about form and style; I wish to be clear and explicit in detail, simple and correct in language. As to historical truth, I am inexorable; I may be deceived myself, but whilst I possess my reason I never shall be brought to lend a hand in deceiving others. If before Monday you shall have pointed out to me no false or erroneous statements in the manuscript now left for your perusal, I shall conclude that it is in every point of view what I intended it should be, a true and faithful account of my writing the Historical Review of the State of Ireland. After the fate of that work, the interest and welfare of Ireland, and the consequent firmness of the British empire, call for the publication of such an account. I have the honour to be, with most profound deference and respect, Sir, your devoted and obedient Humble fervant, FRANCIS PLOWDEN. Right Hon. Henry Addington. On the ensuing Sunday the author was honoured with the following answer: Downing Street, Feb. 5, 1804. Mr. Addington has received Mr. Plowden's letter and the manuscript which accompanied it; Mr. Addington abstains from suggesting any alte ration in the latter, but cannot forbear remarking its extreme inaccuracy, as far as it relates to communications, munications, that have taken place between Mr. Plowden and himself. The reader will perhaps agree with the author, that after the receipt of this answer further application to the Premier, for the purpose of revisal and correction, would have been obtrusive and fruitless. The answer, however, admits the truth of the whole Preface, except such parts of it as relate to the communications, which have taken place between that Right Honourable Gentleman and the author. As he remarks the extreme inaccuracy of the statement of those communications, without condescending to point out in what it consists, the author is at a dead fault to know what parts to alter or correct. For he is free to say, that after a most rigorous revisal of the manuscript, and impartial reflection upon his communications with the Minister, he is ready to do, with respect to the Preface, what he once told the Minister (he now repeats it) with reference to his History; he is rea dy to swear, that no part whatever of this state, ment is false, or substantially inaccurate. THE END. HISTORICAL DISQUISITION CONCERNING THE RISE, PROGRESS, NATURE AND EFFECTS OF THE ORANGE SOCIETIES IN IRELAND, Intended as an Introduction to a WORK in hand, to be entitled THE HISTORY OF IRELAND, FROM ITS UNION WITH GREAT BRITAIN ON THE 1st. OF JANUARY, 1801, TO THE YEAR, 1810, BY FRANCIS PLOWDEN, Esq. Incorrupta fides, nudaque veritas. DUBLIN: PRINTED BY R. COYNE, 165, CAPEL-STREET, 1810. PREFACE. THE Author was once upbraided for having volunteered his services in bringing before the public his Historical Review of the State of Ireland.* He now presents himself before the public, no longer as a Volunteer, but as regularly enlisted, and fulfilling the indispensible obligations of his oath of engagement. It is some time since he swore without any evasion, equivocation or mental reservation, to defend King George the Third, to the utmost of his power, against all Sir Richard Musgrave in his critique upon that work in the Anti-Jacobin Review, says of the author, p. 228, "Had " he been compelled at this critical period to write his Histo❝rical Review, and had been impartial, whatever bad con sequences might have followed, could not have been laid to "his charge. But he was a volunteer, an eager volunteer.” |