DAVID　COPPERFIELD
  by　CHARLES　DICKENS
  AFFECTIONATELY　INSCRIBED　TO
  THE　HON。　　Mr。　AND　Mrs。　RICHARD　WATSON；
  OF　ROCKINGHAM；　NORTHAMPTONSHIRE。
  PREFACE　TO　1850　EDITION
  I　do　not　find　it　easy　to　get　sufficiently　far　away　from　this　Book；
  in　the　first　sensations　of　having　finished　it；　to　refer　to　it　with
  the　composure　which　this　formal　heading　would　seem　to　require。　　My
  interest　in　it；　is　so　recent　and　strong；　and　my　mind　is　so　divided
  between　pleasure　and　regret　…　pleasure　in　the　achievement　of　a　long
  design；　regret　in　the　separation　from　many　companions　…　that　I　am
  in　danger　of　wearying　the　reader　whom　I　love；　with　personal
  confidences；　and　private　emotions。
  Besides　which；　all　that　I　could　say　of　the　Story；　to　any　purpose；
  I　have　endeavoured　to　say　in　it。
  It　would　concern　the　reader　little；　perhaps；　to　know；　how
  sorrowfully　the　pen　is　laid　down　at　the　close　of　a　two…years'
  imaginative　task；　or　how　an　Author　feels　as　if　he　were　dismissing
  some　portion　of　himself　into　the　shadowy　world；　when　a　crowd　of　the
  creatures　of　his　brain　are　going　from　him　for　ever。　　Yet；　I　have
  nothing　else　to　tell；　unless；　indeed；　I　were　to　confess　（which
  might　be　of　less　moment　still）　that　no　one　can　ever　believe　this
  Narrative；　in　the　reading；　more　than　I　have　believed　it　in　the
  writing。
  Instead　of　looking　back；　therefore；　I　will　look　forward。　　I　cannot
  close　this　Volume　more　agreeably　to　myself；　than　with　a　hopeful
  glance　towards　the　time　when　I　shall　again　put　forth　my　two　green
  leaves　once　a　month；　and　with　a　faithful　remembrance　of　the　genial
  sun　and　showers　that　have　fallen　on　these　leaves　of　David
  Copperfield；　and　made　me　happy。
  London；　October；　1850。