"Those who plot the destruction of others, very often fall,themselves the victims."
Philadelphia Printed,London, Re-Printed for Henry Colburn,English and Foreign Public Library,Conduit-Street, Bond-Street.1811
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TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LADY CASTLEREAGH,
THESE VOLUMES
are respectfully inscribed,
by her Ladyship's
most obedient, and humble Servant,
HENRY COLBURN.
INTRODUCTION.
_To I.E. Rosenberg._
You are anxious to obtain some knowledge of the history of ConstantiaDudley. I am well acquainted with your motives, and allow that theyjustify your curiosity. I am willing to the utmost of my power to complywith your request, and will now dedicate what leisure I have to thecomposition of her story.
My narrative will have little of that merit which flows from unity ofdesign. You are desirous of hearing an authentic and not a fictitioustale. It will therefore be my duty to relate events in no artificial orelaborate order, and without that harmonious congruity and luminousamplification, which might justly be displayed in a tale flowing merelyfrom invention. It will be little more than a biographical sketch, inwhich the facts are distributed and amplified, not as a poetical tastewould prescribe, but as the materials afforded me, sometimes abundantand sometimes scanty, would permit.
Constantia, like all the beings made known to us, not by fancy, butexperience, has numerous defects. You will readily perceive that hertale is told by her friend; but I hope you will not discover many orglaring proofs of a disposition to extenuate her errors or falsify hercharacter.
Ormond will perhaps appear to you a contradictory or unintelligiblebeing. I pretend not to the infallibility of inspiration. He is not acreature of fancy. It was not prudent to unfold _all_ the means by whichI gained a knowledge of his actions; but these means, though singularlyfortunate and accurate, could not be unerring and complete. I have shownhim to you as he appeared on different occasions, and at successiveperiods to me. This is all that you will demand from a faithfulbiographer.
If you were not deeply interested in the fate of my friend, yet myundertaking will not be useless, inasmuch as it will introduce you toscenes to which you have been hitherto a stranger. The modes of life,the influence of public events upon the character and happiness ofindividuals in America, are new to you. The distinctions of birth, andthe artificial degrees of esteem or contempt which connect themselveswith different professions and ranks in your native country, are butlittle known among us. Society and manners constitute your favouritestudy, and I am willing to believe that my relation will supply you withknowledge, on these heads, not to be otherwise obtained. If thesedetails be in that respect unsatisfactory, all that I can add, is mycounsel to go and examine for yourself.