Bibliothèque mondiale du cheval

« Wholly unlike any of its precursors, the present laborious Dictionary claims for its characteristics a good portion of originality, great utility as to several neglected good old English sports, much amusement, and recent information , obtained viva voce from some eschewed walks of life; together with a moral inculcation here and there, that shall tell, where the solemn concione would fail.
Every reader has a right to know his authour’s motives for publishing at all, to be brought acquainted with his means of performance and his eligibility for the task; and the latter having likewise his rights to assert, this mutuality begets the undisputed custom of preface — the more gumptious the better. If the writer willeth to add hereto an exposition of his views on the subject — matter in hand, or to say aught of the manner of executing his task — either by way of extenuation or exultingly, he has that right undoubtedly , — let him exercise it at his peril. Neither Grose, nor his editor Dr. H. Clarke, nor the Count de Vaux, have filled the balatronic gap, that is ever widening at the extreme base of the ancient castle of Lexicography : a chasm exists that the modern artificers have in vain endeavoured to pass, or cover with their out — works of counter scarp and covert — way — the fosse must be entered ere ’ tis passed, but the necessity of previously filling it needs no argument.[…] » Présentation de l’éditeur (1823)