Preface to the American Edition. 253 



conceived in a temper so opposed to mine that 

 they turned out to be of no use for this particular 

 purpose. Dog Tom was introduced at the urgent 

 request of an unknown correspondent whose love 

 of dogs touched the author in a tender place, and 

 made him, somewhat rashly, turn animal-designer 

 for the occasion. American critics are therefore 

 requested to remember that the figures and dog 

 are thrown in, as it were, simply for the reader's 

 amusement, and not with any ambitious artistic 

 pretensions. 



However, such as they are, it has been the good 

 fortune of these little plates to please many people 

 in Europe, and amongst them a few more than 

 ordinarily fastidious and capable judges. This 

 may be attributed to the fact that in etching them 

 the artist worked without the least reference to 

 criticism of any kind, in the simple enjoyment of 

 one of the pleasantest artistic expeditions imagi- 

 nable. Indeed, although working very hard the 

 whole time, I was under the delusion it may be 

 strictly said, labored under the delusion that the 

 voyage was a perfect holiday, a belief that was 

 greatly encouraged by an absolute indecision as to 

 which plates should be published and which de- 



