no one,
we are not at liberty to conclude. Time has sufficiently removed us from
the scene of conflict. We are not bewildered with a multitude of
claimants, with an army of witnesses for and against; nor are we
disturbed by the clamors of the public, and the hearsay evidence of
belligerant. In this universal calm I will bring Junius forth to speak
for himself.

STATEMENT.

The time occupied in writing the LETTERS OF JUNIUS was just three years.
The first one is dated January 21, 1769, and the last one January 21,
1772. They were written for the _Public Advertiser_, a newspaper printed
in London, and were afterward revised and corrected by Junius. The
edition which he corrected "contains all the letters of Junius, Philo
Junius, and of Sir William Draper, and Mr. Horne to Junius, with their
respective dates, and according to the order in which they appeared in
the _Public Advertiser_." There are sixty-nine in all. Of these, Junius
wrote sixty-one; thirty the first year, six the second, and twenty-five
the third year. In these LETTERS Junius frequently defends himself over
the signature of Philo Junius, which he deemed indispensably necessary
in answer to plausible objections. On this point Junius observes: "The
subordinate character is never guilty of the indecorum of praising his
principal. The fraud was innocent, and I always intended to explain it."
These letters were an attack upon the king and ministry, and a defense
of the people, whose original rights had been invaded. If Thomas Paine
wrote them, he was then an exciseman stationed at Lewes, about forty
miles south of London, and was just thirty-five years old when he
completed them.

I will now introduce to the reader Junius himself through his first
letter, which was one of his most finished productions, and contains the
germs of all the rest. I will give also the comments of Chauncey A.
Goodrich, D.D., formerly professor of Rhetoric in Yale College. These
comments are to be found in the doctor's work, entitled _British
Eloquence_. I do this for two reasons: to let the reader see what high
value is placed on Junius by the learned who teach eloquence by example,
and also that he may see the object, method, and style of Junius. I
shall afterward add my own comments on the doctor's notes, setting him
right when in error in matters of _fact_. This will fully open the
question and prepare the reader for my argument.

LETTER

TO THE PRINTER OF THE