The True Story of John Carteret Pilkington

DEDICATION.
To The Right Honourable
Georgina, Caroline, Countess Of Cowper.

MADAM,
AS the following pages contain an account of my life, I know not to whom I can with more propriety inscribe them, than to Lady Cowper; whose goodness, I am proud to acknowledge, has been the preserver of it. Publicly to confess we have received favours from illustrious personages, is a public innuendo that they know something of us; thus, Madam, we have an opportunity to show our pride and gratitude at the same time.

I flatter myself, Madam, that no part of a book, thus honoured with the sanction of your Ladyship's name, will occasion your being a penitent to your own virtues, or regretting the good offices your humanity has led you to do for a little family, whose greatest crime has been their distresses; which, indeed to some minds, appear an accumulation of all human faults.

Your Ladyship was kind enough, not only to befriend the writer, but to pity the man; not only to subscribe to him as an author, but to administer to his necessities: whether the world may praise or condemn this conduct in your Ladyship, you have at least the consciousness of a generous intention, and the prayers and praises of an unfeignedly grateful heart. I have the honour to be,

MADAM,
Your Ladyship's
most obliged,
and most obedient,
humble servant,
JOHN CARTERET PILKINGTON.

St. James's-Park,
August 12, 1758.

PREFACE.
By the Author

CONSIDERING the number of grave, learned and divine authors, that become so cheap a purchase at every stall, it might be a matter of wonder how a book, of this size and price, could have made its way into the republic of letters; or how a young man, with so small a share of merit, and so much smaller degree of interest, could have obtained such a number of noble adventurers to deposit half a guinea, for a work they had never seen, and of which, from the title, they could have but little conception; after having, as themselves repeatedly assured me, been considerable losers by subscribing to books, which never were even written, much less intended for publication. If any, or perhaps the greatest part of my benefactors, imagined that might be the case with me, how amiable, how generous, how condescending was it in them, to contribute to the support of a family, merely on a probability that the son of Mrs. Pilkington might have some merit? This single circumstance may clear the present age of imputations that have been thrown on some former ones, that they "suffered these great geniuses to want, whose writings are now the highest delights of retirement." My success has occasioned a learned gentleman of my acquaintance, who is very misanthropic in his disposition, to declare, that "if anything could reconcile him to entertain a tolerable opinion of mankind, it would be the notice and favour I have found amongst them."

The number of books daily published for instruction, by persons qualified through great parts and study to bestow it, are, I hope, sufficient to answer their upright intentions: 'tis a character I confess myself unequal to in every respect; having as much occasion for it as most men; therefore the reader is to expect nothing in the following pages but entertainment. If I can give that in a rational and inoffensive manner, so as to kill two winter afternoons, I see no reason any of my subscribers will have to regret their purchase, as two Italian operas would cost the same money, for which they have nothing afterwards to show; whereas, after this has been read, the binding, gilding, and lettering, will render it a pretty ornament to a library.

As I before mentioned, the infinite goodness of the nobility and gentry, in contributing to this undertaking, with so great a hazard of having nothing for their money, I hope my having fulfilled my engagements will entitle me to this further indulgence; that no subscriber who has any pity for the circumstances of the author, or who meant his subscription as the relief of indigence, as well as the encouragement of literature, will lend this book to any person whatsoever, who is capable to purchase because that will be gratifying their curiosity at my expense.