THE CRITICAL REVIEW. For SEPTEMBER, 1795. The New Annual Register, or General Repository of History, WE are unacquainted from which fide of the Tweed the would advise them in future to adopt the motto Nemo nos impune laceflit' for a more severe chastisement never was inflicted than they have bestowed in the preface on some of their opponents; and we cannot but congratulate ourselves that we are not apparently the objects of their vengeance. We do not mean, however, to commend the irafcibility of the 'genus irritabile vatum.' The authors in question were certainly warranted in defending their own veracity, when wantonly attacked, but they have done it in rather too petulant terms. The squabbles of men of letters generally afford entertainment to the public; but they seldom benefit either party: and they may say as the frogs in the fable-' It is sport to you, but it is death to us. Of the entertainment thus provided, however, we will not deprive our readers; and, as far as their character has been unjustly attacked, we think we only do justice to our authors, by inserting their own vindication It was not our design to have diverted the attention of our readers from the important events which at present agitate the political world, by any address in the form of a preface or advertisement, farther than was necessary to convey our thanks to the public for the very liberal encouragement which our last volume experienced. But a respect for that public obliges us for once to relinquish our intention, as it is of some importance, not merely to ourselves, but to the cause of truth, to expose the flagrant and abfurd falsehoods by which we have been ignorantly and maliciously attacked by interested and venal writers, C. R. N. ARR. (XV.) September, 1795 B It 1 |