THE BRITISH CRITIC, A NEW REVIEW, FOR JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL M DCC XCVIII. Caufa jubet melior Superos fperare fecundos. LUCAN. VOLUME XI. London: PRINTED FOR F. AND C. RIVINGTON, PREFACE. TH HOUGH we would not arrogate too much to ourfelves, we cannot but compare our halfyearly recapitulations, in fome degree, to the Tables of Fame propofed by the Tatler*, to which we invite fuch perfons as feem moft worthy to be admitted, for their wisdom, learning, eloquence, fagacity, inventive powers, or other ufeful accomplishments. Our femeftral tables are not indeed fo very felect as thofe propofed by Ifaac Bickerftaff, because our object is to feed the living, not to ciats the dead; and to exclude a living author from a banquet is no trifle. It ought to be very clear that he is by fome circumftance or other difqualified, before fo itrong à ftep is taken. Be it known then, that we confider a book, an edition of a book, or even a fmall pamphlet, as a ticket to our tables; unless it fhall appear on the face of the production itself, that the author is either ignorant of his fubject, dull, or abfurd, defirous of exciting any bad or malignant paffion in his readers, or, above all, an enemy to Religion. Some of the firft of thefe claffes are of courfe excluded, as not belonging to the description of perfons for whom our viands are prepared; the reft we doubt not would feel as uneafy at being mixed with our friends, as the latter would feel indignant at the introduction of füch interlopers. Having premifed thus much, we proceed to open our tables, arranging our guests according to the tendency of their refpective ftudies. Tatler, No. 67, 81, &, a DIVINITY, BRIT. CRIT. VOL, XI, |