Preface
IF EVER the story of any private man’s
adventures in the world were worth making public, and were
acceptable when published, the editor of this account thinks this
will be so.
The wonders of this man’s life exceed all that
(he thinks) is to be found extant; the life of one man being scarce
capable of a greater variety
The story is told with modesty, with seriousness,
and with a religious application of events to the uses to which
wise men always apply them (viz.) to the instruction of others by
this example, and to justify and honour the wisdom of Providence in
all the variety of our circumstances, let them happen how they
will.
The editor believes the thing to be a just
history of fact; neither is there any appearance of fiction in it.
And however thinks, because all such things are disputed, that the
improvement of it, as well to the diversion, as to the instruction
of the reader, will be the same; and as such, he thinks, without
further compliment to the world, he does them a great service in
the publication.