to our efforts in defence of all that we hold to be found in politics, or venerable in religion. We have seen, in part, the triumph of our caufe; for Jacobinifm has been, by its own atrocioufnefs, expofed to univerfal deteftation; and, though Infidelity is not fo openly difgraced, it has, we truft, lefs influence, and much less power, than when it proceeded hand in hand with an ally fo very formidable.

How long it may be before malignant paffions will ceafe to reproduce the evils, which folly itfelf must. have learned to estimate, it is not poffible to forefee; that the time is not yet arrived in the British empire, several symptoms, difplayed in various parts, during the late elections, may ferve fufficiently to prove. The volunteers of Literature must not therefore be dif banded. Without wielding any arms of offence, they may fland, to keep due watch in the garrifon of the conftitution; well knowing, that a falfe and premature fecurity is often more deftructive than the utmost rage of conflict.

* In France, the liberty of the Revolution, which was Jacobinifm, is now thus fpoken of. "Le peuple eft degoûté de la liberté; oui, nous le croyons fans peine, de cette liberté que la plupart d'entre vous cherchoient à lui donner; de cette liberté qui fe fonda fur les principes d'une folle democratie, qui exagéra tous les droîts, oublia tous les devoirs, admit le crime pour le moyen, des bourreaux pour apôtres," &c. Camille Jourdan, Vrai Sens du Vote national.

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