TO

A MOST AMIABLE

NOBLEMAN,

ILLUSTRIOUS IN MIND, AS IN RANK,

HIS GRACE,

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE, K.G.

WITH

THE PROFOUNDEST RESPECT,

THESE PAGES

ARE INSCRIBED.

a

INTRODUCTION.

THE family Legend of the noble house of Derby being somewhat voluminous, and being, besides, wholly distinct from, though having reference to the Novel of "Craven Derby; or, the Lordship by Tenure," (yet, of which, it still forms an essential part) it has been thought proper, to publish it separately, though connectively, in the shape of a key to that production, which may be considered in the light of a lock to it.

The nature of a Legend admits of the blending of facts with fiction; but the great difficulty attending an effort of this kind, mainly exists in not outraging nature and

probability too much. In a Legend, however, an author may indulge in a vein of romance, even to extravagance; but a novel should be a complete mirror of life— "the glass of fashion and the mould of form." The wideness of this distinction has caused the Legend to take precedence of the Novel, instead of both being brought out together for being distinct in their characteristics, matter, and subject, they should be so, in a degree, in their production before the public, though they were, originally, incorporated together.

In the Legend of "the Ladye of the Rose," the author, probably, has travelled over ground which has been traversed before; but like the grass of the meadow, the sands of the beach or the desert, or the green waters, it is capable of receiving a new imprint, without his being chargeable with pursuing the routes or treading in the steps