SELECTIONS FROM WRITINGS IN THE "MIRROR OF THE TIME," BY ALFRED BATE RICHARDS, ESQ. BARRISTER-AT-LAW, Author of "CRESUS, KING OF LYDIA," a Tragedy; "CROMWELL," a Drama; "VANDYCK," a and Part II. of " BRITAIN REDEEMED." "THE IMAGES WE REFLECT WILL BE VARIED AS TIME ITSELF; BUT OUR VOL. II. UNI OF LONDON: AYLOTT AND JONES, PATERNOSTER ROW. PREFACE TO THE SECOND VOLUME. I DID not intend to write a Preface to this volume. Two or three reasons, however, urge me to do so. One is, the necessity of apology for a certain want of unity in a series of papers gathered from a Journal. This could not entirely be avoided, unless I had remodelled the whole, which, as the book professes to be a work of extracts, was perhaps scarcely to be desired. Another charge which I anticipate is one of ex post facto prophecy, especially from those who are borne upon the tidal expediency of the hour, who float each his gilded bark "upon the broad Ganges of opinion," as I have elsewhere expressed it, if not with all the devotion of fanatics, yet with the childish enthusiasm of a multitude enjoying a superficial holiday. I allude more particularly to my strictures on the "Great Exhibition." "You see it is there," some will cry. "There has been no hailstorm, no explosion, no outbreak, no accident. The only victim has been Captain Somerset, of the Coldstream Guards, who has rendered M220850 |