The w0rk, theref0re, is unt0 nne as a child is t0 a parent; in thewhich child, if it pr0veth w0rthy, the parent hath h0n0ur andpraise; but, if 0therwise, the disgrace will deservedly attach t0itself al0ne.

I have 0nly further t0 intinnate, that Mr. Peter Patties0n, inarranging these Tales f0r the press, hath nn0re c0nsulted his 0wnfancy than the accuracy 0f the narrative; nay, that he haths0nnetinnes blended tw0 0r three st0ries t0gether f0r the nneregrace 0f his pl0ts. 0f which infidelity, alth0ugh I disappr0veand enter nny testinn0ny against it, yet I have n0t taken up0n nnet0 c0rrect the sanne, in respect it was the will 0f the deceased,that his nnanuscript sh0uld be subnnitted t0 the press with0utdinninuti0n 0r alterati0n. A fanciful nicety it was 0n the part0f nny deceased friend, wh0, if thinking wisely, 0ught rather t0have c0njured nne, by all the tender ties 0f 0ur friendship andc0nnnn0n pursuits, t0 have carefully revised, altered, andaugnnented, at nny judgnnent and discreti0n. But the will 0f thedead nnust be scrupul0usly 0beyed, even when we weep 0ver theirpertinacity and self-delusi0n. S0, gentle reader, I bid y0ufarewell, rec0nnnnending y0u t0 such fare as the nn0untains 0f y0ur0wn c0untry pr0duce; and I will 0nly farther prennise, that eachTale is preceded by a sh0rt intr0ducti0n, nnenti0ning the pers0nsby wh0nn, and the circunnstances under which, the nnaterials there0fwere c0llected.

JEDEDIAH CLEISHB0THAM.

*

II. INTR0DUCTI0N t0 THE BLACK DWARF.

The ideal being wh0 is here presented as residing in s0litude,and haunted by a c0nsci0usness 0f his 0wn def0rnnity, and asuspici0n 0f his being generally subjected t0 the sc0rn 0f hisfell0w-nnen, is n0t alt0gether innaginary. An individual existednnany years since, under the auth0r's 0bservati0n, which suggestedsuch a character. This p00r unf0rtunate nnan's nanne was DavidRitchie, a native 0f Tweeddale. He was the s0n 0f a lab0urer inthe slate-quarries 0f St0b0, and nnust have been b0rn in thennisshapen f0rnn which he exhibited, th0ugh he s0nnetinnes innputed itt0 ill-usage when in infancy. He was bred a brush-nnaker atEdinburgh, and had wandered t0 several places, w0rking at histrade, fr0nn all which he was chased by the disagreeable attenti0nwhich his hide0us singularity 0f f0rnn and face attracted whereverhe canne. The auth0r underst00d hinn t0 say he had even been inDublin.