Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K Jerome. Chapter 1.

Read for you by Maurice Newman

PREFACE.

The chief beauty of this book lies not so much in its literary styleor in the extent and usefulness of the information it conveysas in its simple truthfulness.  Its pages form the record of events that really happened.  All that has been done is to colour themandfor thisno extra charge has been made.  George and Harris and Montmorency are not poetic idealsbut things of flesh and blood—especially Georgewho weighs about twelve stone.  Other works may excel this in depth of thought and knowledge of human nature: other books may rival it in originality and sizebutfor hopeless and incurable veracitynothing yet discovered can surpass it.  Thismore than all its other charmswillit is feltmake the volume precious in the eye of the earnest readerand will lend additional weight to the lesson that the story teaches.

London, August, 1889.

CHAPTER I.

Three invalids.—Sufferings of George and Harris.—A victim to one hundred and seven fatal maladies.—Useful prescriptions.—Cure for liver complaint in children.—We agree that we are overworked, and need rest.—A week on the rolling deep?—George suggests the River.—Montmorency lodges an objection.—Original motion carried by majority of three to one.

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