I cannot boast of the commendatory strains of public Journals in my own country.  No intellectual steam-engine has been put in motion to manufacture a review of unqualified approbation of the Work now submitted to the public eye—­at an expense, commensurate with the ordinary means of purchase.  With the exception of an indirect and laudatory notice of it, in the immortal pages of the Author of Waverley, of the Sketch book, and of Reginald Dalton, this Tour has had to fight its way under the splendour of its own banners, and in the strength of its own cause.  The previous Edition is now a scarce and a costly book.  Its Successor has enough to recommend it, even to the most fastidious collector, from the elegance of its type and decorations, and from the reasonableness of its price; but the highest ambition of its author is, that it may be a part of the furniture of every Circulating Library in the Kingdom.  If he were not conscious that GOOD would result from its perusal, he would not venture upon such an avowal.  “FELIX FAUSTUMQUE SIT!”

[1] M. Crapelet is of course speaking of the PREVIOUS edition of the Tour. 
    He continues thus:  “M.  Dibdin, dans son voyage en France, a visite nos
    departemens de l’ouest et de l’est, toutes leurs principales villes,
    presque tous les lieux remarquables par les antiquites, par les
    monumens, par les beautes du site, ou par les souvenirs historiques. 
    Il a visite les chateaux, les eglises, les chapelles; il a observe nos
    moeurs, nos coutumes; nos habitudes; il a examine nos Musees et nos
    premiers Cabinets de curiosite; il s’est concentre dans nos
    Bibliotheques.  Il parle de notre litterature et des hommes de lettres,
    des arts et de nos artistes; il critique les personnes comme les
    choses; il loue quelquefois, il plaisante souvent; la vivacite de son
    esprit l’egare presque toujours.”  A careful perusal of the notes in
    THIS edition will shew that my veracity has not “almost always led me
    astray.”

[2] GABRIEL PEIGNOT; Varietes, Notices et Raretes Bibliographiques, 1822,
    8vo. p. 4.

[3] Lettre d’un Relieur Francais a un Bibliographe Anglais; a Paris, de
    l’Imprimerie de Crapelet, 1822, 8vo. p.p. 28.

[4] It is a little curious that M. Lesne has not been singular in this
    supposition.  My amiable and excellent friend M. Schweighaeuser of
    Strasbourg had the same notion:  at least, he told me that the style of
    the Tour very frequently reminded him of that of Sterne.  I can only
    say—­and say very honestly—­that I as much thought of Sterne as I did
    of ...  William Caxton!