One or two friends to whom I showed these papers in MS. havingobserved that they were not half bad, and some of my relations havingpromised to buy the book if it ever came out, I feel I have no rightto longer delay its issue. But for this, as one may say, publicdemand, I perhaps should not have ventured to offer these mere¹ "idlethoughts" of mine as mental food for the English-speaking peoples ofthe earth. What readers ask nowadays in a book is that it shouldimprove, instruct, and elevate. This book wouldn't elevate a cow. Icannot conscientiously² recommend it for any useful purposes whatever.

All I can suggest is that when you get tired of reading "the besthundred books," you may take this up for half an hour. It will be achange.

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