Before this book was printed, I thoughtlessly concluded there must be a
preface; but, on consideration, see no particular purpose it would
answer, and gladly decline a task I should have undertaken with much
timidity and reluctance. All I feel necessary to premise, is, that the
tale in the Old Shepherd's Recollections is founded on an event which
happened in Ireland; and that last spring I suppressed the song ending
in page 65 [The Old Man's Farewell], some time after it had been in the
hands of the composer, from meeting accidentally with a quotation in a
magazine that resembled it.