PREFACE TO THE SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT EDITIONS. ""Tis nothing new, I'm sure you know, MRS SAVAGE. THE first edition of my Memoirs was no sooner published, than my old envious friends, mentioned in the third class of my dedication, found out that it was "d-d stuff! d-d low!" the production of a cobler, and only fit to amuse that honourable fraternity, or to line their garrets and stalls; and many gentlemen, who are my customers, have informed me that, when they ask for them at several shops, they received for an answer, that they had already too much waste paper, and would not increase it by keeping Lackington's Memoirs: and some kindly added, "You need not be in haste to purchase, as in the course of the Christmas holidays, Mr Birch in Cornhill will wrap up all his mince-pies with them, and distribute them through the town for the public good. Thus "With all the eunuch's melancholy spite, They growl at you, because they cannot write; Or some cold hint betrays their canker'd hearts." But the rapid sale of this Life soon caused them to alter their stories; and I was very much surprised to hear that several of those gentlemen, who had scarce done exclaiming, "Vile trash! beneath all criticism!" &c. began to praise the composition; and on looking into the English Review, I found that the editors had filled seven pages in reviewing these Memoirs, and had bestowed much praise on the author. I was then ready to conclude, that their generous and manly impartiality had, in a miraculous manner, effected the conversion of others. But I was soon convinced, that meanness can never be exchanged for generosity; and that those who had been "unclean were unclean still;" or, as Churchill says, "That envy, which was woven in the frame It seems that several of those liberal-minded men, being prodigiously mortified at the increasing sale of my Life, applied to different authors in order to get one of them to father my book: but those authors, either from principle, or from knowing that my manuscript was kept in my shop for the inspection of the public, or from some other motive, refused to adopt the poor bantling: and not only so, but laughed at, and exposed the mean contrivance, to the very great disappointment of those kind and honest-hearted friends of mine. ""Tis hard to say, what mysteries of fate, W. HARTE. That I might not be justly charged with ingratitude, I take this opportunity of thanking my friends, customers, and the public, for their candid reception of my volume; the sale of which, and the encomiums I have received on the subject, both by letter and otherwise, have far exceeded my most sanguine and selfflattering expectations; I very sensibly feel the obligation! Their generosity has overwhelmed me! I am overpaid, and remain their debtor! "A truce with jesting; what I here impart But, lest I should be over vain, I must at the same time declare, that I have received scurrilous abusive letters from several of Mr Wesley's people, merely because I have exposed their ridiculous principles and absurd practices; but more particularly for having pulled off the hypocritical veil from some of those sanctified deceivers which are among them. The numerous letters of approbation which I have received from rational intelligent gentlemen, convince me that I have not wronged the cause of manly and rational Christianity, nor was it ever my intention so to do. "But your philosophers will say, Best things grow worse when they decay. E. LLOYD. I here also present my compliments and sincere thanks to my impartial friends, under the second class of my dedication, for the friendly disposition they have shown, in freely distributing my Memoirs among their customers, and they may be assured, that I will not let slip any opportunity of making them proper returns for all their favours. I cannot conclude this preface without saying something about this edition. When I put the first edition to the press, I really intended to print but a small number; so that when I was prevailed on, by some of my friends, to print a very large impression, I had not the least idea of ever being able to sell the whole; and of course had not any intention of printing other editions. But, the rapid sale of the work, and the many letters which I am continually receiving from gentlemen, in various parts of Great Britain and Ireland, who are pleased to honour me with their approbation and thanks, encouraged me to read the whole over with more attention, to correct such typographical errors as had escaped my observation, and to improve the language in numberless places; and yet many errors still remain. In executing this plan, I perceived that I had omitted to introduce many things which would have been an improvement to the work; and while inserting them, others occurred to my memory, so that most parts of the work are now very much enlarged. But although these additions have increased the expenses of printing and paper to near double, yet I have added but sixpence to the price. Had profit been my motive, I could have divided the work into two volumes, and I may add that each volume would have been larger than even some six shilling ones lately published. To such as ask why these additions had not been printed separately, to the end that such as purchased the first edition, might have had them without purchasing the whole work over again-I answer, had it been practical, I would have done that; but those additions being so many, and so various, rendered that method ridiculous, as every one who will take the trouble to compare the various editions, must readily acknowledge; nor can the purchasers of even the first edition complain with respect to the price, it being equal in size to most new publications which are sold at six shillings. And although some may think that the prefixed head is of no value, I can assure them, that I am of a very different opinion, at least of the original; and I have the pleasure to add, that a very great number of my customers have been highly pleased to have so striking a likeness of their old bookseller. Nor am I the first bookseller who has published his head; Mr Nicolson, (commonly called Maps), bookseller at Cambridge, two years since, had his head finely engraven; it is a good likeness, and is sold at ten shillings and sixpence. Francis Kirkman, partner with Richard Hend (last century) prefixed his portrait to a book, entitled "The Witts, or Sport upon Sport," This Francis Kirkman also published Memoirs of his own Life, and probably led the way to John Dunton. See Grainger's Biographical History of England, vol. iv. I could make many other apologies But why should I distrust? My judges are as merciful as just: I know them well, have oft their friendship tried, CUNNINGHAM. |