the Man: Others, to excite Mirth, and entertain the Reader's vicious Tafte, have reprefented such strange and ludicrous Characters, as fure never exifted, but in Imagination; uncouth as the Characters of the famed Rabelais, which no one can liken to any Thing but those shadowy, fantastic Reprefentations of the bafeless Fabric of a Vision, that sport in our Fancies, when laid in the Arms of Sleep. Others there are, who, indeed, may boast of great Beauties, and their Authors of great Merit; in which Virtue is inculcated in a most amiable Manner, and the Heart is, Step by Step, led on to generous and noble Sentiments; but ftill, whilft they have the Characters of Romances, People will not give themselves the needful Trouble to infpect the Moral, or, if they do, imagining it the Product of mere Imagination, it paffes off as a fine fangled Tale, and makes no deep or lafting Impreffion. In a real Life founded on Facts, like this, of a Perfon now in Being,. where every thing may be depended upon, and goes upon the Standard of Truth; where it wears thofe indelible Marks of Fidelity that diftinguish it from all Fiction and Invention; where one Fact or Circumstance naturally flows from another, and you see nothing either impoffible or improbable in the Narration; real Service is done to Mankind; and we can't forbear comparing the Cha racter racter of the Author with our own, and endeavouring to imitate the bright and fhining Parts of his Conduct and Behaviour, and to efchew those Parts which appear to us abfurd, immoral, and ridiculous: And I think, where the Life, fo written, proceeds from the Pen of the Hero himself, Things are fo intimately described, and the Motions of the Heart are fo anatomised and diffected, and he relates what he feels, or has felt, fo fenfibly, that it adds fresh Force and Vigour to every Thing the Writer would inculcate; and we alternately, with him, feel the Starts of Joy, and the Movements and Bursts of Sorrow, upon every reviving or mortifying Occurrence that happens. My Author, I think, is all over new, and has followed the Track of no former Writer;' his Style and Manner is peculiar to himself; nor bas he borrowed any Thing from others, fave here and there a beautiful Paffage his Memory fuggefted to him, from our beft and finest Poets: This our Reader will rather account, I dare fay, a Perfection than a Blemish, and thank him for it, as they are not brought in incongruously and improperly. Thus I commend Joe Thompson to the Perufal of all Ranks of People. The Fair of this happy Land will rife improved from their Reading, as well as the generous Youth, who pants after Inftruction. In Families it fhould become become a kind of Monitor, and in Schools a Vade Mecum: And that it may be as much admired by others, as it is by me, and may be of univerfal Service to Mankind, is the fincere and hearty Prayer of The EDITOR. CON. CONTENTS. HE Author's Motives for writing bis Adventures.-His Birth.-Ac- count of his Parents.—Management of him till he arrives to an Age fufficient for Digreffion on Schoolmasters. Character of Mr. Profody and his Wife, and their Daughter Urfula.-Miferable Temper of bis Mafter and Mistress.-Avarice thought to be conftitutional.-Mifs Urfula in Love, which is oppofed by her Father.-He makes great Progress in his Learning. -Almoft Mifs Urfula runs away with hersweetheart. -They examine tha Houfe.-The Daughter returns. She difcovers the Prank, and the Author of it. They are feized and confined. CHA P. V. His Reception at Home with his Comrades.- They are reproved by his Father.—Several excellent Obfervations.-His Father, with His Father's Manner of Education.-Sharpley is fent to Sea, and Archer to Oporto-Pro- per Reflections.-Takes great Delight in . Hunting, and gains the Friendship of Sir Wal- |