criminating judgment regarding the treasures more golden than gold," irrespective of their lowly source, let it be attributed to an early study of Mr. Francis Turner Palgrave's Golden Treasury, which I regret to say some ill-equipped editor has attempted to gild with modern alloy. If the pleasure I have taken in collecting my scraps here, there, and everywhere, and the labor I have bestowed in bringing them within the compass of this volume, the doubting judgment respecting some and the regret of rejecting others, if this shall be the means of preserving many of the better fugitive verses of the period; if to any man or woman, youth or maiden, it shall give a worthy book to take from the shelf when the tasks for the day are all done; if any shall find herein some familiar but mislaid verse; if its pages shall recall forgotten scenes to some and whisper in the ear of "uneventful toil" some strains of the music that is everywhere; if its leaves shall bring a balm of hope, encouragement, and sweet content to some despondent heart; if its final moral shall teach some frail and weary wight that love, truth, and mirth are unfailing comforters, comrades, friends, I shall be satisfied. CHICAGO, October, 1885. S. T. |