MAN, CONSIDERED SOCIALLY AND MORALLY. BY GEORGE SPARKES, LATE MADRAS CIVIL SERVICE. LONDON: LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, ROBERTS & GREEN. MDCCCLXV. 265. K. 3. PREFACE. FOR some years, the Author frequently wrote down, for his own after-consideration, the most noteworthy opinions on moral and social topics, which he heard or read. The memoranda thus made having become a bulky and incoherent mass, he employed his leisure in endeavouring to form them into something like a connected whole. Many links had, of course, to be supplied, and a considerable amount of original matter to be inserted; but all that had been taken from other writers was left, as far as it was convenient, in their own words; and this applies not only to mere expressions, but sometimes even to whole sentences. To have altered these, without improving them, seemed undesirable. Such was the origin of the present Volume, and the Author, or rather Compiler, thinking that what was interesting to himself, might possibly prove interesting to others also, decided on printing the manuscript. |