PREFACE. CRITIC, spare this form! touch not a single leaf, except in thoughtful tenderness. By a singular freak of nature it has simply grown, a promiscuous twig, without pretension, from an obscurely shaded and unpruned branch of the world-spread and wondrously variegated knowledge tree. A fragile subject, rough in texture; of crooked and curious outline, filling a tiny vacant spot, with no earthly claim but that of life. Pause here, please, and rest your cutting blade; protect the puny substance; for through its very littleness it may, by contrast, do you good; and surely it cannot harm other than THE AUTHOR. "Only a woman with a book," responded the waiting-girl to her mistress' interrogation regarding a summons to the front door. "Well, I declare! I cannot, for the life of me, see how any woman that has the least sort of respect for herself can engage in such an occupation. Why the very idea is enough to repel a pure-minded person, let alone actually working in the capacity. These words were addressed by a lady of a finely appointed home to a party of women who were partaking of her sumptuous and well-prepared company dinner. That is just what I think," said one of her guests, by way of reply. "I never could see any use in a woman tramping around through the streets, among men of all classes, going into their offices and places of business, to sell books or seek any sort of subscription; and any woman having a particle of good, moral breeding would never resort to such a conspicuous mode of gaining a livelihood. I never saw one that did have the least appearance of respectable bringing up doing it, and I can assure you, ladies, they get no encouragement or patronage from me." Why it is just simply horrid! perfectly disgusting!" said another one of the company, "and I |