THE FORMER EDITION. ix This work will, therefore, naturally include a hiftory of the moft remarkable and interesting tranfa&ions, an hiftorical account of the pro- grels of learning, and an abftract of all opi- , nions and principles by which the world has been influenced in all its extent and duration. We have been particularly careful to do juftice to the learned and ingenious of our own cotni- try, whofe works are juftly held in the higheft efteem ; and we have alfo been attentive to the inftruction and amufement of the ladies, not only by decorating our work with the names of thofe who have done honour to- the fex, but by making our account of others fufficiently parti- cular to excite and gratify curiofity; and, where the fubject would admit, to intereft the paffions, without wearying attention, by minute prolixity or idle fpeculations. In the execution of this plan, we have not had recourie merely to dictionaries, nor contented ourfelves with fupplying the defects of one dictionary from another, and cutting off the redundances of all ; but we have collected from every performance in every language what had any relation to ^ur deilgn. For the lives of authors, we have had recourfe to their works; and for the lives of others, to the beft memoirs 7
