LUCIUS OR THE ROMAN CONVERT A TALE. TO WHICH IS ADDED GIANNETTO'S COURTSHIP; OR, THE USAGE OF BELMONTE. INTRODUCTION. In submitting a production to general notice, through the medium of the press, it is not sufficient to satisfy the public, that the author had an object in view, but it must be an object which we can justify on principles which will bear to be investigated, and which, in their development, may be productive of good. Talents and ingenuity have often been prostituted in literature to base and unworthy purposes, as well as in the business and intercourse of human life. But an author's motives, if they should be unscrupulous and wrong, are quickly detected, which is not always so easily done in the intercourse and business of society; and few would venture to justify the man who pandered to our vicious propensities, or attempted to corrupt our principles, and mislead our understandings,-being influenced by the innate love of evil, or views of gain and worldly advantage. Since an author, then, should present himself before his readers with clean hands, and the consciousness at least of right intentions, it may be expected of us that we speak of our object in the following production, and |