The contents of the following pages, in which it was, in fact, my defign to give, as far as may be done within fuch moderate limits, and in as popular a manner as fach information can eafily be imparted, a general view of the Hifiory of Comic Literature and Art. Yet the word comic feems to me hardly to exprefs all the parts of the fubjeé't which I have fought to bring together in my book. Moreover, the field of this hiftory is very large, and, though I have only taken as my theme one part of it, it was neceffary to circum fcribe even that, in fome degree; and my plan, there fore, is to follow it chie?y through thofe branches which have contributed moft towards the formation.