१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION
now, simply because it was the dominant feeling of the
Hindus then.
As almost all the authorities on which this work is based
are English authors, for whom it must have been impossible
to paint the account of the other side as elaborately and as
faithfully as they have done their own, it is perfectly possible
that many a scene, other than what this book contains, might
have been left unstated, and many a scene described in this
book might be found to have been wrongly described. But
if some patriotic historian would go to northern India and try
to collect the traditions from the very mouths of those who
witnessed and perhaps took a leading part in the War, the
opportunity of knowing the exact account of this can still
be caught, though unfortunately it will be impossible to do
so before very long. When, within a decade or two, the whole
generation of those who took part in that war shall have passed
away never to return, not only would it be impossible to have
the pleasure of seeing the actors themselves, but the history
of their actions will have to be left permanently incomplete.
Will any patriotic historian undertake to prevent this while
it is not yet too late ?
Even the slightest references and the most minute details
in this book can be as much substantiated by authoritative works
as the important events and the main currents of the history.
Before laying down this pen, the only desire I want to
express is that such a patriotic and yet faithful, a more de-
tailed and yet coherent, history of 1857 may come forward
in the nearest future from an Indian pen, so that this my
humble writing may soon be forgotten !
THE AUTHOR
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