BY WILLIAM COW PER, OF THE INNER TEMPLE, ESQ. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. Sicut aquæ tremulum labris ubi lumen ahenis VIRG. Æn. viii. So water, trembling in a polish'd vase, A NEW EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, BY T. BENSLEY, BOLT COURT, FLEET STREET. PREFACE TO THE FIRST VOLUME. WHEN an Author, by appearing in print, requests an audience of the Public, and is upon the point of speaking for himself, whoever presumes to step before him with a preface, and to say, "Nay, but hear me first," should have something worthy of attention to offer, or he will be justly deemed officious and impertinent. The judicious reader has probably, upon other occasions, been before-hand with me in this reflection: and I |