OTRIDGE AND RACKHAM; J. CUTHELL; LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, J. BELL; SHERWOOD, NEELY, AND JONES; T. HAMILTON; G. AND W. B. 1823. PREFACE. HAVING now escaped from the operation of those acci dental circumstances which occasioned extraordinary delay in the appearance of the Annual Register for 1820, and, in some degree, of that for 1821, we are at length able to approximate to our usual period of publication, and to give our readers an assurance, that, for the future, they may dépend on a continuance of that regularity, which for more than half a century distinguished this Work. When the variety and importance of the matter comprised in the annals of 1822, is considered, we hope to meet with some praise, at least for our diligence; nor will it be found that, in producing our volume thus early in the year, we have sought the merit of expeditious industry, by performing our task in a cursory, or superficial manner. Our Historical Department exceeds its usual length, in consequence of the variety and importance of the transactions to be recorded. Abroad, the convulsions of the Turkish empire-the changes in South America, especially in the Brazils-and, above all, the distractions of Spain, and the feverish, perturbed situation of France, are topics too various and intricate to be discussed in a few pages. At home, the state of Ireland, the policy pursued towards it, our financial operations, and the improvements made in our commercial legislation, extend our domestic annals beyond the limits, within which we generally endeavour to comprise them. Our volume appears at a time, when those, who interest themselves (and what Englishman does not interest himself?) in the fortunes of Europe, will find in it much that will assist them in their speculations, and tend to extricate them from some prevalent errors. Spain, for instance, has of late engrossed the thoughts of all; and the generality of men are |