If authors would only adopt the prayer of the honest-hearted Scotch
pedlar,--“God send us a good conceit of ourselves!”--would they
not soon get rid of what is, at best, a thankless task--that of
writing prefaces? Who, then, would care a fig for the Public’s whims
or prejudices?--the Public might be satisfied, or not, just as
the Public pleased. A great many readers now regard prefaces with
abhorrence, and lengthy ones are sure to be pronounced, in advance,
“As tedious as a twice-told tale,
Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.”
Still, there is no end to fault-finding, if an author does not put
a window in the front of his book,--like that the old Roman wished
in every man’s breast; and yet, the poor wight who thus pretends
to gratify vulgar curiosity, racks and puzzles his brains in order
to screen and curtain his window, so that nobody will be a whit
the wiser, till the volume is opened, and the contents carefully
examined. It is no wonder that few people like to read prefaces,--or
that fewer still are satisfied, when they do read them!
I feel confident, however, that it would be a work of supererogation,
to offer any apology--for that is the gist of most prefaces--for the
publication of these biographical sketches of distinguished generals,
whose gallant deeds, whose bravery and heroism, are enshrined in the
memories of the American people. My only fear is, that it may seem
that other officers, equally entitled to consideration, have been
intentionally overlooked, in making the selections for the work. That
it was deemed necessary to make a selection at all, is the single
excuse that need be offered for the omission,--which, it is not
impossible, may be hereafter supplied, by another volume.
The Histories of Ramsay, Perkins, and Brackenridge, Christie’s
Memoirs of the War in Canada, Thompson’s Historical Sketches,
James’ Military Occurrences, Wilkinson’s Memoirs, The British
Annual Register, The Historical Register, Armstrong’s Notices, the
interesting, but desultory _mélange_ of Mr. Ingersoll, the National
Portrait Gallery, and numerous biographies, more or less extensive,
have been consulted in the preparation of the volume. There has been
no attempt at fine writing, but great pains have been taken to render
the notices full, comprehensive, and historically accurate; and they
are believed to be more entitled to confidence, in this respect, than
any which have preceded them.
_Auburn, December 1, 1848._