 | A book of the Hudson |  |
INTRODUCTION.
I Thank God that I was born on the banks of the Hudson. I
fancy I can trace much of what is good and pleasant in my own
heterogeneous compound to my early companionship with this glorious
river. In the warmth of youthful enthusiasm, I used to clothe it with
moral attributes, and, as it were, give it a soul. I delighted in its frank,
bold, honest character; its noble sincerity, and perfect truth. Here was
no specious, smiling surface, covering the shifting sand-bar and perfidious
rock, but a stream deep as it was broad, and bearing with honorable
faith the bark that trusted to its waves. I gloried in its simple,
quiet, majestic, epic flow, ever straight forward, or, if forced aside for
once by opposing mountains, struggling bravely through them, and resuming
its onward march. Behold, thought I, an emblem of a good
man's course though life, ever simple, open, and direct, or if, overpowered
by adverse circumstances, he deviate into error, it is but momentary;
he soon resumes his onward and honorable career, and continues it to
the end of his pilgrimage.
The foregoing rhapsody formed part of a paper addressed some years
since to the editor of a periodical work, introducing certain legends and
traditions concerning the Hudson river, found among the papers of the
late Diedrich Knickerbocker. That worthy and truthful historian was one
of my earliest and most revered friends, and I owe many of the pleasant
associations in my mind with this river, to information derived in my
youth from that venerable sage. The legends and traditions in existence
have hitherto been published in a scattered state, in various miscellaneous
works, and mixed up with other writings. It has recently occurred
to me that it would be an acceptable homage to his venerated
shade, to collect in one volume all that he has written concerning the
river which he loved so well. It occurred to me also that such a volume
inquiring travellers about to explore the wonders and beauties of the
Hudson. To all such I heartily recommend it, with my best wishes for
a pleasant voyage, whether by steamboat or railroad.
| A book of the Hudson | |