History of Schoharie County, and Border Wars of New York - Containing Also a Sketch of the Causes Which Led to the American Revolution; And Interesting Memoranda of the Mohawk Valley; Together With Much Other Historical and Miscellaneo... #229652

Comparatively few persons ever read the preface of a book, although every one should who would peruse the contents of the latter understandingly: for as a door serves us to enter the dwelling of our neighbor, so a preface is given by the writer of a volume as its entrance. That individual who does not read what an author says of his own book, can never fully appreciate its merits or demerits. Says Phillips in his Million of Facts Let us garner up our notices of past ages, and preserve them in the archives of the country: we shall please and instruct ourselves by so doing, and make posterity lasting ly indebted to us for the deed. To transmit the honors of one age to another is our duty; to neglect the merits of our fathers is a disgrace. Actuated by corresponding motives, I com menced collecting historic matter in 1837, with the view of making it public.