PREFACE.

THE following MS. fell into my hands in rather a singular manner. Being suddenly called to Florence in the Summer of 18-, by the unexpected death of my Uncle, I spent several days in examining his assets, with the intention of taking an Inventory. I had nearly completed my task, when an old court-suit which had hitherto escaped my attention, was carelessly thrown by my servant into the place which it had formerly occupied in the wardrobe. In passing, I observed a small volume drop from the embroidered waistcoat: I took it up with

out any emotion of curiosity; but on opening it, was much surprised to find a very legible MS. in my own language, but written, as it seemed, in a neat Italian hand. A visitor calling at the time prevented me from examining it with more attention. A few days after, I quitted Florence, and wishing to avail myself of this fortunate opportunity of prolonging my excursion to the South, took the road to Naples. In the course of my tour, I had full time to appreciate the merits and demerits of the production. If I did not always feel satisfied with the accuracy of the remarks, it would be affectation to deny that I derived some instruction and more pleasure from its perusal. But I have not, I hope, permitted my affection for my deceased relative, in any instance, to prevail over a sounder spirit of criticism. I shall neither extenuate, nor condemn ;-my intention is to edit, not to write, a volume.

The peculiar gravity of my Uncle's character, as well perhaps as the facility with which, in the latter years of men's existence, the reserved and intellectual gradually drop out of the circle of their living acquaintances, will, I trust, prove a sufficient apology for many apparent incongruities, which must strike the most casual reader. But I should have injured much the general colour of his observations, had I attempted to correct or improve. People laugh and weep in one year, in a different manner from what they do in another: the same privilege should be extended to travelling. One thing is clear throughout,-a sincere desire to benefit his countrymen, and to exalt the profession, as he sometimes called it, into something nobler than can be inferred from its present exercise. When any sensible variation, however, has occurred since the original was composed, I have thought it a

part of the duty of an Editor to hint it to the public, in as delicate a manner as was in my power. My own experience, trifling as it is, has often furnished me with the opportunity, and sometimes with the means. Wherever such suggestions have been hazarded, they will be found headed by an asterisk, and separated with care from the original text.