he uninterrupted
correspondence and friendship of this distinguished Individual; and I
can only regret, in common with several friends, that M. Le Prevost
will not summon courage sufficient to visit a country, once in such
close connexion with his own, where a HEARTY RECEPTION has long
awaited him.]

[77] [The omission, in this place, of the entire IXth Letter, relating to
the PUBLIC LIBRARY at Rouen, must be accounted for, and it is hoped,
approved, on the principle laid down at the outset of this
undertaking; namely, to omit much that was purely bibliographical, and
of a secondary interest to the general Reader. The bibliography, in
the original IXth Letter, being of a partial and comparatively dry
description--as relating almost entirely to ancient volumes of Church
Rituals--was thought to be better omitted than abridged. Another
reason might be successfully urged for its omission.

This IXth Letter, which comprehends 22 pages in the previous
impression, and about 38 pages in the version, having been translated
and _separately_ published in 1821, by Mons. Licquet (who
succeeded M. Gourdin as Principal Librarian of the Library in
question) I had bestowed upon it particular attention, and entered
into several points by way of answer to his remarks, and in
justification or explanation of the original matter. In consequence,
any _abridgement_ of that original matter must have led to
constant notice of the minute remarks, and pigmy attacks, of my
critical translator: and the stream of intelligence in the text might
have been diverted, or rendered unpalatable, by the observations, in
the way of controversy, in the notes. If M. Licquet considers this
avowal as the proclaiming of his triumph, he is welcome to the laurels
of a Conqueror; but if he can persuade any COMMON FRIENDS that, in the
translation here referred to, he has defeated the original author in
one essential position--or corrected him in one flagrant inaccuracy--I
shall be as prompt to thank him for his labours, as I am now to
express my astonishment and pity at his undertaking. When M. Licquet
put forth the brochure in question--(so splendidly executed in the
press of M. Crapelet--to harmonise, in all respects, with the large
paper copies of the original English text) he had but recently
occupied the seat of his Predecess