discovered inaccuracies, but I abstained from noticing them, because the author had not completed his undertaking, and might, in his succeeding volumes, correct them himself. The whole work has since been published; and I have felt myself quite at liberty to discuss its merits : nay, I was bound to do so in my own justification, for who is there, when a naval occurrence is related differently by an unprofessional and a professional writer, that will not pin faith upon the latter ? I am not such a hypocrite as to disown, that I derive a satisfaction from the comparison of Captain Brenton's work with my own, short as even that falls of what my wishes would have made it. And yet, how often have I longed for the experience of a post-captain of 20 years' standing, for some of those "great opportunities for obtaining the most correct information" enjoyed by my contemporary. Captain Brenton could go to the club-rooms and convivial meetings of his brother-officers, and collect his facts from among them; while, for a single fact, often of dubious importance, I had to address myself to a stranger ; one, perhaps, who thought so meanly of my abilities for the task I had undertaken, that he would not deign to send me a reply.

I hope, therefore, that those of the naval profession, who have felt, or who may feel, disposed to bear hard upon me for the inaccuracies they discover, or the strictures they dislike, will reflect upon the fallibilities of a naval historian of their own body. Let them consider, that any three of my six volumes contain more matter pertaining to naval history, than the five volumes of Captain Brenton. Let them make some allowance for the increased quantity of detail in my work, as well as for the increased liability to err, which I have thus brought upon myself. Let those, also, who may prefer the style of my contemporary to mine, reflect how much easier it is for a writer, who skims over the surfaces of things and finds little or nothing to start at, to construct well-turned periods, than a writer, who dips deeply into his subject, and stops every now and then to investigate a disputed fact. Finally, whatever literary aid Captain Brenton may have received, I can conscientiously say with Gibbon, " 1. My rough manuscript, without any intermediate copy, has been sent to press. 2. Not a sheet has been seen by any human eyes, excepting those of the author and the printer: the faults and merits are exclusively my own."

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