I HAVE been accused, in certain quarters, of giving flattering portraits of my countrymen. Against this charge, I may plead that, being a portrait painter by profession, the habit of taking the best view of my subject, so long prevalent in my eye, has gone deeper, and influenced my mind:-and if to paint one's country in its gracious aspect has been a weakness, at least, to use the words of an illustrious compatriot, "the failing leans to virtue's side." I am disinclined, however, to believe myself an offender in this particular. That I love my country dearly, I acknowledge, and I am sure every Englishman will respect me the more for loving mine, when he is, with justice, so proud of his-but I repeat my disbelief that I overrate my own. The present volume, I hope, will disarm any cavil from old quarters on the score of national prejudice. The hero is a blundering servant. No English, or any other gentleman, would like him in his service; but still he has some redeeming natural traits: he is not made either a brute or a villain, yet his "twelve months' character," given in the successive numbers of this volume, would not get him a place upon advertisement, either in "The Times" or "The Chronicle." So far am I clear of the charge of national prejudice as regards the hero of the following pages. In the subordinate personages, the reader will see two "Squires" of a different type-good and bad: there are such in all countries. And, as a tale cannot get on without villains, I have given some touches of villany, quite sufficient to prove my belief in Irish villains, though I do not wish to be believed that the Irish are all villains I confess I have attempted a slight sketch, in one of the persons represented, of a gentleman and a patriot;-and I conceive there is a strong relationship between the two. He loves the land that bore him -and so did most of the great spirits recorded in history. His own mental cultivation, while it yields him personal enjoyment, teaches him not to treat with contumely inferior men. Though he has courage to protect his honor, he is not deficient in conscience to feel for the consequences; and when opportunity offers the means of amende, it is embraced. In a word, I wish it to be believed, that, while there are knaves, and fools, and villains, in Ireland, as in other parts of the world, honest, intelligent, and noble spirits are there as well. I cannot conclude without offering my sincere thanks for the cordial manner in which my serial offering has been received by the public and noticed by the critical press, whose valuable columns have been so often opened to it in quotation; and, when it is considered how large an amount of intellect is employed in this particular department of litera ture, the highest names might be proud of such recognition. SAMUEL LOVER. CHARLES STREET, Berner's Street, London, December 1st, 1842. NOTICE. KIND READER, A FEW short papers, under the title of this little venture, appeared, at intervals, in Bentley's Miscellany. Frequent inquiries have been made "Why Handy Andy was not continued?” and, indeed, I myself regetted the abandonment of what I thought a fruitful subject for fun and whimsicality, though, from various causes, needless to particularize here, the papers were discontinued; still, from time to time, recurred the question, "why Handy Andy was not continued?" and the frequency of the demand has produced the supply. Ancient custom declares "we should begin at the beginning," therefore, a short reprint is unavoidable in the first number; but, while fairness to the public demands this acknowledgment, justice to myself requires me to state, that much revision and the introduction of fresh matter has taken place, with a view to the development of story and character necessary to a sustained work; for the first paper of Handy Andy was written without any intention of continuation, and required the amendments and additions I have mentioned. The reprint cannot affect those who have not read the beginning of Andy's adventures; and those who have, and wish to know more, will, it is hoped, skim over the first number to refresh their memories, and lead them well into the second. If, after all this explanation, there be any who object to the partial reprint, I answer, in the words of the well-known old saying, "Sure hasn't an Irishman lave to spake twice ?" SAMUEL LOVer. |