PREFACE. HAVING spent more than thirty years in col lecting observations, anecdotes, curious facts, sketches, striking traits of wit, &c., and remarks upon what I had seen, heard, or read, I thought I ought not to bury the whole in oblivion. Accordingly, in the year 1782, I printed two octavo volumes, in which, under the title of Mémoires d'un Voyageur, I brought together the greatest part of my collection. That I might fatigue the reader as little as possible, I introduced myself in these memoirs as the canvas upon which I wrought these observations, reflections, and anecdotes; and was preparing to publish them," when I recollected that they contained many occurrences of recent times, and several characters of living persons, which it would not have been prudent to make public. I therefore comVOL. V. mitted all the copies of the book to the flames, and reprinted them with corrections. Some materials still remained, of which I had not been able to make use; and I now publish them, that they may not be lost. Part of these materials were employed in a work which I published some years ago, in the form of letters, under the title of Correspondance Interceptée. That work, to which I did not put my name, is but little known; of course, if I appear to repeat them, it will be only to a very small number of readers. The title of the present work is taken from my name: I knew none better to give it, considering the variety of the subjects, which no other title could so well express. This will be another volume to add to the collection of Anas: the rank which it may occupy in that collection will depend upon the taste and judgment of each reader. 3 The Desire of something Better spoils present Good. 3 4 Sir Isaac Newton's Opinion of the Bible. |