DUBLIN MAIL; OR, + INTERCEPTED CORRESPONDENCE: TO WHICH IS ADDED, A PACKET OF POEMS. Sunt quibus in Satyra videor nimis acer, et ultra PREFACE. THERE is something repugnant to the feelings of honor in breaking open the letters of other people; yet, in nine cases out of ten, curiosity will equalize the balance of conscience. The following letters were found by an old gentleman in Dublin, who is well known to have possessed since his infancy an unconquerable propensity to pry into other folk's secrets; at the same time, being quite a devotee, he is eternally suffering from the qualms of conscience which follow his curiosity. On his perceiving what he had found, he remained, as it were, hovering between the wish to plunder the enclosed secrets, and the propriety of, delivering them into the owners' possession; but, "Like the man to double business bound, He stood and paus'd where he should first begin, PREFACE. putting the parcel carefully unopened into his pocket, and the Editor supposes they were forgotten. On his return to town, he turned his thoughts again to the packet, and decided upon a step which he supposed would unburden his conscience, and, at the same time, give a chance to his curiosity, namely, putting them into the hands of a bookseller, whom he suspected would, in all probability, publish them. After taking this step, and sermonizing a little with him upon the inviolable sanctity of honor, he concluded his interview by a few hints, such as "Something good in them, have a good run if published, eh!-droll dogs the Irish-Court secrets-um!" &c. &c.; and, with a look of curious meaning, departed. However, the bookseller, being a little more conscientious, decided upon not breaking the seals until he had given the owners every fair chance of claiming them; for which purpose, they were repeatedly advertised. Three only were claimed; and the remainder on being opened were found to give so ludicrous and an amusing account of the goings on in Dublin during his M- -y's visit, that he had them put into verse, and they are now given to the public with little or no variation from the originals. |