PROLEGOMENON. 9 



can scarcely be true ; for an inspection of a catalogue of 

 books is frequently a chapter of supremest affectations, and 

 would carry the conviction that the names of books and 

 their title-pages were meant to delude, and conceal the 

 tenor of their discourses; that the genius of whim, as in 

 many other departments, presides here also; and, that in 

 the baptism of the crowd of intellectual infants that appear 

 daily, rhyme and reason have seldom stood hand in hand. 

 A happy title is a happy thing ; but most books are like 

 backgammon -boards, with " Hume's History of England" 

 or " Shakspeare" on their backs, or like the saintly dodge 

 of that pious, heaven-inclined soul who had his handsomely 

 done-up leather-cased whisky-bottle arranged with " Holy 

 Bible" on its back. Still, they say there is "magic in a 

 name," although the rose by any other, &c. &c. In the 

 consideration of names, title-pages, &c., is not the "Moun- 

 tain" as suggestive as a " Sofa," upon which an immortal 

 poem has been written; or a " Tub," another imperishable 

 tale; or the "Louse," which has been the theme of an eter- 

 nal song? "If it were inquired of an ingenious writer 

 what page of his work had occasioned him most perplexity, 

 he would point to the title-page. That curiosity which we 

 would excite is most fastidious to gratify; yet such is the 

 perversity of man, that a modest simplicity will fail to 

 attract : we are only to be allured by paint and patches, 

 and yet we complain that we are duped ! It is too often 

 with the titles of books as with those painted representa- 

 tions exhibited by the keepers of wild beasts; where, in 

 general, the picture itself is more curious and interesting 

 than the enclosed animal." 



The name disposed of, and the title fixed, whilst the 

 futility of all preface-writing is admitted, what of the 

 production itself? what of the origin and contents of this 

 book you call the "Mountain"? What excuse have YOU 

 for imposing upon the world another calamity? Can there 

 be any possible apology for dragging out of limbo another 

 confusion of tongues, or attempting to make discordantly 



