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TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,

An IntrodUCTION,

VINDICATING THE CHARACTER OF LORD RUSSELL-

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THE quick fale of the Three former Editions, proves that this VINDICATION of the immortal SIDNEY, and the virtuous LORD RUSSELL, and also the LETTERS of the excellent LADY RusSELL, have fome merit, and that there is not the least occafion to employ any of the too common artifices to establish the character of the book, and promote its circulation among the public.

However, as there are some persons who pay that great deference to the judgment of certain critics, as neither to esteem, nor purchase a book, till they have read an account of it in the Critical and Monthly Reviews, the following extracts are fubmitted to their confideration.

Critical Review, May 1773.-" In the Introduction, several arguments are produced, vindicating the propriety of Lord Russell's conduct, relative to the charge of his intriguing with the court of France, which certainly have great weight.""If good sense, social sympathy, fortitude, and fervent piety, have any claim to attention, these Letters of Lady Ruffell will communicate deep impreffions to the mind of a ferious reader, and afford a striking example of female virtue."

Monthly Review, July 1773.-" It must affor a confiderable entertainment to peruse the Letters of Lord William Russell's Lady, and especially as the Lady was a woman of the most distinguished merit. Some farther light is here thrown on the conduct of several eminent persons; and it gives a striking

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a striking exhibition of Lady Rachel's character, which was not only an excellent, but an uncommon one. We fee in her the most affectionate and tender regard to the memory of her noble hufband, and the most exquifite, unconquerable, and almost unabating grief for the loss of him, united with an highly exalted piety, a profound submiffion to the Divine Will, and a wisdom and fortitude which enabled her to maintain a propriety and dignity of behaviour in every fituation.""The Introduction to this collection contains fome valuable remarks in vindication of Lord Ruffell."

It is evident, the Reviewer thought they were valuable remarks, for in his animadversions on Dalrymple's Memoirs, he hath borrowed a number of them, fometimes in the very words, but without the leaft acknowledgment. Probably this was the reafon that the ingenuous Reviewer would give no extracts from the Introduction. He also acknowledges, "The Editor's notes add to the entertainment and utility of the work:" and the Editor hopes that to every candid reader, they will appear both accurate and perfpicuous.

The several quotations in the Introduction, from different hiftorians, would have been "needless," had it not been for the late afperfions of Sir John Dalrymple on the character of Lord Ruffell and others; but are now neceffary, to shew that the historians of every party were all agreed in the point of Lord Russell's inflexible integrity, and genuine patriotifm.

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