THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHRY CLINKER

by TOBIAS SMOLLETT




To Mr HENRY DAVIS, Bookseller, in London.

ABERGAVENNY, Aug. 4.

RESPECTED SIR,

I have received your esteemed favour of the 13th ultimo, whereby
it appeareth, that you have perused those same Letters, the which
were delivered unto you by my friend, the reverend Mr Hugo Behn;
and I am pleased to find you think they may be printed with a
good prospect of success; in as much as the objections you
mention, I humbly conceive, are such as may be redargued, if not
entirely removed -- And, first, in the first place, as touching
what prosecutions may arise from printing the private
correspondence of persons still living, give me leave, with all
due submission, to observe, that the Letters in question were not
written and sent under the seal of secrecy; that they have no
tendency to the mala fama, or prejudice of any person whatsoever;
but rather to the information and edification of mankind: so that
it becometh a sort of duty to promulgate them in usum publicum.
Besides, I have consulted Mr Davy Higgins, an eminent attorney of
this place, who, after due inspection and consideration,
declareth, That he doth not think the said Letters contain any