THE STORY OF KING ALFRED. INTRODUCTION. I. THE AUTHOR'S DESIGN. IN the following pages I propose to attempt a life of the greatest of all Englishmen that may be procured by all classes of the English people. I shall present a portrait of Alfred without dissertations on the authenticity of episodes or the trustworthiness of biographers. I desire to write such a history of the great king as shall be accessible and instructive to the great bodyevery year growing greater-of those who read books and wish to be acquainted with the national history. I shall endeavour not to exaggerate the achievements of the king—they want no exaggeration; or to over-state the obligations which the posterity of Alfred owe to his memory -they can hardly be over-stated. The plain and unvarnished story should be sufficient. This attempt is, it will be observed, ambitious. It is far harder to win the confidence of the people at large than to attract the attention of those who use circulating libraries. Most books are written for the latter class; they number a few thousands, 9 |