[xxxvi. 2]

1821. April 20.

First Lines

Preface

As a standard /In the character of an object or/ of reference, the work at large, if compleated, may be found of use, in the whole or in part, to one or other of three purposes - adoption, avoidance, or amendment.

To these same purposes may even this imperfect and inadequate sketch be found of use according to the extent of it, and according to the measure of its aptitude.

By this or that readr, some of the topics will be found too copiously treated of; others, too scantily: some that will have been looked for will not be found.

In regard to such of the topics as have been treated of in the Author's former works, published and unpublished together, whatever facility may have been afforded, much perplexity was mixed with it: what to notice, what to leave unnoticed: of that which is noticed, what to notice by reference only, what by quotation, what by abridgement: where views have altered what to amend, what to leave unamended.

To this or that reader, where details have been omitted, the general matter may thus have been rendered incomprehensible or at least obscure. Had these details been given, the sketch would, instead of being a sketch by anticipation, have been so far the work at large.

A passage which, to the bulk of readers, may have appeared /appear/ incomprehensible or obscure, may, to one or other of the three purposes abovementioned, be found serviceable /of use/ by him who shall sit down to the perusal of it with the eye of a legislator. This, if it has any, will be in its principal use.

Of the vast field over the whole of which it was necessary that, for the purpose of this sketch, the eye of the author should for this purpose carry itself, some parts there are /may be found/ to which it had not till now applied itself. In regard to these, how much greater the degree of imperfection will naturally be is obvious.