TRAVELS IN EUROPE; VIZ. IN ENGLAND, IRELAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE, ITALY, SWITZER- BY WILBUR FISK, D. D., PRESIDENT OF THE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY AT MIDDLETOWN, CONN. WITH ENGRAVINGS. FIFTH EDITION. NEW YORK NEW-YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, CLIFF-STREET. THE NEW YORK 245014 ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS. 1902 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1838, by HARPER & BROTHERS, in the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New-York. PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION. As a fifth edition of "Travels in Europe" is called for, and that in the short space of about nine months from the issuing of the first, it becomes the author, doubtless, to make his acknowledgments to the public for the liberal and gratifying notice his work has received. That the imperfections of the work, of which none, it is believed, can be more sensible than the author, have been so far overlooked as to make way for so large a sale in so short a time, affords some evidence that the author's well-meant endeavours to interest and profit the public have not been wholly unavailing. The world is already too full of books which afford mere amusement, or, what is unspeakably worse, which corrupt the heart while they sport with the fancy. A cordial reception of such a work could afford no occasion of self-gratulation to the writer, except from the sordid motive of covetousness or a love of dishonourable fame. But as mere amusement is as foreign from the design as it is from the talents and taste of the author of the present work, and as he has carefully avoided contributing knowingly to anything that should court popularity at the expense of correct principle, the inference is drawn with the more confidence, from the extensive sale of these "Travels," that the public have been profitably interested in them. This patronage does not make the author vain enough to suppose that the work is without fault. Some verbal errors, typographical or otherwise, have been noticed by the author; some have been kind. ly pointed out by friends; and in one case at least, a reviewer, whose style and manner indicate anything but a friendly feeling, has been pleased to give, if not a full catalogue, at least very liberal samples, of the author's imputed errors. On comparison, however, it has been found that a large portion of the reviewer's corrections are themselves errors, and the text, which in these instances he has attempted to improve, is correct. However foreign from the design of the writer it may have been to gratify the author of the work, he nevertheless has my thanks for any real corrections which he has suggested; and his attempted criticism, moreover, has afforded much gratification from another consideration. If one, with the ob. vious purpose of finding fault, has been able to find so few real errors, and those mostly of an unimportant character, it may be no great presumption in the author to hope there are fewer mistakes than was at first feared, even by himself. At any rate, the success which has attended the publication affords evidence that the style and manner have not so offended public taste as to render the subjects presented unpalatable; and the author trusts that the new edition will not be less acceptable, since all the errors, typographical or others, which escaped notice in the other editions, have, as far as ascertained, been rectified in this. These certainly are not of a very important character, nor very numerous, and do not alter the sense or sentiment, probably, of half a dozen sentences in the entire work. Two classes of readers the author could not with propriety even attempt to please. The first class are such as differ from him in his religious or political creed, and take offence because that differ. ence appears, however incidentally, in the pages of his work. The generous mind, however, will not take offence at this; he would expect it, and take pleasure in comparing the inferences and suggestions of persons of different creeds, for he knows full well that in this way only can enlarged and enlightened views on any subject be obtained. The second class are those persons of foreign nativity, whether emigrants to our country or still resident in their own, whose national prejudices will not bear the imputation of imperfection upon anything appertaining to their native land. Europeans charge us of the United States with being too sensitive under the lash of foreign tourists. This charge may be true to some extent. And yet who does not know that we have had provocations of this kind of a strong character? Imputations have been cast upon us, which, with some mixture of truth, have consisted, principally, of unfounded aspersions, mingled with much apparent national hostility and bitterness. If, under all this, we have been restiff, who can wonder? and if, in some cases, we show too much sensitiveness, a little observation and experience have convinced the author of this work, that, to use a homely phrase, we came honestly by it. If a work which was certainly dictated by no malevolence or bitterness, and which, as every candid reader must bear witness, manifests a much greater disposi tion to commend than to find fault, has been complained of because its strain of remark is not in all cases uninterrupted eulogy, the |