LETTERS to particular FRIENDS, from the THE SECOND EDITION. LONDON, MDCLX I X. £193 PREFACE. TH HOUGH the Character of Mr. SHENSTONE is too well known, and his Reputation as a Writer too firmly eftablished, to require any further commendation, yet it may perhaps be expected that fome apology should be made for this Additional Volume of his Works, containing Familiar Letters to fome of his moft intimate Friends. To those who may think fuch an apology requifite, it might be fufficient to fay, that the reception which the former Volumes have met with, affords the strongest reason to believe that an addition to them would be very acceptable to the Public; and that the Author's talent in epiftolary writing appears not to have been inferior to that which diftinguishes his other compofitions. BUT it may be objected, that, whatever their merit may be, Letters, not intended for the Public, ought not to be published; and that an act of this kind is a violation of Private Friendship. THIS objection, it must be confeffed, carries with it fuch an air of delicacy, that the perfons here concerned are very willing to give it all due attention. At the fame time they cannot but obferve, that it will not hold in all cafes, and therefore muft unavoidably be fubject to fome limitationsthat these limitations muft vary, as the circumstances of cafes happen to vary-and that not to make proper allowances for fuch circumstances is highly unreasonable-injurious to many who have deserved well of the Public by this very conduct, and detrimental to the interefts of Literature. It might perhaps be difficult, and is by no means neceffary, to enumerate these several limitations. It will be fufficient in this place to fay, that where neither the repu tation of the Writer, nor that of any other perfon, is injured, there the force of the objection evidently cafes. And it is not only believed, on the most mature deliberation, that this is the cafe in the present inftance; but moreover that there are positive good reafons in its favour, respecting as well the Writer's character in this fpecies of compofition, as the fatisfaction and entertainment of the Reader. THE encouragement which has been ufually given to Works of this nature might feem to make these observations unneceffary! But it was not thought fufficient barely to shelter this publication under the fanction of fuch an authority; as it is well known that the wantonnefs of curiofity has fometimes encouraged defigns by no means justifiable and it is as readily acknowledg ed that the following Letters are deficient in many particulars requifite to excite that curiofity, being neither written on popular fubjects, nor addreffed to perfons of rank |