CHAPTER I.
In the first part of ROBINSON CRUSOE, at page one hundred and twenty-nine, you will find it thus written: "Now I saw, though too late, the Folly of beginning a Work before we count the Cost, and before we judge rightly of our own Strength to go through with it." Only yesterday, I opened my ROBINSON CRUSOE at that place.

Only this morning (May twenty-first, Eighteen hundred and fifty), came my lady's nephew, Mr.Franklin Blake, and held a short conversation with me, as follows:-- "Betteredge," says Mr.Franklin, "I have been to the lawyer's about some family matters; and, among other things, we have been talking of the loss of the Indian Diamond, in my aunt's house in Yorkshire, two years since.

Mr.Bruff thinks as I think, that the whole story ought, in the interests of truth, to be placed on record in writing--and the sooner the better." Not perceiving his drift yet, and thinking it always desirable for the sake of peace and quietness to be on the lawyer's side, I said I thought so too.

Mr.Franklin went on.
"In this matter of the Diamond," he said, "the characters of innocent people have suffered under suspicion already--as you know.

The memories of innocent people may suffer, hereafter, for want of a record of the facts to which those who come after us can appeal.