PREFACE.

At a time when Malta makes so conspicuous a figure on thepolitical scene of Europe, in the midst of the numerous govern-ments overturned by the most astonishing revolution whichhas hitherto been recorded in the annals of history, I havebeen induced to believe that it would be both useful and en-tertaining to comprise in one single work every thing mostdeserving notice relative to that celebrated island, now be-come an object of universal attention ; to add all thosecircumstances which timidity and a mistaken idea of poli-tics have hitherto concealed in all the modern histories ofMalta; to throw a light on those events which have been mis-represented by premeditated malice, or ill explained throughinattention; and to lay before the world all that has beenpassed over in silence, either from a degree of ignorancescarcely pardonable in an author, or from motives of self-interest still more culpable. For this purpose, I find it neces-sary to divide my work into two parts:—the first of which willinclude the geographical description of the island, together

VOL. i.

a