said a friend of mine to me some months ago: “well now, why don’t you write a sensible book? i should like to see you make people think.”

“do you believe it can be done, then?” i asked.

“well, try,” he replied.

accordingly, i have tried. this is a sensible book. i want you to understand that. this is a book to improve your mind. in this book i tell you all about germany—at all events, all i know about germany—and the ober-ammergau passion play. i also tell you about other things. i do not tell you all i know about all these other things, because i do not want to swamp you with knowledge. i wish to lead you gradually. when you have learnt this book, you can come again, and i will tell you some more. i should only be defeating my own object did i, by making you think too much at first, give you a perhaps, lasting dislike to the exercise. i have purposely put the matter in a light and attractive form, so that i may secure the attention of the young and the frivolous. i do not want them to notice, as they go on, that they are being instructed; and i have, therefore, endeavoured to disguise from them, so far as is practicable, that this is either an exceptionally clever or an exceptionally useful work. i want to do them good without their knowing it. i want to do you all good—to improve your minds and to make you think, if i can.

what you will think after you have read the book, i do not want to know; indeed, i would rather not know. it will be sufficient reward for me to feel that i have done my duty, and to receive a percentage on the gross sales.

london, march, 1891.

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