Fire and frost : stories, dialogues, satires, essays, poems, etc.

Preface

The contents of this volume include a number of stories and essays, etc., which have been written by the author at irregular intervals during the last few years, and some of which have already been published in periodical form — some of the stories in Saturday Night, the essays in the Week — the earliest in point of date being the essays, the majority of which were written several years ago. The essay on D'Arcy McGee (An Exile from Erin) appeared in the World. Owing to the exigencies of space these essays have been abbreviated in the present volume, and for the same reason it has been impossible to insert the " Scenes and Spirit Songs from Azrael," originally intended for publication in this volume. The essay entitled " The Great Days " consists largely of extracts from a larger paper on " The Origin and Destiny of Man.'5 This and other recent essays of the author (including " A New Theory of Life," "The Unity and Eternity of Mind," and UA New Theory of the State," etc.) have not been inserted in this iv. PREFACE.

volume, partly on account of their length, and also because they deal with controverted questions in economics and philosophy, and might perhaps be more fittingly published in a separate volume than in one which, like " Fire and Frost," is intended for popular perusal, and appeals to the public chiefly on its literary merits.