Nothing is so much admired, and so little understood, as wit. No
author that I know of has written professedly upon it. As for those
who make any mention of it, they only treat on the subject as it has
accidentally fallen in their way, and that too in little short
reflections, or in general declamatory flourishes, without entering
into the bottom of the matter. I hope, therefore, I shall perform
an acceptable work to my countrymen if I treat at large upon this
subject; which I shall endeavour to do in a manner suitable to it,
that I may not incur the censure which a famous critic bestows upon
one who had written a treatise upon "the sublime," in a low
grovelling style. I intend to lay aside a whole week for this
undertaking, that the scheme of my thoughts may not be broken and
interrupted; and I dare promise myself, if my readers will give me a
week's attention, that this great city will be very much changed for
the better by next Saturday night. I shall endeavour to make what I
say intelligible to ordinary capacities; but if my readers meet with
any paper that in some parts of it may be a little out of their
reach, I would not have them discouraged, for they may assure
themselves the next shall be much clearer.

As the great and only end of these my speculations is to banish vice
and ignorance out of the territories of Great Britain, I shall
endeavour, as much as possible, to establish among us a taste of
polite writing. It is with this view that I have endeavoured to set
my readers right in several points relating to operas and tragedies,
and shall, from time to time, impart my notions of comedy, as I
think they may tend to its refinement and perfection. I find by my
bookseller, that these papers of criticism, with that upon humour,
have met with a more kind reception than indeed I could have hoped