APOLOGY.

READER, accept my apology-do not skip the Preface-it is necessary to a right understanding between us.

It was not until I had written Finis, that I became aware of having been anticipated in my design; when a literary friend, even our worthy President, to whom I submitted my MS., told me that the Rev. JOSEPH HUNTER had read "A Paper," "On the Connection of Bath with the Literature and Science of England," at the second anniversary of the Literary Institution. Had this come earlier to my knowledge the task would never have been undertaken; but when I ascertained that only fifty copies of Mr. Hunter's work had been printed for private circulation, that even the Institution did not possess one, that my friend could not supply me, and that the accomplished Author himself— to whom application was made-had only retained a single copy, I took heart, and submitted my light Essay to our