"And what is this new book the whole world makes such a rout about? --Oh 'tis out of all plumb, my lord, --quite an irregular thing; not one of the angles at the four corners was a right angle. I had my rule and compasses, my lord, in my pocket--Excellent critic "Grant me patience, just Heaven Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world--though the cant of hypocrites may be the worst, the cant of criticism is the most tormenting "--Sterne. What authors in general may feel upon the subject I know not, but I have discovered, since I so rashly took up my pen, that there are three portions of a novel which are extremely difficult to arrange to the satisfaction of a fastidious public. The first is the beginning, the second the middle, and the third is the end