Cookery, like every other Art, has been moving forward to Perfection by slow Degrees; and yet daily Improvements are still making, as must be the Case in every Art depending on Fancy and Taste. From the many Books of this Kind already published, it could hardly be supposed there would be occasion for another, yet we flatter ourselves, that the Readers of this Work will find, from a candid Perusal, and an impartial Comparison, that our Pretensions to the Favours of the Public are not ill founded.

The Generality of Books on Cookery are grouped together, without Method or Order, and therefore rendered intricate and bewildering; even the Receipts are written with so much Carelessness and Inaccuracy, that they are not only perplexing, but frequently unintelligible. In this Work, however, we hope, that Perspicuity and Regularity will be seen in every step we have taken. We have divided the whole Book into separate Parts, and those Parts into Chapters; so that our Readers have only to look into the Contents, and they will there find at one view, the whole of that Branch of Cookery they may want to consult. The Utility of regularly classing every Thing in a Book of this Kind is too obvious to need Arguments to support it.

The greatest Care and Precaution have boon taken to admit nothing inelegant, or prejudicial to the Constitution, in any of the Receipts; and we have not only given, in the Appendix, a distinct Section on Culinary Poisons, but have also in different Parts of the Work reminded the Cooks of the fatal Consequences of not keeping their Coppers and Saucepans properly clean and tinned.

As Farley's Cookery is intended for the Use of all Ranks in general, not only for those who have attained a tolerable Knowledge of Cookery, but also for others less experienced, we have occasionally given the most simple with the most sumptuous dishes, and thereby afforded the means of decorating the Table of the Peer, or the Mechanic.

The various Branches of Pastry and Confectionary, comprising Pies, Puddings, Cakes, Custards, Jams, Creams, Jellies, Preserves, Conserves, Ices, and all the other numerous and elegant Articles of that Class; as well as the Preparation of Pickles, the Art of making Wines, Liqueurs, and Cordials, are treated under distinct Heads, and rendered plain, easy, and familiar, to every Capacity. We shall only add, that neither Labour, Care, nor Expense have been spared to make this Work worthy of the Patronage of the Public.