The Writer felt it necessary, on a former occasion, to state, that, in
sketching his marine life, he did not deem himself obliged to adhere, very
closely, to the chronological order of nautical improvements. It is
believed that no very great violation of dates will be found in the
following pages. If any keen-eyed critic of the ocean, however, should
happen to detect a rope rove through the wrong leading-block, or a term
spelt in such a manner as to destroy its true sound, he is admonished of
the duty of ascribing the circumstances, in charity, to any thing but
ignorance on the part of a brother. It must be remembered that there is an
undue proportion of landsmen employed in the mechanical as well as the
more spiritual part of book-making; a fact which, in itself, accounts for
the numberless imperfections that still embarrass the respective
departments of the occupation. In due time, no doubt, a remedy will be
found for this crying evil; and then the world may hope to see the several
branches of the trade a little better ordered. The true Augustan age of
literature can never exist until works shall be as accurate, in their
typography, as a "log book," and as sententious, in their matter, as a
"watch-bill."
On the less important point of the materials, which are very possibly used
to so little advantage in his present effort, the Writer does not intend
to be very communicative, if their truth be not apparent, by the manner in
which he has set forth the events in the tale itself, he must be content
to lie under the imputation of having disfigured it, by his own
clumsiness. All testimony must, in the nature of things, resolve itself
into three great classes--the positive, the negative, and the
circumstantial. The first and the last are universally admitted to be
entitled to the most consideration, since the third can only be resorted
to in the absence of the two others. Of the positive evidence of the
verity of its contents, the book itself is a striking proof. It is hoped,
also, that there is no want of circumstance to support this desirable
character. If these two opening points be admitted those who may be still
disposed to cavil are left to the full enjoyment of their negation, with
which the Writer wishes them just as much success as the question may
merit.