PRINTED FOR J. WALTER, CHARING-CROSS; R. FAULDER,
BOND-STREET; W. RICHARDSON, ROYAL EXCHANGE;
W. GORDON AND C. ELLIOT, EDINBURGK;

DUNLOP AND WILSON, GLASGOW.

NEW

MDCCLXXXVII,

TO THE

NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN,

MEMBERS OF THE

BRITISH SOCIETY FOR EXTENDING

THE FISHERIES, &c.

I

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

EMBRACE this early opportunity

of congratulating the Public upon an event, which, while it reflects immortal honour on your humanity and patriotic fpirit, will contribute, in a most eminent degree, to the fecurity and profperity of these kingdoms,

A very confiderable part of this ifland was lying almost in a state of nature; the riches of its fhores, tho' more important

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portant to great national purposes than the mines of Mexico and Peru, were fcarcely fought after. A great body of people, having no means of employment, were rendered torpid by idleness: they were frequently expofed to famine; and many of them forced, through neceffity, to abandon their barren, but beloved wilds.

Their grievances had been flightly reprefented in the writings of fome eminent men of the prefent age. But thefe pictures of diftrefs, though they might occafion a figh in the breast of the humane reader, were forgotten amidst the croud of occurrences which glide away with time into the gulph of oblivion.

Something farther was neceffary, to imprefs the mind more deeply, to awaken the fenfes as from a lethargy, and to erect

DEDICATION.

V

erect an establishment upon the folid bafis of virtues, which in all ages have been justly confidered as the glory of humanity.

When the paffing tale was new-mo delled, collected, and compreffed within a narrow point, aided, in the recital, by language which came from the heart, it then proved fufficiently in unifon with the feelings of the times: its effects were inftantaneous, and are likely to become permanently and completely efficacious.

To you, my Lords and Gentlemen, Britain owes the great national acquifition that is before us. To you, the naked, the hungry, and the helpless; the defponding parent, the husband, and the widow, will look up in transports of gratitude. When neceffity and defpair had thinned

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