SUNNY MEMORIES OF FOREIGN LAND S. BY MRS. HARRIET BEECHER STOWE, AUTHOR OF "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN," ETC. "When thou haply seest Some rare note-worthy object in thy travels, Make me partaker of thy happiness." SHAKSPEARE. aith Illustrations. TWO VOLUMES.-VOL. I. LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, SON, & CO., 47 LUDGATE HILL. 1854. [THE RIGHT OF TRANSLATION IS RESERVED.] 203. c. 117. PREFACE. THIS book will be found to be truly what its name denotes, "Sunny Memories." If the criticism be made that everything is given couleur de rose, the answer is, Why not? They are the impressions, as they arose, of a most agreeable visit. How could they be otherwise? If there be characters and scenes that seem drawn with too bright a pencil, the reader will consider that, after all, there are many worse sins than a disposition to think and speak well of one's neighbours. To admire and to love may now and then be tolerated, as a variety, as well as to carp and criticize. America and England have heretofore abounded towards each other in illiberal criticisms. There is not an unfavourable aspect of things in the Old World which has not become perfectly familiar to us; and a little of the other side may have a useful influence. The writer has been decided to issue these letters principally, however, by the persevering and deliberate attempts, in certain quarters, to misrepresent the circum VOL. I. b |