It is but of late that the inestimable importance of political principles has been adequately apprehended.

It is now known to philosophers that the spirit and character of the Government intrudes itself into every rank of society.
But this is a truth highly worthy to be communicated to persons whom books of philosophy and science are never likely to reach.

Accordingly, it was proposed, in the invention of the following work, to comprehend, as far as the progressive nature of a single story would allow, a general review of the modes of domestic and unrecorded despotism by which man becomes the destroyer of man.

If the author shall have taught a valuable lesson, without subtracting from the interest and passion by which a performance of this sort ought to be characterised, he will have reason to congratulate himself upon the vehicle he has chosen.
_May_ 12, 1794.
This preface was withdrawn in the original edition, in compliance with the alarms of booksellers.

"Caleb Williams" made his first appearance in the world in the same month in which the sanguinary plot broke out against the liberties of Englishmen, which was happily terminated by the acquittal of its first intended victims in the close of that year.
Terror was the order of the day; and it was feared that even the humble novelist might be shown to be constructively a traitor.
_October_ 29, 1795.
AUTHOR'S LATEST PREFACE.
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LONDON, _November_ 20, 1832.
"CALEB WILLIAMS" has always been regarded by the public with an unusual degree of favour.