BRACEBRIDGE HALL OR THE HUMORISTS BY WASHINGTON IRVING "Under this cloud I walk, gentlemen; pardon my rude assault. I am a traveller, who, having surveyed most of the terrestrial angles of this globe, am hither arrived, to peruse this little spot." --CHRISTMAS ORDINARY. CONTENTS. VOLUME ONE. THE HALL THE BUSY MAN FAMILY SERVANTS THE WIDOW THE LOVERS FAMILY RELIQUES AN OLD SOLDIER THE WIDOW'S RETINUE READY-MONEY JACK BACHELORS WIVES STORY-TELLING STOUT GENTLEMAN FOREST TREES LITERARY ANTIQUARY THE FARM-HOUSE HORSEMANSHIP LOVE SYMPTOMS FALCONRY HAWKING SAINT MARK'S EVE GENTILITY FORTUNE-TELLING LOVE-CHARMS THE LIBRARY STUDENT OF SALAMANCA VOLUME TWO. ENGLISH COUNTRY GENTLEMEN BACHELOR'S CONFESSIONS ENGLISH GRAVITY GYPSIES MAY-DAY CUSTOMS VILLAGE WORTHIES THE SCHOOLMASTER THE SCHOOL VILLAGE POLITICIAN THE ROOKERY MAY-DAY THE MANUSCRIPT ANNETTE DELARBRE TRAVELLING THE CULPRIT FAMILY MISFORTUNES LOVER'S TROUBLES THE HISTORIAN THE HAUNTED HOUSE DOLPH HEYLIGER THE STORM-SHIP THE WEDDING THE AUTHOR'S FAREWELL BRACEBRIDGE HALL; OR, THE HUMOURISTS. A MEDLEY. BY GEOFFREY CRAYON, GENT. Under this cloud I walk, Gentlemen; pardon my rude assault. I am a traveller who, having surveyed most of the terrestrial angles of this globe, am hither arrived, to peruse this little spot. --CHRISTMAS ORDINARY. THE AUTHOR. WORTHY READER! On again taking pen in hand, I would fain make a few observations at the outset, by way of bespeaking a right understanding. The volumes which I have already published have met with a reception far beyond my most sanguine expectations. I would willingly attribute this to their intrinsic merits; but, in spite of the vanity of authorship, I cannot but be sensible that their success has, in a great measure, been owing to a less flattering cause. It has been a matter of marvel, to my European readers, that a man from the wilds of America should express himself in tolerable English. I was looked upon as something new and strange in literature; a kind of demi-savage, with a feather in his hand, instead of on his head; and there was a curiosity to hear what such a being had to say about civilized society. This novelty is now at an end, and of course the feeling of indulgence which it produced. I must now expect to bear the scrutiny of sterner criticism, and to be measured by the same standard with contemporary writers; and the very favor which has been shown to my previous writings, will cause these to be treated with the greater rigour; as there is nothing for which the world is apt to punish a man more severely, than for having been over-praised. On this head, therefore, I wish to forestall the censoriousness of the reader; and I entreat he will not think the worse of me for the many injudicious things that may have been said in my commendation.