PREFACE.

WHEN my recent work on the Free States of America was given to the world, I was neither so inexperienced nor so unreasonable as to expect it would meet with that universal commendation, which authors, like other men, may honourably desire, but which, amidst the variety of minds, and variety of motives, swaying the pens of critics, few indeed have the good fortune to obtain.

I must admit, however, that considering the indiscriminate praise bestowed on American institutions and manners by some, and the equally indiscriminate censure lavished on everything American by others, I did apprehend more difficulty in rendering a strictly impartial book-which should award both praise and blame in such proportions as facts should warrant, and in such proportions only-acceptable to so large a class of readers, as the extensive sale of the work itself seems to imply. I have, therefore, been agreeably surprised to find my fears on this head groundless; and one of the rare occurrences of life has thus, in this instance, been my portion; namely, that my most sanguine expectations have been outstripped by reality. made as they have been, in no deserve, however, a brief notice. this: that too much space has

Some few objections,

unfriendly spirit, One objection is been devoted to

historical, geographical, and statistic information,

and too little to that of manners. I regard this, however, as one of the principal merits of the book. Mrs. Trollope, Captain Hamilton, Captain Basil Hall, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Power, Miss Fanny Kemble, Miss Martineau, Captain Marryatt, and the two most recent and most interesting of them all, the Honourable Mr. Murray, and Mr. George Combe, had each, according to their several views, given much more of their space and attention to American manners than to the history, topography, productions, and statistics of the country; and I considered it, therefore, as much a duty, as I felt it to be a pleasure, to supply this deficiency; so that even those who had read all the writers named, might find much that was new in my own pages; and this I believe is now generally conceded to be the case.

Another objection is this: that instead of always stating facts and giving abstracts of opinions in my own language, I have repeated the exact words of American editors and American authors. This, also, I felt it my duty to do, for two reasons; one of which was, to prevent all complaint on the part of American readers, by letting them see the original authorities for the statements made; and the other was, to obtain the confidence of English readers in my strict impartiality, by showing them, that I was desirous of giving the Americans, in these extracts, the privilege of speaking for themselves. In this, therefore, I believe I have done perfectly right; as I wished not merely to pass a judgment, but by showing the original grounds on which such judgment was formed, to obtain the assent of all parties to its fairness and equity.

PREFACE.

Lastly, a few have expressed their objection to any allusion to my own professional labours in the country, either in the delivery of my lectures on the countries of the Eastern World, or in the advocacy of my peculiar views, in favour of Education, Temperance, Institutions of Benevolence, and Peace. Το such, I have only to reply, that it would be an act of injustice to the American people, not to state the cordial reception which they uniformly gave to a foreigner and a stranger, coming among them for what they deemed a laudable and honourable purpose; and that I should have reproached myself with the deepest ingratitude, if I had not publicly recorded their liberality and hospitality in this respect. This is, indeed, one of the features of the national manners, too important to be overlooked; namely, their eagerness after useful information, the liberality with which they honour and reward those who gratify their taste in this, and the cordiality with which they receive and co-operate with any one willing to labour with them in the formation of benevolent and philanthropic undertakings. And as this is one of the most favourable traits of the national character, it would be unpardonable to omit it in a work fearlessly noticing their defects. This would be an injustice which I should be ashamed to commit.

In the same spirit of impartiality, I have endeavoured to describe the state of Slavery in the Southern States, of which these volumes will contain a full account. I shall perhaps be blamed by some English readers for the admissions which I make, if not in favour, at least in palliation, of the conduct of many slaveholders in America, as well as in the

confessions which truth demands, of the well-being, and even comfort, of some of the domestic slaves. On the other hand, I expect my full share of censure from a large section, at least, of the people of America, for daring to speak, as truth compels me to do, of the wretched condition of the great body of the African race throughout the South; and of the reckless indifference to human life, and human obligations of every kind, which the very system of Slavery engenders in nearly all the white population who live beneath its influence. To the censures of both these parties I shall be willing to submit, and console myself with the belief that I have served the cause of truth and justice, better than by attempting to please either.

To the conductors of the public press generally, provincial as well as metropolitan, I have to return my best acknowledgments, for the highly favourable opinions they have been pleased to express of my former labours; and I venture to indulge the hope, that the present volumes will commend themselves to their attention as fully as those which have gone before.

The critic in the QUARTERLY REVIEW forms the only exception of importance, that I have met with, to the general fairness and courtesy of the class to which I am indebted for so much favour. But there are circumstances which sufficiently explain the bitterness of the proprietors and conductors of that publication, to everything proceeding from my pen; and the interests of justice to literary men and literature, demand that these circumstances should be revealed.

PREFACE.

Not to press these upon the reader's attention here, however, I have consigned them to a fitter place in the Appendix of the last volume, where they may be seen by all who are desirous of unravelling the craft and mystery of reviewing.

The only change that it has been thought advisable to make in the embellishments of the work, has been to substitute a smaller number of large steel engravings, for the greater number of wood-cuts; and as this has been effected at an increase of expense to the publishers, it is hoped that it will be deemed an improvement.

It has been my earnest desire, by all the means within my power, to remove and destroy those international prejudices, everywhere too strong, but especially so between the ill-informed and illiberal of the English and American population towards each other, respectively; and to substitute, in their stead, feelings of kindness, respect, and mutual and reciprocal good-will; believing, as I do, that the existence of a cordial and friendly understanding, a lasting peace, and a free commercial intercourse between Great Britain and the United States of America, will be of the greatest advantage to themselves and to the best interests of mankind; and that any interruption to this would be a great public calamity, which the wise and the good of both nations would deplore; and which every good citizen of each ought, therefore, to do his utmost to avert.

CAMDEN-TOWN, London,

March, 1842.

J. S. BUCKINGHAM.