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VANDELEUR

VOL. I.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,

Dorset Street, Fleet Street.

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LONDON:

PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,

Dorset Street, Fleet Street.

PREFAC E.

WHEN I first determined upon writing a tale of fiction as a resource against "leisure hours" those mental vampires which suck out all the health of fitful occupation-I was particularly desirous of fixing upon an entirely new subject. It is said that our every motive is of a compound nature, but as far as I have been able to analyse my motive for this, I can find no ingredient but the one of simple and unmixed humility; that is, as much humility as may be consistent with writing at all in these days. I am aware that as a good housewife

is said to

"Gar auld claes look 'maist as weel's the new,"

so a very skilful writer can dress up a threadbare subject so tastefully, that if it had itself

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