Baron Munnikhouson or Munchausen, of Bodenweder, near Hamelyn on the
Weser, belongs to the noble family of that name, which gave to the
King's German dominions the late prime minister and several other
public characters equally bright and illustrious. He is a man of great
original humour; and having found that prejudiced minds cannot be
reasoned into common sense, and that bold assertors are very apt to
bully and speak their audience out of it, he never argues with either
of them, but adroitly turns the conversation upon indifferent topics
and then tells a story of his travels, campaigns, and sporting
adventures, in a manner peculiar to himself, and well calculated to
awaken and shame the common sense of those who have lost sight of it
by prejudice or habit.
As this method has been often attended with good success, we beg leave
to lay some of his stories before the public, and humbly request those
who shall find them rather extravagant and bordering upon the
marvellous, which will require but a very moderate share of common
sense, to exercise the same upon every occurrence of life, and chiefly
upon our English politics, in which /old habits/ and /bold
assertions/, set off by eloquent speeches and supported by
constitutional mobs, associations, volunteers, and foreign influence,
have of late, we apprehend, but too successfully turned our brains,
and made us the laughing-stock of Europe, and of France and Holland in
particular.
TO THE PUBLIC
Having heard, for the first time, that my adventures have been
doubted, and looked upon as jokes, I feel bound to come forward and
vindicate my character /for veracity/, by paying three shillings at
the Mansion House of this great city for the affidavits hereto
appended.
This I have been forced into in regard of my own honour, although I
have retired for many years from public and private life; and I hope
that this, my last edition, will place me in a proper light with my
readers.
AT THE CITY OF LONDON, ENGLAND.
/We/, the undersigned, as true believers in the /profit/, do most
solemnly affirm, that all the adventures of our friend Baron
Munchausen, in whatever country they may /lie/, are positive and
simple facts. /And/, as we have been believed, whose adventures
are tenfold more wonderful, /so/ do we hope all true believers
will give him their full faith and credence.
GULLIVER. x
SINBAD. x
ALADDIN. x
/Sworn at the Mansion House
9th Nov. last, in the absence
of the Lord Mayor./
JOHN (/the Porter/).
