Preface.

...want to twist your simple, healthy common sense: I am an honest son of the earth Original: Erdensohn. A poetic way of describing himself as a plain, grounded man of the people rather than a member of the elite or the clergy., belong to no party, prefer to view things with my own eyes, and do not recite any catechism that does not convince me: nor do I allow myself to be hired for money to flatter Original: hofiren, meaning to court favor or act like a courtier at a royal palace., but rather speak according to the customs and usage of my uprightOriginal: bider (modern bieder). In the late 18th century, this term carried a sense of integrity, honesty, and civic virtue, before it evolved to mean "stuffy" or "conventional." ancestors.

I will never lose sight of my sincere respect for you, but I also count on your indulgence Original: Nachsicht, implying a request for the reader's patience or leniency toward his potential errors. where I err, or where we do not maintain the same train of thought, and I remain devoted to you from the heart