I.

A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

DEAR READER,

WHEN any friend of yours or mine, in whose fortunes we take an interest, is about to start on his travels, we smooth his way for him as well as we can, by giving him a letter of introduction to such connections of ours as he may find on his line of route. We bespeak their favourable consideration for him by setting forth his good qualities in the best light possible; and then leave him to make bis own way by his own merit satisfied that we have done enough in procuring him a welcome under our friend's roof, and giving him at the outset a strong extrinsic claim to our friend's estimation.

Will you allow me, reader (if our short previous acquaintance authorises me to take such a liberty), to follow the custom to which I have just adverted; and to introduce to your notice this book, as a friend of mine setting forth for the first time on his travels, in whose well-being I feel a very lively interest. He is neither so bulky, nor so distinguished a person as some of the predecessors of his race, who may have sought your attention in years gone by, under the name of "Quarto," and in magnificent clothing of Morocco and Gold. All that I can say for his outside is, that I have made it as neat as I can --- having had him properly thumped into wearing his present coat of decent cloth, by as competent a book-tailor as I could find. As for his intrinsic claims to your kindness, he has only two that I shall venture to advocate. In the first place, he is able to tell you something about a part of your own country which is too rarely visited and too little known. He will speak to you of one of the remotest and most interesting corners of our old English soil: he will tell you of the grand and varied scenery; the mighty Druid relics; the quaint legends; the deep, dark mines; the venerable remains of early Christianity; and the pleasant primitive population of the county of CORNWALL. You will inquire, can we believe him in all that he says? This brings me at once to his second qualification --- he invariably speaks the truth. If he describes scenery to you, it is scenery that he saw and noted on the spot. If he gives little sketches of character, they are sketches drawn from the life. Does this satisfy your doubts? If it does not, he carries about with him some views, furnished to complete his travelling outfit, by one of his wellwishers. Look at these; and judge his trustworthiness accordingly.

Have I said enough about my friend to interest you in him a little, when you meet him wandering hither and thither over the great domain of the Republic of Letters, to find shelter where he can, and to beg his passport from the Republic's official guardians, sitting in the high-places of the Press? (Admonish him tenderly, good critics! --- touch him gingerly, or he will fall to pieces under your hands!) What more can I plead in his behalf? I can only urge on you that he does not present himself as fit for the top seats at the library table, --- as aspiring to the company of those above him, --- of classical, statistical, political, philosophical, historical, or antiquarian high dignitaries of his class, of whom he is at best but the poor relation. Treat him not, as you treat such illustrious guests as these! Toss him about anywhere, from hand to hand, as goodnaturedly as you can; stuff him into your pocket when you get into the railway; take him to bed with you, and poke him under the pillow; present him to the rising' generation, to try if he can amuse them; give him to the young ladies, who (dear souls!) are always predisposed to the kind side, and may make something of him; introduce him to "my young masters" when they are idling in a contemplative and benevolent frame of mind over their cigars! Nay, advance him, if you will, to the notice of the elders themselves; but take care to ascertain first that they belong to the order of people who only travel to gratify a hearty admiration of the wonderful works of Nature, and to learn to love their neighbour better by seeking him at his own home ---regarding it, at the same time, as a peculiar privilege, to derive their satisfaction and gain their improvement from experiences on English ground. Take care of this; and who knows into what high society you may not be able to introduce the bearer of the present letter! In spite of his habit of rambling from subject to subject in his talk, much as he rambled from place to place in his travels, he may actually find himself, one day, basking on Folio Classics beneath the genial approval of a Doctor of Divinity, or trembling among Statutes and Reports under the learned scrutiny of a Sergeant at Law!


W.W.C.

London, January, 1851.




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