ADVERTISEMENT. NEARLY three generations have elapsed since the "Letters of Junius" were first published; and it may be safely affirmed that, during this long ordeal, no contemporary work has maintained a higher estimation-has received more marked and uniform approval from competent literary judges-or has called into existence so many commentators, editors, and investigators. As there is little in the subject matter of these famous epistles that could confer upon them such enduring celebrity. they must be mainly indebted for it to the writer's extraordinary powers, the varied resources of which have enabled him, with the peculiar characteristic of genius, to dignify and immortalize that which, in its own nature, is secondary and perishable. In this respect Junius stands alone-he is the Napoleon of public writers; and, like the author of the first and noblest epic, though he has had a host of imitators, he is still without an equal. The STANDARD LIBRARY Would have been imperfect had it not included among its elect the most celebrated of political gladiators. The very complete edition now submitted to the public comprises all that was given in the three volumes published in 1812, and again in 1814, by the late Mr. George Woodfall-indeed all that was authentically known of Junius and his writings. To specify more distinctly the merits of Woodfall's edition, now reprinted entire, it may be proper to enumerate its contents, which are:-1. The public letters of Junius as revised and annotated by himself, and published collectively, under his direction, subsequent to their appearance in the Public Advertiser. 2. A collection of Miscellaneous Letters, ascribed to Junius. 3. His private notes and confidential communications with Mr. Woodfa!! (published only after they had been preserved in honourable privacy for forty years). 4. Illustrative notes; and a copious Preliminary Essay, comprising a critical analysis of the Letters, and an examination of the various claims to their authorship. In an edition already so complete little scope was left for useful enlargement. Nevertheless, even in this respect, something has been contributed. Besides a more careful discrimination of the authentic writings of Junius, the Editor, by the courtesy of the present proprietor of the Junius Manuscripts, and the abundant materials placed at his disposal by the publisher, has been enabled to present further illustrations. He has examined the formidable array of "inquiries" with considerable diligence, and the reader will have the benefit of the little that is to be gleaned from them. But his most critical task is reserved for the second and concluding volume. Junius remains at least unavowed. The editor's own impression as to the authorship is strong, based, he thinks, upon adequate testimony; but his hero and his arguments must be deferred until the due season of publication. The solemn enunciation, that “I am the sole depositary of my own secret, and it shall perish with me," has to the present time been kept inviolate. Since the present volume was put to press, the publisher has become possessed of some manuscripts relative to Junius by the late Sir Harris Nicolas, destined, it is believed, towards a new edition. This acute scholar had devoted his mind to the subject for years, and has drawn up an ingenious analysis, which will be presented to the reader in the next volume. CONTENTS Junius to the Printer of the Public Advertiser.......... Philo-Junius to the Printer of the Public Advertiser........ 180 A speech without doors (Sir William Blackstone's) on the XXVI. Sir William Draper's parting letter to Junius XXVII. Junius in reply to Sir William Draper M. Tullius in defence of the Duke of Bedford xxx. Junius on Rescue of General Gansel n General Gansel's case, and brigade order in consequenc it.... XXXI. Philo-Junius to the Printer of the Public Advertiser XXXIII. Junius to the Duke of Grafton XXXIV. Junius to the same n Justice to the Printer of the Public Advertiser in defence XXXV. Junius's address to the King On Woodfall's trial for publishing this letter ..no no Lord Mansfield.-Explanation of the story of his having dra the Pretender's health upon his knees ................... no Judge Yates.-Anecdote of him Junius on the Falkland Islands.. Dr. Johnson.-Extracts from his "Thoughts on the la transactions respecting Falkland's Islands" XLIII. Philo-Junius on the Spanish convention Publication of Parliamentary Debates XLIV. Junius on Privileges of Parliament XLV. XLVI. Philo-Junius to the Printer of the Public Advertiser ..not Erasure of the decision of the House of Commons, on t .........not XLVII. Philo-Junius to the Printer of the Public Advertiser LI. LII. Election of Messrs. Wilkes and Bull to be sheriffs of Lon- Account of the quarrel between Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Horne, The Rev. Mr. Horne to Junius... Mr. Horne's explanation, as extracted from one of his letters, of his reasons for originally supporting Mr. Wilkes...note, 375 Mr. Wilkes's reply to a passage in the foregoing extract...note, 376 W. B. to the Rev. Mr. Horne, on a passage in his letter, Vote of thanks from the Common Council to Lord Chatham, for his declaration in favour of short parliaments Lord Chatham's reply to the committee deputed to present it 385 Story of the Oaks, in answer to Junius's charge against the Duke of Grafton respecting Whittlebury Forest ......note, 403 LXIII. A friend of Junius, in answer to a Barrister-at-law LXIV. To the Printer of the Public Advertiser-Declaration in LXVII. Junius to the Duke of Grafton Disgraceful anecdote of Lord Irnham |