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justly entitled to preserve, exclusively, that which have cost them, perhaps, much time, expence, and trouble, to acquire. Another, and more favourable reason, however, may be alleged; that amongst these few, none have been urged by that degree of confidence in their own abilities, sufficient to induce them to set about a work in itself so mysterious and uncommon. Be that as it may, the author of the following pages could seriously have wished that this task had fortunately fallen to the lot of some other person much better qualified than himself. The idea, however, of retaining from our fellow-creatures that knowledge which the Great Disposer of all good have been pleased to lend us, only, is a notion so contrary
