TO THE SECOND POSTHUMOUS VOLUME,[1]

IN A LETTER TO

THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM ELLIOT


My dear sir,--As some prefatory account of the materials which compose
this second posthumous volume of the Works of Mr. Burke, and of the
causes which have prevented its earlier appearance, will be expected
from me, I hope I may be indulged in the inclination I feel to run over
these matters in a letter to you, rather than in a formal address to the
public.

Of the delay that has intervened since the publication of the former
volume I shall first say a few words. Having undertaken, in conjunction
with the late Dr. Laurence, to examine the manuscript papers of Mr.
Burke, and to select and prepare for the press such of them as should be
thought proper for publication, the difficulties attending our
coöperation were soon experienced by us. The remoteness of our places
of residence in summer, and our professional and other avocations in
winter, opposed perpetual obstacles to the progress of our undertaking.

Soon after the publication of the fourth volume, I was rendered
incapable of attending to any business by a severe and tedious illness.
And it was not long after my recovery before the health of our
invaluable friend began gradually to decline, and soon became unequal to
the increasing labors of his profession and the discharge of his
Parliamentary duties. At length we lost a man, of whom, as I shall have