Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-22
PREFACE OF DAVID CROCKETT's BIO
GRAPHY.

FASHION is a thing care mighty little about,
except when it happens to run just exactly &C
cording to my own notion and | was nightly
nigh sending out my book without any preface
at all, until notion struck me, that perhaps II
was necessary to explain little the reason why
and wherefore | had written it.
Most of authors seek fame, but seek for JUS
tce-a holier impulse than ever entered into the
ambitious struggles of the votares of that tickle,
flirting goddess.
A publication has been made to the world,
which has done much injustice; and the
catchpenny errors which it contains, have been
already too long sanctioned by my silence.
don't know the author Of the book; and indeed
don't want to know him; for after he has Ia
ken such liberty with my name, and made
such an effort to hold me up to public rldlcule,
he cannot calculate on any thing but my dis
pleasure. If he had been content to have writ
ten his opinions about me, however comtemp-
tuous they might have been, should have had
less reason to complain. But when he processes
to give my narrative Gas he often does) in my
own language, and then puts into my mouth such
language as would disgrace even an outlandsh
African, he must himself be sensible of the in
justice he has done me, and the trick he has
PLAYED off on the public. have met with hun
dreds. if not with thousands of people, who have
formed their opinions of my appearance, habits,
language, and every thing else from that decep-
tive work.
They have almost in every instance express
sed the most profound establishment at finding
me in human shape, and with the couutenance,
appearance, and common feelings of human
being. 1t is to correct all these false notions,
and to do justice to myself that have written.
1t is certain that the writer of the book allud-
ed to has gathered up many imperfect scraps OF
information concerning me, as in parts of his
work there is some little semblanCe oftruth. But
7 cly
eye, how would he have liked it, if had treated
him Soft had put together such bundle of
ridiculous stuff and headed it with his name,
and sent it out upon the world without ever even
condescending to ask his permission? To these
questions, all upright men must give the same
answer. 1t was wrong; and the desire to make
money by it. is no apology for such injustice to
a fellow-man.
But let him pass as my wish is greatly more
to vindicate myself than to condemn him.
In the following pages, have endeavored to
give the reader plain, honest, homespun &C
count of my state in life, and some few Of the
difficulties which have attended me along its
Journey, down to this time. | am perfectly aware,
that have related uninteresting circumstances;
but if so, my apology is, that it was rendered ne
cessary by desire to link the different periods
of my life together, as they have passed, from
my childhood onward, and thereby to enable
the reader to select such parts oft he may rel
ish most if indeed, there is any thing in it which
may suite his palate.
have also been operated on by another con-
sheraton. 1t is this:-I know, that obscure as
am, my name is making considerable deal Of
fuss in the world can't tell why it is, nor in
what it is to end. Go where will, everybody
seems anxious to get peep at me; and it would
be hard to tell whichwould have the advantage,
if /, and the :" Government and Black Hawk,
and great eternal big caravan of mild car
ments were all to be showed at the same time in
four different parts of any of the big cities in
the nation. | am not so sure that | shouldn't
get the most custom of any ofthe crew. There
must therefore be something in me, or about
me, that attracts attention, which is even mys-
terious to myself. l can't understand it, and l
therefore put all the facts down, leaving the rea-
der free to take his choice of them
On the subject of my style, it is bad enough
in all conscience to please critics. if that is what
they are after. They are sort of vermin,
though, that shan't even so much as to stop to
brush Oft. If they want to work on my book,
Just let them 60 ahead; and after they are done,
they had better blot out all their criticisms than