PREFACE. I Now prefent to the publick fome part of the Miscellaneous Works of HUGH BOYD, THE AUTHOR OF JUNIUS, together with a full and accurate account of his Life and Writings. The first volume contains the greatest part of the political papers which he wrote between the years 1776 and 1781, his genuine Abstracts of two celebrated Speeches of the Great Earl of Chatham, and also a few Poems, which I publish merely to fhew the versatility of his mind. The fecond volume comprises the Journal of his Embassy from the Government of Madras to the King of Candy, in the island of Cey lon, and Brutus, which Mr. Woodfall acknowledges to have been written by Junius, and of feveral others of Mr. Boyd's, that appeared at different times in the Publick Advertifer. The Portrait that accompanies these Works, was engraved from an original picture, for which Mr. Boyd fat (a few years previous to his death) to Mr. R. HOME and as it is a spirited and faithful representation of a countenance, which many Readers may be curious to fee, I have thought it necessary to publish it. With regard to the narrative of Mr. Boyd's Life, it will be found to differ in many particulars from the fhort account prefixed to a former edition of the Indian Obferver. When I wrote that account, my materials were both fcanty and imperfect: but the circumftances that are now related, * Mr. HOME is a brother of Mrs. HUNTER's, relict of the celebrated JOHN HUNTER. have been communicated to me from the most unquestionable authorities. The delineation of his character, written at a time when all its minutest features were diftinctly prefent to my mind, I have not altered in any effential part, though I have corrected fome blemishes of ftyle, which in the first draught had escaped my notice. Of the investigation concerning Junius, I deem it requifite, moft folemnly to aver, that I have not adduced a single fact or circumftance, but what I can fubftantiate on pofitive and creditable evidence; and I am perfuaded that I have not drawn a single inference but what is ftrictly juft. In the course of this inquiry, I have been not a little indebted to Mr. ALMON, whose information and experience enabled him to furnish me with fome interefting particulars, which I could not have obtained from any other person, and which strongly corroborate the testimony of Mrs. BoYD. The |