CONCLUSION
OF THE THIRD VOLUME.
Looking over the preceding sheets, and observing
several errors of the press, I had thoughts of giving
a table of them. But I recollect that in other books,
a table of this kind has appeared to me unnecessary.—
Because the intelligent reader could in general himself
see what were errors, and as to the unintelligent, it
made no great odds, whether he did or not.
But in justice to the printer, it may be necessary to
advertise the reader, that I have been the corrector of
the press myself, and therefore with respect to these errors
he is not in fault. The truth is, though I am an
excellent writer, I mean as to authorship, yet I am,
perhaps the worst corrector of a press in the world. I
have not patience in what is in the least degree mechan
nical. It is impossible for me to examine literatim and
verbatim; not even indeed lineatim and paginatim. I
cast a quick glance upon the sheet, and unless something
very glaring strikes my eye, I let it pass.
As to the fate of the bog-trotter, I must leave the
matter in suspence until the fourth volume, when I shall
dispose of him to as much advantage as possible.
I have only farther to say at present, that I wish I
could get this work to make a little more noise. Will
no body attack it, and prove that it is insipid, libellous,
treasonable, immoral, or irreligious? If they will not
do this, let them do something else, praise it, call it excellent,
say it contains wit, erudition, genius, and the
Lord knows what? Will no body speak? What? Ho!
are ye all asleep in the hold there down at Philadelphia?
Will none of you abuse, praise, reprobate, or commend
this performance? It is ill usage; that is all I can say;
and I will take my revenge in a short time unless the
matter mends, by dropping my pen altogether, as I now
do for the present.
