'T HE L 1. F E A N D ADVENTURES OF Joe Thompson, A Narrative founded on Fact. Written by Himself. To wake the Soul, by tender Strokes of Art ; Pope. LONDON: in Pater-nofter Row; and W. FREDERICK, Book- 9-43.39 39126 2u. EDITOR'S PREFACE. IT T may, perhaps, be expected, by the Reader, that some Account should be prefixed to this Work, more than he will find in the Work itself, of the Motives for publishing it; and such other Matters as Custom has made the Subject of a Preface; and, in order to comply with the natural Curiosity of this Country, which is still exploring farther and farther into the Reasons of I hings, and is hardly ever to be satisfied, till it has sifted an Affair to the very Bottom, I am going to acquaint him, that, tho' Mr. Thompson has been sume Years in England, the eager Desire, his numerous Friends and Acquaintance still expressed to hear him relate his Adventures, grew quite troublesome to him ; and, in his own Defence, he yielded to my pressing Sollicitations to digest the various and uncommon Accidents that have chequered his Life, into a Narrative that should at once ease him of that Trouble of answering such Numbers of Questions, as were every Day put to him; and at the fame Time I made Use of the aforesaid Rea fon A 2 |