LONDON: FOR THE PROPRIETORS OF DODSLEY'S ANNUAL REGISTER, W. OTRIDGE R. LEA; J. NUNN; J. WALKER; LACKINGTON, ALLEN, AND CO. 1800. HE backwardnefs, with refpe&t to publication, THE which the heavy bufinefs of the late entenfive war, and its fucceeding confequences, occafioned, excited us to make a vigorous, and, as we hoped, decifive effort, for the recovery of our former fituation in point of time. This was no lefs than to throw the whole bufinefs of two fucceeding years into one volume; paying little regard to our own trouble, when put in competition with our engagements to the Public, the fpirit of the undertaking, and the utility of the performance. This experiment (for it was no more, and is not to be repeated) has by no means answered our expectation with respect to the saving or gaining of time. We have found the double work exceedingly heavy; and the business in its amount went far beyond our calculation. The critical circumstances, the extraordinary claims, and the alarming change in connections and policy, which appeared, within that period to be taking place in Europe, presented an aspect not a little ominous to its repofe; and neceffarily rendered our foreign hiftory an object of much care, confideration, enquiry, and refearch. And however important foreign affairs were, our domeftic concerns were not lefs fo; and were ftill more interesting to Englishmen. Within the period of which we treat, one parliament had been fuddenly diffolved, a new one fpeedily called, and |