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The Fight in the Castle Yard

My dear Tom,

You received my former books so kindly that I feelassured you will not object to have this volume inscribed withyour name. I am not the less convinced of this because youknow well the country in which my opening scenes are laid,and I had the pleasure last year of playing cricket with youwithin a few miles of the village here disguised as WintonSt. Mary.

I hope you will bear with me for one minute while Iexplain that in writing this book I had three aims. First, totell a good story: that of course. Secondly, to give someaccount of the operations that resulted in one of the mostbrilliant victories ever gained by our British arms. Thirdly,to throw some light—fitful, it may be, but as clear as thecircumstances of my story admitted—on life and mannerstwo hundred years ago. History, as you have no doubtalready learnt, is not merely campaigning; and I shall bewell pleased if these pages enlarge your knowledge, in everso slight a degree, of an interesting period in our country'sannals. And if you, or any other Christ's Hospital boy,should convict me of borrowing a week from the life of agreat personage, or of antedating by a little a developmentin our nationa