_The Reader may please to take notice, that the diligent and learned
Author of this History, (to the writing of which he was commanded, and
therein assisted by the Chancellor of_ Sweden) _hath in the whole work
taken care to justify what he relates, from the faith of authentic
records, the testimony of Historians, and the Discourses of_ Laplanders
_themselves, with whom he had ready opportunities of converse. And this
he hath don so precisely, that having in the contexture of his work,
given a full account of what he thought observable in the writings,
or narratives to which he refers, he afterwards constantly puts down
at length the very words of his Authors, a great part of which are
in the Swedish Tongue. Now in this Edition we have spared our selves
the labor of such repetition; which we hope will not be regretted by
the Reader, who we suppose would not have bin much edified by them.
As to the subject here discours’d of, twill not be needfull to give a
character of it. Military Action, and those public murders in which
other Histories triumph, have no share here. Hunger, cold and solitude
are enemies that engage all the fortitude of this People: and where
so much passive valor is necessary, we may dispense with the want of
Active. Amidst the barbarity and darkness which reign in_ Lapland,
_there appear strictures of light, which will entertain the eie of
the most knowing observer; as the Stars are no less remarkable then
is the Sun it self. However the Reader will not fail to meet here
with what may gratify his curiosity. Warmer Climates having all the
comforts and necessaries of life plentifully bestowed upon them, are
but a more distant home; where we have little else talk’d of, then
what we daily see among oar selves: but here it is indeed, where,
rather then in_ America, _we have a new World discovered: and those
extravagant falsehoods, which have commonly past in the narratives of
these Northern Countries, are not so inexcusable for their being lies,
as that they were told without temtation; the real truth being equally
entertaining, and incredible_.
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