THE BRITISH CRITIC, FOR JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY AND JUNE. MDCCC VI. Σὲν δὲ, παρακολοθῆσαί τε καὶ εἰδῆσαι, εἰ ὀρθῶς λέγω, THEOPHRAST. VOLUME XXVII. London: PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON, 1806. Printed by Bye and Law, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell. PREFACE. W RITERS of great eminence have confeffed that they had their hours of apparent inspiration, and of comparative dereliction of talents; and every man must be fenfible of a difference, from causes beyond number, in his inclination and ability to employ thought, and exert his powers of compofition. Johnfon indeed faid, that a man can always write "if he will fet himself doggedly to it;" and true it is, as we at prefent experience. But very doggedly indeed does he go to it, whofe mind is oppreffed by any recent affliction, or disturbed by any painful apprehenfion. The periodical writer, as Johnfon also knew, is bound to this neceffity more ftrongly than any other. Willing or unwilling, difpofed or indifpofed, he must count the fteps of time; and write under his inexorable orders. The evil of this is not ideal; while we. defcribe we feel it; and wifh, at the moment of writing, for a refpite from our labour, which it is not poffible to obtain. If our Preface, therefore, fhould take the tinge of our minds, the benevolent reader will excufe it; recollecting that we write at prefent, not be cause we would, but because we muft; with little inclination to be eloquent, and none whatever to be gay. The caufes of this feeling fome readers will divine, and others not; but to us, → Mens intus magno curarum fluctuat æstu, a 2 DIVINITY. |