It is customary to preface an autobiography with an apology, but in today's world, such a gesture seems unnecessary. We live in an age where standards of decent conduct are under threat, with daily reports of violence, divorce, and arson. Young girls smoke cigarettes and, reportedly, cigars; mature women don one-piece bathing costumes, and married men often prefer cinema to traditional values. In light of this, it becomes essential to present a higher example to society. At forty-seven, I have felt this urgency growing stronger. When my wife, her four sisters, and the vicar of my parish, Reverend Simeon Whey, urged me to share my experiences, I realized that delaying this task would be a moral failing. While many may dismiss the concept of sin, I firmly oppose it and have consistently rebuked it in others while striving to avoid it myself. Therefore, I feel it is my duty to share this volume, not only as a reflection of my beliefs but as a call to uphold higher standards in a time when they are sorely needed.
Henry Howarth Bashford Knihy
Sir Henry Howarth Bashford byl uznávaný anglický lékař, který se stal lékařem krále Jiřího VI. Nyní je připomínán jako spisovatel, zejména díky satirické autobiografii „Augustus Carp, Esq., By Himself“, která vyšla poprvé anonymně. Jeho dílo se vyznačuje bystrým pozorováním lidské povahy a jemným humorem. Bashfordova próza i poezie často zkoumají složitost společenských norem a touhu po skutečné dobrotě.
