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PREFACE

TO HOPKINS'S PHILADELPHIA EDITION.

HAVING resolved upon presenting to the American publick a new edition of this justly celebrated work, the editors made it an object to ascertain, if possible, what was really the Vicar of Wakefield, as written by Dr. Goldsmith. They found the task more difficult than would be supposed by persons who have never attended to the liberties which have been taken with this performance. Upon comparing numerous editions of early and recent dates, they were surprised to find, that every American edition which they examined, and most of the late English editions, have been essentially varied from the original text,

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terations, in both the style and sentiment; insomuch, that scarcely a page, particularly in the first half of the book, has escaped without considerable changes. Not thinking themselves justifiable in giving currency to such spurious productions of anonymous booksellers and editors, as the genuine writings of Dr. Goldsmith, the publishers of the present edition have carefully restored the original reading, even in instances in which the altered copies had confessedly the advantage in point of elegance or correctness of diction. This they have done under a full conviction of the gross impropriety of

practice, which has become too general among publishers, of altering the language and even the sentiments of authors according to their own whims, or their own ill digested notions of correctness or propriety.

The edition from which this is principally copied, and which has been chiefly relied upon as authority, is the fourth edition, printed in London, in the year 1770,

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