Preface

by Mark Twain

　　The ungentle laws and customs touched upon inthis tale are historical, and the episodes which areused to illustrate them are also historical. It isnot pretended that these laws and customs existed inEngland in the sixth century; no, it is only pretendedthat inasmuch as they existed in the English and othercivilizations of far later times, it is safe to consider thatit is no libel upon the sixth century to suppose them tohave been in practice in that day also. One is quitejustified in inferring that whatever one of these laws orcustoms was lacking in that remote time, its place wascompetently filled by a worse one.The question as to whether there is such a thing asdivine right of kings is not settled in this book. Itwas found too difficult. That the executive head of anation should be a person of lofty character andextraordinary ability, was manifest and indisputable;that none but the Deity could select that head unerringly, was also manifest and indisputable; that theDeity ought to make that selection, then, was likewisemanifest and indisputable; consequently, that He doesmake it, as claimed, was an unavoidable deduction. Imean, until the author of this book encountered thePompadour, and Lady Castlemaine, and some otherexecutive heads of that kind; these were found sodifficult to work into the scheme, that it was judgedbetter to take the other tack in this book (which mustbe issued this fall), and then go into training andsettle the question in another book. It is, of course,a thing which ought to be settled, and I am not goingto have anything particular to do next winter anyway.Mark Twain.