UPON a review of the several chapters of this book I find that, instead
of being able to go further, some things may have suffered for want of
being fully expressed; which if any person object against, I only say, I
cannot now avoid it. I have endeavoured to keep to my title, and offered
but an essay; which any one is at liberty to go on with as they please,
for I can promise no supplement. As to errors of opinion, though I am
not yet convinced of any, yet I nowhere pretend to infallibility.
However, I do not willingly assert anything which I have not good grounds
for. If I am mistaken, let him that finds the error inform the world
better, and never trouble himself to animadvert upon this, since I assure
him I shall not enter into any pen-and-ink contest on the matter.
As to objections which may lie against any of the proposals made in this
book, I have in some places mentioned such as occurred to my thoughts. I
shall never assume that arrogance to pretend no other or further
objections may be raised; but I do really believe no such objection can
be raised as will overthrow any scheme here laid down so as to render the
thing impracticable. Neither do I think but that all men will
acknowledge most of the proposals in this book would be of as great, and
perhaps greater, advantage to the public than I have pretended to.
As for such who read books only to find out the author’s _faux pas_, who
will quarrel at the meanness of style, errors of pointing, dulness of
expression, or the like, I have but little to say to them. I thought I
had corrected it very carefully, and yet some mispointings and small
errors have slipped me, which it is too late to help. As to language, I
have been rather careful to make it speak English suitable to the manner
of the story than to dress it up with exactness of style, choosing rather
to have it free and familiar, according to the nature of essays, than to
strain at a perfection of language which I rather wish for than pretend
to be master of.
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Printed by Cassell and Company, Limited, La Bella Sauvage, London, E.C.