MONTHLY VISITOR, AND ENTERTAINING POCKET COMPANION. BY A SOCIETY OF GENTLEMEN. Nature never lends SHAKESPEARE. Be thon the first our efforts to befriend: POPE, VOL. I. LONDON: NOSTER ROW. 1797. DONATED BRJHB PREFACE. AS in the introduction of a Friend, to one 17 with whom we had long been in habits of intimacy, it would be highly improper, after having ushered him into the room, to leave him without further assistance or apology, so it would be equally contrary to the just ceremonials of society, did we now present ourselves before the Public unaccompanied with a salutary respect. A LITERARY MAGAZINE, conducted on liberal principles, and calculated for general amusement, has, it is believed, long been desired by a numerous and respectable class of Readers. This desideratum we have endeavoured to supply. ` No personal animosity shall distort our Biographical, -no party prejudice, nor vicious insinuation, shall stain our Miscellaneous pages. In our DRAMATIC ; Review, we will judge the A&tor more than the man in our LITERARY, the book-not its Author; keeping, in every exertion, that true medium which justice and generosity Mall dictate. Our Plan, gentle Reader, and the execution of that Plan, are now before thee : it would be useless to deprecate thy wrath, shouldst thou find that we have not performed our promises; yet, remember, that we may improve in thy good graces, . while given to hope, that the MONTHLY VISITOR will be encouraged to repeat his visits. THE |