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PREFACE to the READER.

T

HERE never was, perhaps, an apology for the fubje&t and arrangement of a Work more neceffary than on the prefent occafion: The volume we now lay before the Public is a book of VARIATIONS, and contains, probably, more information than inftruction. The occurrences recorded are fingular and curious; whimfical, ferious, and ridiculous; a broken narrative, yet we prefume to fay, a regular history. The reader, however, on confidering the fubject, will, we hope, excufe the medley appearance it makes.-KING, Lords, and Commons-Majorities, Minorities, Debates, and Diffolution, in SUPERIOR TYPE. Westminster Meetings, Quarrels, Negotiations, Advertisements, Hand Bills, &c. &c. &c. mobbing it along in fmall and crouded letter. In the midst the GREAT SEAL is held up, and claims the reader's notice. Next, Mr. Pitt and Grocers Hall, feafting and parade, with other illuftrious matter of this kind. A fucceeding page introduces HOOD and WRAY, Covent Garden, and Confufion!-then FOX, MAN OF THE PEOPLE, and men of various defcriptions; Conftables, Juftices of Peace, Armed Force, and Murder! Paragraph follows next, ferious and comic; point and counter-point; Hood and Wray, VERSUS Fox and Laurel. Following the Laurel, not unhappily indeed, the Mufe, with her waiting maids, comes forward and clofes the proceffion. Here we may aptly inform the reader, that in the poetical part of our mifcellany he will find by the production, that fometimes the Mufe herfelf compofed, and fometimes one or more of her humble attendants. Indeed, in revifing our collection in form, we difcover here and there certain appearances that give us reafon to fufpect fome of thefe attendants to be no other than Scullion-boys in difguife, who, poffibly having an intrigue with thofe a little above them in fituation, had formed the defperate plan of flipping on a female drefs over their own dirty linen, and most gallantly determined to follow their mistresses in this expedition from Parnaffus, even unto the " Place of Cabbages.' To be ferious, we are afraid that many will think our Covent Garden fomething like its great prototype, not fo clean swept as it ought to be.-In truth, we are far from being fatisfied in this refpect: We can, notwithstanding, affure the reader, that we commenced our work with a determined refolu

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