The right of Translation is reserved. LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. PREFACE. HESE volumes aim at completeness in themselves, but I must ask the reader to bear in mind that they are to be followed by two more. They are an attempt to settle the first principles of Criticism, and to show how alone it can be raised to the dignity of a science. But any one who cares for the discussion is sure to ask at every stage of itHow do your principles bear on the practical questions of criticism? how are they to be applied? I hope to show this ere long; but I venture also to hope that the principles here evolved-even while their application is withheld-may be worthy of attention, may |