Written, as my journal was, day by day, and often after the fatigues of a laborious evening's duty at the theatre, it has infinite sins of carelessness to answer for; and but that it would have taken less time and trouble to re-write the whole book, or rather write a better, I would have endeavoured to correct them,--though, indeed, I was something of Alfieri's mind about it:--"Quanto poi allo stile, io penso di lasciar fare alla penna, e di pochissimo lasciarlo scostarsi da quella triviale e spontanea naturalezza, con cui ho scritto quest' opera, dettata dal cuore e non dall' ingegno; e che sola puo convenire a così umile tema." However, my purpose is not to write an apology for my book, or its defects, but simply to warn the English reader, before he is betrayed into its perusal, that it is a purely egotistical record, and by no means a history of America. JOURNAL. _Wednesday, August 1st, 1832._ Another break in my journal, and here I am on board the Pacific, bound for America, having left home and all the world behind.--Well! * * * * * We reached the quay just as the ship was being pulled, and pushed, and levered to the entrance of the dock;--the quays were lined with people; among them were several known faces,--Mr. ----, Mr. ----. M---- came on board to take my letters, and bid me good-by. * * * * * I had a bunch of carnations in my hand, which I had snatched from our drawing-room chimney;--English flowers! dear English flowers! they will be withered long before I again see land; but I will keep them until I once more stand upon the soil on which they grew. * * * * * The sky had become clouded, and the wind blew cold. * * * * * Came down and put our narrow room to rights. * * * * * Worked at my Bible-cover till dinner-time. We dined at half-past three.--The table was excellent--cold dinner, because it was the first day--but every thing was good; and champagne, and dessert, and every luxury imaginable, rendered it as little like a ship-dinner as might be. The man who sat by me was an American; very good-natured, and talkative. Our passengers are all men, with the exception of three; a nice pretty-looking girl, who is going out with her brother; a fat old woman, and a fat young one. I cried almost the whole of dinner-time. * * * * *