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，wasasupposedrelationofRichardCurdeLion；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。WehaveplacedintheAppendixtothisIntroductionseeendofVolumethepassageoftheromanceinwhichRichardfiguresasanOgre，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。=-AtameetingoftheScottishSocietyofAntiquaries8th*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。