notwithstanding the weakness of this tranflation, inspire them with the like enthusiasm ! At least I may venture to exclaim in the words of M. ZIMMERMANN, "Dear and "virtuous young man, into whofe hands this "book perchance may fall, receive with af"fection the good which it contains, and "reject all that is cold and fpiritlefs; all "that does not touch and penetrate the heart? "But if you thank me for the performance, "if you blefs me, if you acknowledge that "I have enlightened your mind, corrected your manners, and tranquillized your "heart, I fhall congratulate myself on the "fincerity of my intentions, and think my "labours richly rewarded. If the perufal of "it fhall fortify your inclination for a wife "and active Solitude, justify your averfion "from thofe focieties which only ferve to destroy time, and heighten your repug nance to employ vile and fhameful means "in the acquifition of riches, I fhall afk no "other benediction for my work." Ir will perhaps appear furprising that, entertaining fo high a veneration for the writ ings of M. ZIMMERMANN, I could permit myself with profane hand to retrench the greater part of his work: permit me therefore to difclose the reasons which influenced my conduct. Four large volumes on the fubject of SOLITUDE appeared to me to be a work too arduous for the generality of French readers, and particularly for French bookfellers to undertake; for even this fhort effay, without the recommendation of M. LE TOURNEUR, Could not have attained the bonour of the prefs. Befide, although the rays of genius beam throughout the work, and the first two volumes, which principally treat of monaftic Solitude, contain many profound reflections, yet they are, perhaps, rather too long for the generality of readers, and are indeed capable of difpleafing many, whofe narrow prejudices might be fhocked by the liberal fentiments of an Author who appeals to the decifion of REASON alone upon the fubject of certain abuses rendered facred by the motives from which they proceeded. Notwithstanding this however, I could not determine to retrench the work before I had confulted feveral men of letters, of enlightened understandings, and in high favour with the Public: No, I never could have ventured, on my own judgment, to have pruned any part of a work which has acquired the universal approbation of the German Empire*, and obtained the fuffrages of AN EMPRESS celebrated for the fuperior brilliancy of her mind, and who has fignified her approbation in the most flattering manner. ON the 26th January 1785, a Courier, dispatched by the Ruffian Envoy at Hamburg, prefented M. ZIMMERMANN with a fmall casket in the name of her Majefty the Emprefs of Ruffia. The cafket contained a ring enriched with diamonds of an extraordinary fize and luftre, and a gold medal, bearing on one fide the portrait of the Empress, and on the other the date of the happy reformation of the Ruffian Empire. This prefent the Emprefs accompanied with a letter, written in her own hand, containing * The Author is already inferted in the collection of Claffic Authors printed at Carlsrbue. thefe |