would either wish the laws againt slander were rigidly inforced, or gravely assert, some "night tripping fairy," or rather wet nurse, "had exchanged the children as they lay," and dropped the pedlar's, or the gipsies', offspring in the cradle of the Plantagenets.

These prejudices, added to her having some scruples respecting the lawfulness of blasphemy, and the decency of double entendres (even though not uttered by the author in propria persona, but put into the mouths of some character to shew wit, courage, and knowledge of the world) made many think my friend's writings cold, bigoted, and ill-timed. From these disadvantages her posthumous works will be exonerated; for as I hold it to be the prime business of a writer to secure readers, I will never impede the success of my labours by fastidiousness about ornaments, over tenacity of

principles, or zeal to defend people who shew they care not what the world says of them. "Sail with the tide," shall be my motto; and though the literary remains of my late friend are to form the vessel in which I embark my fame, I assure the world that I am quite equal to my editorial province of emendation, and, perhaps, may occasionally plead authority if I sometimes do a little more than correct and improve. At least, I may insert what I think Mrs. Prudentia would have said had she been better informed, or had she lived to the present period. New gilt, varnished, and copper-bottomed, under the care of an expert pilot, the old ship Prudentia Homespun shall tack and veer with any light sloop in the service, and, to drop the metaphor, the papers in my possession are so voluminous, that, with the help of a little transposition of

dates, facts, and names, I think I may promise the public to have a novel, satire, elegy, Epithalamium, or ode, ready to issue from the press with the first batch on any great event which engrosses the public, be it a naval victory, a barouche race, or the diamond cross of a prostitute or fashion. Whatever possesses celebrity is fair game to an industrious editor, and to avoid all that punctilio and pertinacity which prevented my friend from turning her talents to the best account, I hereby give notice, that as soon as the unsold copies of this novel are consigned to the trunk-maker, I shall commence the new series of Mrs. Prudentia's lucubrations, in which care will be taken to speak softly of every vice in fashion, and to foment all popular discontents. Dashing girls shall no longer have their spirits curbed by frigid councils, nor ancient ladies be thrown into vapours by

prosings about mortality. The novels I shall hereafter publish in my friend's name shall either be lullabies or stimuli, suited to the hurricane or vacuum of fashionable life; and I invite the world to read them, and see how neatly I can dearn tattered reputations when worth mending, or when irreparable give a jaunty enchanting air to mere rags. I shall also take care to disparage such high desert and spotless purity as are offensive to other people. I will prove my liberality by making my heroine commit a faux pas, and my knowledge of the world by obliging my hero to love her the better for it. In short, whoever wish to have their vices extenuated, their humours flattered, their rivals ridiculed, and the whole arcana of secret intelligence and court intrigue laid open to their inspection, will be my purchasers.

In the present work there are very few touches of my pen. But as I am told it will sell better if I add a key, explaining who are meant by the principal characters, I will not omit so important a part of an editor's duty. Though my friend has owned she did think of some certain people, she never would satisfy my eager inquiries on the subject. The most minute observation has, however, enabled me to develope the mystery, though regard for my own safety compels me to deal in initials. Lady Avondel then is no other than the Countess of X, who was a great fortune, lived with her uncle, and went by the name of good little Emily. A marriage and accouchement actually happened in the Y--p family, and I saw the person she describes as Lord Avondel, covered with the insignia of different orders. I hope I shall not be threatened with a pro