and to try and purchase some ——.”  Then followed the simple question for which an answer was wanted, “Will you lend me half-a-crown?” “Tell me the road;” “Give me a pinch of snuff;” or “Buy my book,” as the case might be.  The stranger, gratified with his candour, became immediately prepossessed in his favour.  I will endeavour to follow the example of that ’cute traveller, and forestall those questions which I imagine the reader—­if there be one—­might wish to ask.

1.  Why do I select a subject on which so many abler pens have been frequently and lately employed?—­Because it involves so many important questions, both socially and politically, in a field where the changes are scarcely less rapid than the ever-varying hues on the dying dolphin; and because the eyes of mankind, whether mental or visual, are as different as their physiognomies; and thus those who are interested in the subject are enabled to survey it from different points of view.

2.  Do I belong to any of those homoeopathic communities called political parties?—­I belong to none of them; I look upon all of them as so many drugs in a national apothecary’s shop.  All have their useful qualities, even the most poisonous; but they are frequently combined so injudiciously as to injure John Bull’s health materially, especially as all have a strong phlebotomizing tendency, so much so, that I often see poor John in his prostration ready to cry out, “Throw Governments to the dogs—­I’ll none of them!” If in my writings I appear to show on some points a political bias, it is only an expression of those sentiments which my own common sense[B] and observation have led me to entertain on the subject under discussion, and for which I offer neither defence nor apology.

3.  Am I an artist?—­No; I am an author and a plagiarist.  Every sketch in my book is taken from some other work, except the “Screecher,” which is from the artistic pen of Lady G.M.; and the lovely form and features of the coloured sylph, for which I am indebted to my friend Mr. J.F.C.—­You must not be too curious.—­I consider myself justified in plagiarizing anything from anybody, if I conceive it will help to elucidate my subject or amuse my reader, provided always I have a reasonable ground for believing the source is one with which the general reader is not likely to be acquainted.  But when I do steal, I have the honesty to confess it.

4.  What is my book about?—­It treats of an island, a confederacy and a colony; and contains events of travel, facts and thoughts concerning people, telegraphs, railroads, canals, steam, rivers, commercial prosperity, education, the Press, low literature, slavery, government, &c. &c.

5.  What security can I offer for the pretensions advanced being made good?—­None whatever.  Who takes me, must take me, like a wife, “for better for worse,” only he is requested to remember I possess three distinct advantages over that lady.—­First, you can look inside me as well as out:  Secondly, you can get me more easily and keep me more cheaply:  Thirdly, if you quarrel with me, you can get a divorce in the fire-place or at the trunkmaker’s, without going to the House of Lords.