ILLUSTRATIONS ЭР L IN ALL ITS BRANCHES. BY AMELIA OPIE. DAETER, N. H. PUBLISHED BY J. C. GERRISH 1832. ΤΟ DR. ALDERSON OF NORWICH. To thee, my beloved Father, I dedicated my first, and to thee I also dedicate my present, work ;-with the pleasing conviction that thou art disposed to form a favourable judgment of any production, however humble, which has a tendency to promote the moral and religious welfare of mankind. AMELIA OPIE. PREFACE. I AM aware that a preface must be short, if its author aspires to have it read. I shall therefore content myself with making a very few preliminary observations, which I wish to be considered as apologies. My first apology is, for having throughout my book made use of the words lying and lies, instead of some gentler term, or some easy paraphase, by which I might have avoided the risk of offending the delicacy of any of my readers. Our great satirist speaks of a Dean who was a favourite at the church where he officiated, because "He never mentioned hell to ears polite,-" and I fear that to "ears polite," my coarsness, in uniformly calling lying and lie by their real names, may sometimes be offensive. But, when writing a book against lying, I was obliged to express my meaning in the manner most consonant to the strict truth; nor could I employ any words with such propriety as those hallowed and sanctioned for use, on such an occasion, by the practice of inspired, and holy men of old. Moreover, I believe that those who accustom them. selves to call lying and lie by a softning appellation, are in danger of weakening their aversion to the fault itself. My second apology is, for presuming to come forward, with such apparent boldness, as a didactic writer, and a teacher of truths, which I ought to believe that every one knows already, and better than I do. |