Upon looking into my mother's marriage-settlement, in order to satisfy myself and reader in a point necessary to be cleared up, before we could proceed any farther in this history; --I had the good fortune to pop upon the very thing I wanted before I had read a day and a half straight forwards, --it might have taken me up a month; --which shews plainly, that when a man sits down to write a history, --tho' it be but the history of _Jack Hickathrift_ or _Tom Thumb_, he knows no more than his heels what lets and confounded hindrances he is to meet with in his way, --or what a dance he may be led, by one excursion or another, before all is over. 
Upon looking into my mother's marriage-settlement, in order to clear up a point before proceeding any farther in this history - I had the good fortune to pop upon the very thing I wanted, before I had read for a day and a half. It might have taken me a month; which shows plainly, that when a man sits down to write a history, even if only the history of Tom Thumb, he has no idea what confounded hindrances he is to meet with in his way, or what a dance he may be led before all is over.
