Page:A century of Birmingham life- or, A chronicle of local events, from 1741 to 1841 (IA centuryofbirming01lang).pdf/13



HIS book is simply what it professes to be, a compilation. It appeared to me—and friends, on whose judgments I could rely, agreed with me—that it would be more interesting and useful to let our forefathers speak for themselves, than to tell their story in other words. In almost all cases, therefore, I have quoted the advertisements, paragraphs, and reports literally. It would have been a much easier task to have given the substance of these extracts in my own words; but the object and intention of the book would not have been effected by such a proceeding. Every one acquainted with literary work knows that it is less labour to read and make an abstract of a report than tediously to copy it ipsissinma verba. I mention this in self-justification. It was not to spare my own pain and toil that the plan of giving as much matter as possible in extracts was adopted, but in order to present to the reader the picture of the town, its people, and their life, even in their habits as they lived.

Some may object that the extracts sometimes relate to trifling subjects. It must, however, be remembered, such is happily the variety of people's tastes and pursuits that things which appear trifles to some, arc interesting and important to others. The true picture of the life of