Todos saben de una manera vaga que el lugar mas bello del mundo es -o era, desgraciadamente- el pueblo holandes de Vondervotteimittiss. Sin embargo, como se encuentra a cierta distancia de todas las grandes vias, en una situacion por decirlo asi extraordinaria, probablemente lo haya visitado un corto numero de mis lectores. Por esta razon considero oportuno, para entretenimiento de aquellos que no hayan podido hacerlo, entrar en algunos pormenores con respecto a el. Y esto es realmente tanto mas necesario cuanto que si me propongo relatar los calamitosos acontecimientos ocurridos ultimamente dentro de sus limites, es solo con la esperanza de conquistar para sus habitantes la simpatia popular. Ninguno de quienes me conocen dudar de que el deber que me impongo no sea ejecutado con toda la habilidad de que soy capaz, con esa rigurosa imparcialidad, escrupulosa comprobacion de los hechos y a ardua confrontacion de autoridades, que deben distinguir siempre a aquel que aspira al titulo de historiador. Everybody knows, in a general way, that the finest place in the world is-or, alas, was-the Dutch borough of Vondervotteimittiss. Yet as it lies some distance from any of the main roads, being in a somewhat out-of-the-way situation, there are perhaps a few of my readers who have ever paid it a visit. For the benefit of those who have not, therefore, it will be only proper that I should enter into some account of it. And this is indeed the more necessary, as with the hope of enlisting public sympathy in behalf of the inhabitants, I design here to give a history of the calamitous events which have so lately occurred within its limits. No one who knows me will doubt that the duty thus self-imposed will be executed to the best of my ability, with all that rigid impartiality, all that cautious examination into facts, and diligent collation of authorities, which should ever distinguish him who aspires to the title of historian."