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The String of Pearls; or, the Barber of Fleet Street
From A Rare Old Painting By Reading, In The British Museum.
PREFACE.
The Romance of The String of Pearls having excited in theLiterary world an almost unprecedented interest, it behoves the authorto say a few words to his readers upon the completion of his labours.
In answer to the many inquiries that have been, from time to time,made regarding the fact of whether there ever was such a person as SweeneyTodd in existence, we can unhesitatingly say, that there certainly was sucha man; and the record of his crimes is still to be found in the chronicles ofcriminality of this country.
The house in Fleet Street, which was the scene of Todd's crimes, is nomore. A fire, which destroyed some half-dozen buildings on that side ofthe way, involved Todd's in destruction; but the secret passage, although,no doubt, partially blocked up with the re-building of St. Dunstan'sChurch, connecting the vaults of that edifice with the cellars of what wasTodd's house in Fleet Street, still remains.
From the great patronage which this work has received from the readingpublic, the author has to express his deep and earnest thanks; and he begsto state, that if anything more than another could stimulate him to renewedexertion to please his numerous patrons, it is their kind and liberal appreciationof his past labours.
London, 1850.
"And now, Tobias, listen to me, and treasure upevery word I say." "Yes, sir." "I'll cut your throatfrom ear to ear, if you repeat one word of what passesin this shop, or dare to make any supposition, or drawany conclusion from anything you may see, or hear, orfancy you see or hear."
The Barber's lesson To His Apprentice.