Condidit, et major conjunctis viribus exit. CLAUD. LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, By S. Hamilton, Falcon-Court, Fleet-Street; AND SOLD BY G. KEARSLEY, NO. 46, IN THAT STREET! 1802. 1 THE MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE. MY LORD, Your great ancestor, sir William Petty, was one of the early advisers of a consolidation of the English and Irish parliaments: sensible of its expediency, he recommended it by strong arguments. As, with his fortune and talents, you inherit his predilection for such a measure, a work which traces the progress and relates the completion of the late scheme of union may with obvious propriety be inscribed to your lordship. Your judgement, on a perusal of this history, may induce you to disallow the pretensions of the author to the praise of literary merit; but your politeness will excuse the freedom of the dedicator. If the performance should be entitled to approbation, your lord |