THE BRITISH ESSAYISTS. WITH PREFACES, BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, AND CRITICAL. BY JAMES FERGUSON, ESQ. AUTHOR OF THE "NEW BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY." Second Edition. IN FORTY VOLUMES. XXIII. WORLD, VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. RICHARDSON AND CO.; G. OFFOR; T. TEGG; 1823. HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL PREFACE ΤΟ THE WORLD. THE first paper of the WORLD appeared on the 24th of January, 1753, and a number was published regularly once a week. It differs from its predecessors in its style, though its tendency no doubt was the same: it does not attempt to philosophize the world into morality, nor attain its end by critical disquisitions,Irony is the weapon it has chosen to vanquish the foibles and absurdities of the age in which it appeared. It was projected by Mr. EDWARD Moore and Mr. ROBERT DODSLEY; the latter of whom, by defraying the expense, and re b warding his coadjutor, became, and for a series of years continued to be, the sole proprietor of this very popular work. MR. EDWARD MOORE was born in 1712, at Abingdon, where his father, the Rev. Thomas Moore, was pastor of a congregation of protestant dissenters. Being deprived of this parent when he was ten years old, his education was undertaken by his uncle, the Rev. John Moore, who conducted an academical seminary at Bridgewater. He also passed some time at the school of East Orchard, in Dorsetshire. Being destined for trade, he was placed at a proper age with a wholesale linen-draper in London; and after leaving him, he went in the capacity of factor to Ireland in the service of a linen-merchant, and resided some years in that country. On his return, he entered into partnership with an Irish gentleman in the linen trade; but commerce did not prove more propitious to him than it has usually done to the votaries of the muses, of whom he was probably already one in secret, and the partnership after a time was dissolved. It is asserted however, that he conducted himself in his employment with ability; and his want of |