TheBetrothed’’didnotgreatlypleaseoneortwofriends，whothoughtthatitdidnotwellcorrespondtothegeneraltitleofTheCrusaders。’’Theyurged，therefore，thatwithoutdirectallusiontothemannersoftheEasterntribes，andtotheromanticconflictsoftheperiod，thetitleofaTaleoftheCrusaders’’wouldresembletheplay-billwhichissaidtohaveannouncedthetragedyofHamlet，thecharacterofthePrinceofDenmarkbeingleftout。Ontheotherhand，IfeltthedifficultyofgivingavividpictureofapartoftheworldwithwhichIwasalmosttotallyunacquainted，unlessbyearlyrecollectionsoftheArabianNights’Entertainments；’’andnotonlydidIlabourundertheincapacityofignorance，inwhich，asfarasregardsEasternmanners，IwasasthicklywrappedasanEgyptianinhisfog；butmycontemporarieswere，manyofthem，asmuchenlighteneduponthesubject，asiftheyhadbeeninhabitantsofthefavouredlandofGoshen。Theloveoftravellinghadpervadedallranks，andcarriedthesubjectsofBritainintoallquartersoftheworld。Greece，soattractivebyitsremainsofart，byitsstrugglesforfreedomagainstaMahomedantyrant，byitsveryname，whereeveryfountainhaditsclassicallegend；-Palestine，endearedtotheimaginationbyyetmoresacredremembrances，hadbeenoflatesurveyedbyBritisheyes，anddescribedbyrecenttravellers。HadI，therefore，attemptedthedifficulttaskofsubstitutingmannersofmyowninvention，insteadofthegenuinecostumeoftheEast，almosteverytravellerImet，whohadextendedhisroutebeyondwhatwasancientlycalledTheGrandTour，’’hadacquiredaright，byocularinspection，tochastisemeformypresumption。EverymemberoftheTravellers’Club，whocouldpretendtohavethrownhisshoeoverEdom，was，byhavingdoneso，constitutedmylawfulcriticandcorrector。Itoccurred，therefore，thatwheretheauthorofAnastasius，
[ThomasHope。]
aswellasheofHadjiBaba，<*>haddescribedthemannersandvices*[JamesMorier。]
oftheEasternnations，notonlywithfidelity，butwiththehumourofLeSageandtheludicrouspowerofFieldinghimself，onewhowasaperfectstrangertothesubjectmustnecessarilyproduceanunfavourablecontrast。ThePoetLaureatealso，inthecharmingtaleofThalaba，’’hadshownhowextensivemightbetheresearchesofapersonofacquirementsandtalent，bydintofinvestigationalone，intotheancientdoctrines，history，andmannersoftheEasterncountries，inwhichweareprobablytolookforthecradleofmankind；Moore，inhisLallahRookh，’’hadsuccessfullytrodthesamepath；inwhich，too，Byron，joiningocularexperiencetoextensivereading，hadwrittensomeofhismostattractivepoems。Inaword，theEasternthemeshadbeenalreadysosuccessfullyhandledbythosewhowereacknowledgedtobemastersoftheircraft，thatIwasdiffidentofmakingtheattempt。
Thesewerepowerfulobjections，nordidtheyloseforcewhentheybecamethesubjectofanxiousreflection，althoughtheydidnotfinallyprevail。Theargumentsontheothersidewere，thatthoughIhadnohopeofrivallingthecontemporarieswhomIhavementioned，yetitoccurredtomeaspossibletoacquitmyselfofthetaskIwasengagedin，withoutenteringintocompetitionwiththem。
TheperiodrelatingmoreimmediatelytotheCrusades，whichIatlastfixedupon，wasthatatwhichthewarlikecharacterofRichardI，wildandgenerous，apatternofchivalry，withallitsextravagantvirtues，anditsnolessabsurderrors，wasopposedtothatofSaladin，inwhichtheChristianandEnglishmonarchshowedallthecrueltyandviolenceofanEasternSultan；andSaladin，ontheotherhand，displayedthedeeppolicyandprudenceofaEuropeansovereign，whilsteachcontendedwhichshouldexceltheotherintheknightlyqualitiesofbraveryandgenerosity。Thissingularcontrastafforded，astheAuthorconceived，materialsforaworkoffictionpossessingpeculiarinterest。Oneoftheinferiorcharactersintroduced，wasasupposedrelationofRichardC
urdeLion；aviolationofthetruthofhistory，whichgaveoffencetoMr。Mills，theauthoroftheHistoryofChivalryandtheCrusades，whowasnot，itmaybepresumed，awarethatromanticfictionnaturallyincludesthepowerofsuchinvention，whichisindeedoneoftherequisitesoftheart。
PrinceDavidofScotland，whowasactuallyinthehost，andwastheheroofsomeveryromanticadventuresonhiswayhome，wasalsopressedintomyservice，andconstitutesoneofmy_dramatisperson。_
ItistrueIhadalreadybroughtuponthefieldHimoftheLionHeart。ButitwasinamoreprivatecapacitythanhewasheretobeexhibitedintheTalisman；thenasadisguisedknight，nowintheavowedcharacterofaconqueringmonarch；sothatIdoubtednotanamesodeartoEnglishmenasthatofKingRichardI。mightcontributetotheiramusementformorethanonce。<*>
*[Mr。J。G。LockhartinformsusthatthebrightnessoftheTalismandazzled*theeyesofthepublicastothedefectsofitstwinstorytheBetrothed；andthata*newburstofapplauseattendedthebrilliantprocessionofScott’sSaladinandhis*CurdeLion。’’]
Ihadaccesstoallwhichantiquitybelieved，whetherofrealityorfable，onthesubjectofthatmagnificentwarrior，whowastheproudestboastofEuropeandtheirchivalry，andwithwhosedreadfulnametheSaracens，accordingtoahistorianoftheirowncountry，werewonttorebuketheirstartledhorses。Doyouthink，’’saidthey，thatKingRichardisonthetrack，thatyoustraysowildlyfromit！’’
ThemostcuriousregisterofthehistoryofKingRichard，isanancientromance，translatedoriginallyfromtheNorman；andatfirstcertainlyhavingapretencetobetermedaworkofchivalry，butlatterlybecomingstuffedwiththemostastonishingandmonstrousfables。Thereis，perhaps，nometricalromanceuponrecord，where，alongwithcuriousandgenuinehistory，aremingledmoreabsurdandexaggeratedincidents。WehaveplacedintheAppendixtothisIntroduction(seeendofVolume)thepassageoftheromanceinwhichRichardfiguresasanOgre，orliteralcannibal。
Aprincipalincidentinthestory，isthatfromwhichthetitleisderived。Ofallpeoplewhoeverlived，thePersiansworeperhapsmostremarkablefortheirunshakencredulityinamulets，spells，periapts，andsimilarcharms，framed，itwassaid，undertheinfluenceofparticularplanets，andbestowinghighmedicalpowers，aswellasthemeansofadvancingmen’sfortunesinvariousmanners。Astoryofthiskind，relatingtoaCrusaderofeminence，isoftentoldintheWestofScotland，andtherelicalludedtoisstillinexistence，andevenyetheldinveneration。
SirSimonLockhartofLeeandCartlandmadeaconsiderablefigureinthereignsofRoberttheBruceandofhissonDavid。HewasoneofthechiefofthatbandofScottishchivalry，whoaccompaniedJames，theGoodLordDouglas，onhisexpeditiontotheHolyLand，withtheheartofKingRobertBruce。Douglas，impatienttogetattheSaracens，enteredintowarwiththoseofSpain，andwaskilledthere。LockhartproceededtotheHolyLandwithsuchScottishknightsashadescapedthefateoftheirleader，andassistedforsometimeinthewarsagainsttheSaracens。
Thefollowingadventureissaidbytraditiontohavebefallenhim:-
HemadeprisonerinbattleanEmirofconsiderablewealthandconsequence。TheagedmotherofthecaptivecametotheChristiancamp，toredeemhersonfromhisstateofcaptivity。Lockhartissaidtohavefixedthepriceatwhichhisprisonershouldransomhimself；andthelady，pullingoutalargeembroideredpurse，proceededtotelldowntheransom，likeamotherwhopayslittlerespecttogoldincomparisonofherson’sliberty。Inthisoperation，apebbleinsertedinacoin，somesayoftheLowerEmpire，felloutofthepurse，andtheSaracenmatrontestifiedsomuchhastetorecoverit，asgavetheScottishknightahighideaofitsvalue，whencomparedwithgoldorsilver。Iwillnotconsent，’’hesaid，tograntyourson’sliberty，unlessthatamuletbeaddedtohisransom。’’Theladynotonlyconsentedtothis，butexplainedtoSirSimonLockhartthemodeinwhichtheTalismanwastobeused，andtheusestowhichitmightbeput。Thewaterinwhichitwasdipt，operatedasastyptic，asafebrifuge，andpossessedseveralotherpropertiesasamedicaltalisman。
SirSimonLockhart，aftermuchexperienceofthewonderswhichitwrought，broughtittohisowncountry，andleftittohisheirs，bywhom，andbyClydesdaleingeneral，itwas，andisstill，distinguishedbythenameoftheLee-penny，fromthenameofhisnativeseatofLee。
Themostremarkablepartofitshistory，perhaps，was，thatitsoespeciallyescapedcondemnationwhentheChurchofScotlandchosetoimpeachmanyothercureswhichsavouredofthemiraculous，asoccasionedbysorcery，andcensuredtheappealtothem，exceptingonlythattotheamulet，calledtheLee-penny，towhichithadpleasedGodtoannexcertainhealingvirtueswhichtheChurchdidnotpresumetocondemn。’’Itstill，ashasbeensaid，exists，anditspowersaresometimesresortedto。Oflate，theyhavebeenchieflyrestrictedtothecureofpersonsbittenbymaddogs；andastheillnessinsuchcasesfrequentlyarisesfromimagination，therecanbenoreasonfordoubtingthatwaterwhichhasbeenpouredontheLee-pennyfurnishesacongenialcure。<*>
*[=TheLee-penny。=-AtameetingoftheScottishSocietyofAntiquaries(8th*April1861)，aninterestingcommunicationOnsomeScottishMagicalCharm-Stones，*orCuring-Stones，’’wasreadbythelateProfessorSirJamesY。Simpson，*Bart。，whenthe_Lee-penny_wasamongthearticlesexhibited。Inhispaperthe*eminentwriterobserves，thatInthepresentcenturythisancientmedicalcharm-stone*hasacquiredaworld-widereputationastheoriginalofthe`Talisman’of*SirWalterScott，thoughlatterlyitstherapeuticreputationhasgreatlydeclined，*andalmostentirelyceased。’’-Seethe_Proceedings，_vol。iv。p。223。]
SuchisthetraditionconcerningtheTalisman，whichtheAuthorhastakenthelibertytovaryinapplyingittohisownpurposes。
Considerablelibertieshavealsobeentakenwiththetruthofhistory，bothwithrespecttoConradeofMontserrat’slife，aswellashisdeath。
ThatConrade，however，wasreckonedtheenemyofRichard，isagreedbothinhistoryandromance。ThegeneralopinionofthetermsuponwhichtheystoodmaybeguessedfromtheproposaloftheSaracensthattheMarquisofMontserratshouldbeinvestedwithcertainpartsofSyria，whichtheyweretoyieldtotheChristians。
Richard，accordingtotheromancewhichbearshisname，couldnolongerrepresshisfury。TheMarquis，hesaid，wasatraitor，whohadrobbedtheKnightsHospitallersofsixtythousandpounds，thepresentofhisfather，Henry；thathewasarenegade，whosetreacheryhadoccasionedthelossofAcre；andheconcludedbyasolemnoath，thathewouldcausehimtobedrawntopiecesbywildhorsesifheshouldeverventuretopollutetheChristiancampbyhispresence。PhilipattemptedtointercedeinfavouroftheMarquis，andthrowingdownhisglove，offeredtobecomeapledgeforhisfidelitytotheChristians；buthisofferwasrejected，andhewasobligedtogivewaytoRichard’simpetuosity。’’-_HistoryofChivalry。_
ConradeofMontserratmakesaconsiderablefigureinthosewars，andwasatlengthputtodeathbyoneofthefollowersoftheSheik，orOldManoftheMountain；nordidRichardremainfreeofthesuspicionofhavinginstigatedhisdeath。
Itmaybesaid，ingeneral，thatmostoftheincidentsintroducedinthefollowingtalearefictitious；andthatreality，whereitexists，isonlyretainedinthecharactersofthepiece。
Abbotsford，1stJuly
They，too，retiredTothewilderness，but’twaswitharms。
ParadiseRegained。