Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ The Philippine Islands A Political, Geographical, Ethnographical, Social and Commercial History of the Philippine Archipelago Embracing the Whole Period of Spanish Rule With an Account of the Succeeding American Insular Government By John Foreman, F.R.G.S. Third Edition, Revised and Enlarged with Maps and Illustrations London: T. Fisher Unwin 1, Adelphi Terrace. MCMVI Printed and bound by Hazell, Watson and Viney, LD., London and Aylesbury. Preface to the First Edition It would be surprising if the concerns of an interesting Colony like the _Philippine Islands_ had not commanded the attention of literary genius. I do not pretend, therefore, to improve upon the able productions of such eminent writers as Juan de le Concepcion, Martinez Zuniga, Tomas de Comyn and others, nor do I aspire, through this brief composition, to detract from the merit of Jagor's work, which, in its day, commended itself as a valuable book of reference. But since then, and within the last twenty years, this Colony has made great strides on the path of social and material progress; its political and commercial importance is rapidly increasing, and many who know the Philippines have persuaded me to believe that my notes would be an appreciated addition to what was published years ago on this subject. The critical opinions herein expressed are based upon personal observations made during the several years I have travelled in and about all the principal islands of the Archipelago, and are upheld by reference to the most reliable historical records. An author should be benevolent in his judgement of men and manners and guarded against mistaking isolated cases for rules. In matters of history he should neither hide the truth nor twist it to support a private view, remembering how easy it is to criticize an act when its sequel is developed: such will be my aim in the fullest measure consistent. By certain classes I may be thought to have taken a hypercritical view of things; I may even offend their susceptibilities--if I adulated them I should fail to chronicle the truth, and my work would be a deliberate imposture.