11120 SPENSER 132 AND THE FAERY QUEEN. BY MRS. C. M. KIRKLAND. NEW YORK NEW YORK AND LONDON: 1847. ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, by in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. R CRAIGHEAD'S Power Press, 112 Fulton Street. PREFACE. It has become so much the practice to decry everything in the shape of "Selections," "Beauties," and "Extracts” from the standard authors, that it requires no small degree of courage to offer the public a work which shall come under either of the proscribed classes. But, with all proper deference for the high authorities who contemn such superficial acquaintance with the best writers, we might yet ask whether something-provided it be goodbe not better than nothing? Whether it be indeed wise to renounce all acquaintance with valuable works, because circumstances forbid our studying them thoroughly? Those who speak with such lofty contempt of ary but complete acquaintance with their favorites, are (or should be) persons of elegant acquirements, abundant leisure and ample libraries. There are many people in the world, both young and old, who possess none of these advantages; and we think such will not be wise to allow themselves to be persuaded by their more fortunate advisers, to accept of nothing less than the whole. Scarcely more foolish would be the hungry man who should be induced to refuse a lunch by his neighbor who had already had an excellent dinner. |