AUTHOR'S PREFACE

owIcametohearaboutYorkshireschoolswhenIwasanotveryrobustchild,sittinginbye-placesnearRochesterCastle,withaheadfullofPartridge,Strap,TomPipes,andSanchoPanzabutIknowthatmyfirstimpressionsofthemwerepickedupatthattime,andthattheyweresomehoworotherconnectedwithasuppuratedabscessthatsomeboyhadcomehomewith,inconsequenceofhisYorkshireguide,philosopher,andfriend,havingrippeditopenwithaninkypen-knife.Theimpressionmadeuponme,howevermade,neverleftme.IwasalwayscuriousaboutYorkshireschools—fell,longafterwardsandatsundrytimes,intothewayofhearingmoreaboutthem—atlast,havinganaudience,resolvedtowriteaboutthem. WiththatintentIwentdownintoYorkshirebeforeIbeganthisbook,inveryseverewintertimewhichisprettyfaithfullydescribedherein.AsIwantedtoseeaschoolmasterortwo,andwasforewarnedthatthosegentlemenmight,intheirmodesty,beshyofreceivingavisitfromtheauthorofthe“PickwickPapers,”IconsultedwithaprofessionalfriendwhohadaYorkshireconnexion,andwithwhomIconcertedapiousfraud.Hegavemesomelettersofintroduction,inthename,Ithink,ofmytravellingcompaniontheyborereferencetoasupposititiouslittleboywhohadbeenleftwithawidowedmotherwhodidn’tknowwhattodowithhimthepoorladyhadthought,asameansofthawingthetardycompassionofherrelationsinhisbehalf,ofsendinghimtoaYorkshireschoolIwasthepoorlady’sfriend,travellingthatwayandiftherecipientofthelettercouldinformmeofaschoolinhisneighbourhood,thewriterwouldbeverymuchobliged. IwenttoseveralplacesinthatpartofthecountrywhereIunderstoodtheschoolstobemostplentifullysprinkled,andhadnooccasiontodeliveraletteruntilIcametoacertaintownwhichshallbenameless.Thepersontowhomitwasaddressed,wasnotathomebuthecamedownatnight,throughthesnow,totheinnwhereIwasstaying.Itwasafterdinnerandheneededlittlepersuasiontositdownbythefireinawarmcorner,andtakehisshareofthewinethatwasonthetable. Iamafraidheisdeadnow.Irecollecthewa