The Canadian Brothers; Or, The Prophecy Fulfilled: A Tale of the Late American War — CompleteRichardson, Major (John)
History
The Canadian Brothers; Or, The Prophecy Fulfilled: A Tale of the Late American War — Complete
Richardson, Major (John)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction; War stories
DEAR SIR,--I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter
of the 9th, and to acquaint you that His Majesty acquiesces
in your wish to be permitted to dedicate your new work
to him.
I remain, Dear Sir, your faithful Servant,
(Signed,) H. TAYLOR.
Lieut. RICHARDSON, &c, &c. &c.
H. P. 92nd Regt.
By the above letters, two material points are established.
The first is that, although works of fiction are not
usually dedicated to the Sovereign, an exception was made
in favour of the following tale, which is now for the
first time submitted to the public, and which, from its
historical character, was deemed of sufficient importance
not to be confounded with mere works of fiction. The
exception was grounded on a chapter of the book, which
the seeker after incident alone will dismiss hastily,
but over which the more serious reader may be induced to
pause.
The second, and not least important, point disposed of,
is one which the manner in which the principal American
characters have been disposed of, renders in some degree
imperative.
The Author has no hesitation in stating, that had it not
been for the very strong interest taken in their appearance,
by a portion of the American public in the first instance,
these volumes never would have been submitted to the
press of this country. Hence, to a corresponding feeling
might, under other circumstances, have been ascribed the
favorable light under which the American character has
been portrayed. From the dates of the above letters from
the principal Aid-de-Camp and Private Secretary to His
late Majesty, it will, however, be seen, that the work
was written in England, and therefore before there could
have existed the slightest inducement to any undue
partiality.
That this is the case, the Author has reason to rejoice;
since in eschewing the ungenerous desire of most English
writers on America, to convey a debasing impression of
her people, and seeking, on the contrary, to do justice
to their character, as far as the limited field afforded
by a work, pre-eminently of fiction, will admit, no
interested motive can be ascribed to him. Should these
pages prove a means of dissipating the slightest portion
of that irritation which has--and naturally--been
engendered in every American heart, by the perverted and
prejudiced statements of disappointed tourists, whose
acerbity of stricture, not even a recollection of much
hospitality could repress; and of renewing that healthy
tone of feeling which it has been endeavoured to show
had existed during the earlier years of the present
century, the Author will indeed feel that he has not
written in vain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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