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LENOX

NEW YORK

TO MRS. G. G. RICHARDSON.

MY DEAR AUNT,

ON THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THIS WORK I ADDRESSED IT TO ALL MY PERSONAL FRIENDS WITHOUT DISTINCTION, BUT I DEDICATE THE PRESENT EDITION EXCLUSIVELY TO YOURSELF. I FEEL ASSURED THAT YOUR KIND PARTIALITY WILL INDUCE YOU TO ACCEPT THE COMPLIMENT, SUCH AS IT IS, IN THE SPIRIT IN WHICH IT IS OFFERED-THAT YOU WILL DELIGHT TO DISCOVER THE MERITS OF THE BOOK, SHOULD THERE BE ANY TO REWARD SEARCH-AND THAT YOU WILL OVERLOOK OR EXTENUATE ITS MANY

THE

IMPERFECTIONS.

TO BE ABLE TO FLATTER MYSELF WITH THE HOPE, THAT IN PERUSING THE FOLLOWING PAGES IT WILL SEEM TO YOU AS THE RENEWAL OF A PERSONAL INTERCOURSE WITH THE WRITER, AND THAT, WITH ALL YOUR NATURAL GIFTS AND ELEGANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOU WILL DERIVE SOME LITTLE PLEASURE FROM HIS HUMBLE LABOURS, IS A GRATIFICATION THAT MAY EVEN ALLEVIATE THE PAIN OF ABSENCE.

THE YEARS THAT HAVE PASSED SINCE WE LAST MET, AND THE VAST WORLD OF WATERS NOW ROLLING BETWEEN US, HAVE HAD NO OTHER EFFECT UPON MY HEART THAN TO MAKE IT YEARN TOWARDS YOU WITH A MORE IMPATIENT

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