and the character of Britons raised, to an unrivalled eminence.

In conformity with the general sentiment of all who love their country, I feel that the best guaranty for the perpetuation of the national prosperity and the privileges of the subject, is to be found in the operation of those principles which were secured when a Sovereign of the House of Brunswick ascended the throne. Actuated as Your Royal Highness is by those principles, the most ardent patriot cannot desire for his countrymen a larger portion of glory, happiness and freedom, than it has always been Your Royal Highness's endeavour to secure to them.

PREFACE.

AFTER the publication of my History of England, in 1802, I began to collect materials for the work now presented to the public. In the period which has since elapsed, many circumstances have arisen, which have varied the plan, and produced irregularity in the execution.

In my first conception, I intended to make the Union of Great Britain with Ireland, and the peace of Amiens, the limits of my inquiries into those parts of the subject, which related to civil and military affairs, to finance and colonies. The speedy renewal of hostilities with France, and the events which for many years marked that stupendous conflict, the resumption of colonies which seemed to have been abandoned, the vast efforts made in all departments of the naval and military service, the necessary increase of taxation, and the inevitable changes, wrought by time, or produced by speculation, in the state and system of a nation, always aspiring to pre-eminence, obliged me frequently to alter and enlarge my plan.

Anxious to bring the labour within a reasonable compass, and confiding in the result of my own exertions, I, long ago, sent such parts as were written to A 4

the press, under a conviction, that I should with equal dispatch supply the residue, and that the alterations required would be few and unimportant. In this hope, I was much deceived. The public can never be interested in learning the causes of an author's delays; but, without incurring censure, I may be permitted to mention, that the eager pursuit of a laborious and anxious profession, has, for the last ten years, so much occupied my time, as to leave but few and short intervals of leisure; while, during a great part of that period, the state of my health obliged me to devote those intervals to repose. Hence, a work which soon after its commencement was announced for immediate publication, has been delayed till the present time.

By this statement, I am not attempting to apologize for palpable deficiency, or evident misrepresentation. That a work so extensive must have many defects, and contain many errors, it would be arrogant to deny. For these, my apology must be left to the candour of judicious readers. They will know how impossible it is for one, who on many subjects must derive his knowledge from books, without aid from personal observation and experience, to collect exact and complete information. The candour which I

solicit, applies chiefly to the apparent irregularity in the execution of the work, the cause of which I have thus briefly explained.

As I profess to rely principally on published authorities, I consider myself, in those parts, answerable only for the mode in which they have been selected, and the care with which their contents have been detailed. Considering truth and exactness

to be the chief merit to which I could aspire, I have generally transcribed the very words of the authors from whom my statements were derived.

In making these selections, the delay (which has attendedthe completion of this work) has been rather beneficial than disadvantageous, as many valuable publications have recently appeared, from which I have derived much information, and without which my task must have been very incompletely executed. In availing myself of the latest communications, and introducing in parts already printed, the alterations which time or circumstances had rendered necessary, I have occasionally cancelled a leaf, and united the more recent matter with the general subject. Where the alteration has been too extensive to permit, or too minute to require such an insertion, I have resorted to an appendix, with references to the places where the additional information would apply, so that on the whole, the general view of the state of the British Empire is brought down nearly to the period of publication. These alterations and additions are not of sufficient importance to affect the general utility of the work, but their omission would have subjected me to reproach on the score of negligence and inaccuracy.

In a few instances, I have adverted to events and persons somewhat removed by distance of time, rather than to those very recent subjects which could hardly be mentioned without a suspicion of intended commendation or censure. Indeed it has been my anxious care throughout this work on the Political State of the British Empire, to avoid every thing which might be construed into an allusion to par

ticular politics, or to the systems or conduct of individuals or of parties. The reasons of this forbearance are too obvious to require a statement.

I am sensible that neither the address nor the humility which an author can display in a preface can secure commendation, or avert censure if me-. rited; but having already experienced the satisfaction which results from the approbation of the public, I feel, in committing these volumes to their judgment, an increased anxiety for the continuance of their favourable opinion.