Book contents
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- The Invisible Spy
- BOOK I
- BOOK II
- VOL. II
- BOOK III
- BOOK IV
- VOL. III
- BOOK V
- CHAP. I The author's introduction to this volume consists only of an apology for making no introduction at all, and his reasons for that omission
- CHAP. II Contains such matters as, it is highly probable, will be the least pleasing to those for whose service it is most intended
- CHAP. III Presents the Reader with a very foolish adventure of Lysetta's, to which all that was contain'd in the preceding chapter was only a prelude; with some short remarks of the author's own on the extreme danger, as well as infatuation, of consulting Fortune-tellers of any kind, and giving credit to their idle and absurd predictions
- CHAP. IV Contains the catastrophe of an affair, which the repetition of ought not to give offence to any one, except the person whose resentment the author will not look upon as a misfortune
- CHAP. V Treats on various matters, some of which, the author dares venture to assure the public, will hereafter be found not only more entertaining, but also of more consequence than at present they appear to be
- CHAP. VI Contains such things as are not often to be met with, neither in the one nor the other sex; yet are, or at least ought to be, equally interesting to both
- CHAP. VII The Author has been in some debate within himself, whether he should insert or not, as he is conscious it will be little relish'd by the fashionable genteel part of his readers; – and what is still worse, can afford neither much entertainment, nor much improvement to the others
- CHAP. VIII Wherein the wonderful power of beauty, when accompany'd with virtue, is display'd in a very remarkable, as well as affecting occurrence
- CHAP. IX Contains only a continuation of the same narrative, begun in the foregoing Chapter, and will not be concluded in this
- CHAP. X The catastrophe of this adventure cannot fail of exciting compassion in the breasts of my fair readers, and also afford much matter of speculation to those of the other sex
- BOOK VI
- BOOK VII
- BOOK VIII
- Editorial Notes
- Silent Corrections
CHAP. I - The author's introduction to this volume consists only of an apology for making no introduction at all, and his reasons for that omission
from BOOK V
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- The Invisible Spy
- BOOK I
- BOOK II
- VOL. II
- BOOK III
- BOOK IV
- VOL. III
- BOOK V
- CHAP. I The author's introduction to this volume consists only of an apology for making no introduction at all, and his reasons for that omission
- CHAP. II Contains such matters as, it is highly probable, will be the least pleasing to those for whose service it is most intended
- CHAP. III Presents the Reader with a very foolish adventure of Lysetta's, to which all that was contain'd in the preceding chapter was only a prelude; with some short remarks of the author's own on the extreme danger, as well as infatuation, of consulting Fortune-tellers of any kind, and giving credit to their idle and absurd predictions
- CHAP. IV Contains the catastrophe of an affair, which the repetition of ought not to give offence to any one, except the person whose resentment the author will not look upon as a misfortune
- CHAP. V Treats on various matters, some of which, the author dares venture to assure the public, will hereafter be found not only more entertaining, but also of more consequence than at present they appear to be
- CHAP. VI Contains such things as are not often to be met with, neither in the one nor the other sex; yet are, or at least ought to be, equally interesting to both
- CHAP. VII The Author has been in some debate within himself, whether he should insert or not, as he is conscious it will be little relish'd by the fashionable genteel part of his readers; – and what is still worse, can afford neither much entertainment, nor much improvement to the others
- CHAP. VIII Wherein the wonderful power of beauty, when accompany'd with virtue, is display'd in a very remarkable, as well as affecting occurrence
- CHAP. IX Contains only a continuation of the same narrative, begun in the foregoing Chapter, and will not be concluded in this
- CHAP. X The catastrophe of this adventure cannot fail of exciting compassion in the breasts of my fair readers, and also afford much matter of speculation to those of the other sex
- BOOK VI
- BOOK VII
- BOOK VIII
- Editorial Notes
- Silent Corrections
Summary
Since my setting about this work, I have seen several late treatises that are half taken up with introductory Prefaces to the publick: – on a serious examination to what end those long discourses were penn'd, they seem to me to have been occasioned either by one or the other of the following motives:
First, That an author having contracted with his bookseller for a certain number of sheets, without having well consider'd whether his head be stored with subject matter to make good his engagement, finds himself under a necessity of filling up the vacant pages by saying something by way of an introduction, preface, or advertisement to the reader.
Or, secondly, That fearing the eyes of the public will not be sufficiently open to the merit of his performance; or, perhaps, not have the curiosity even to look into it at all, he thinks proper to bespeak their favour by a pompous prelude, and sounds his own praises, like a trumpet at the door of a Puppet-shew.
Now I am too great a lover of liberty ever to bind myself by any such slavish agreement; the first of these incentives is quite out of the question, and cannot possibly have any weight with me.
And as to the second, – As a more perfect knowledge of myself, than I perceive some others have, will not permit me to be over vain in any thing I do, so the indolence of my nature will not permit me to be over anxious for the success.
Besides not having the temptation of the motives aforesaid, I have more adventures to relate than can be easily crowded into this volume, therefore have neither time nor paper to spare for an address, which would afford so little satisfaction to myself in the writing, and perhaps less to my reader in the perusing.
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- The Invisible Spyby Eliza Haywood, pp. 241 - 242Publisher: Pickering & ChattoFirst published in: 2014