London:
PRINTED FOR J. EBERS, OLD BOND STREET.
1812
ADVERTISEMENT
FROM THE
EDITOR.
We think it incumbent on us to acquaint the Public, notwithstanding the
title of this work, and what the Compiler asserts in his preface, that
we do not pledge ourselves for the authenticity of this Collection, and
that we have even very forcible reasons to believe it a fiction.
Nay, that the author, who seems studiously to have sought nature, has
himself awkwardly defeated his intention, by the epocha in which he
has placed his events. The morals of several of his personages are so
corrupt, that it is impossible they should have existed in this age;
an age of philosophy, and in which an extensive diffusion of knowledge
has had the happy effect to render the men famed for morality and
integrity, and the female sex for reserve and modesty.
We are therefore inclined to think, if the adventures related in this
work have any foundation in truth, they must have happened at some
other time and place: and we blame the author much, who, probably
seduced by the hope of interesting us the more, has dared to modernize
and to decorate, with our usages and customs, morals to which we are
utter strangers.
To preserve, at least, the too credulous reader, as much as in our
power, from all surprise on this subject, we will strengthen our
opinion with an unanswerable argument; for though similar causes never
fail to produce the same effects, yet we cannot now find a young
lady, with an estate of 60,000 livres a year, take the veil, nor a
Presidente, in the bloom of youth and beauty, die of grief.