TO JAMES LORIMER GRAHAM, Jr. , Esq. , New York.
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My dear Graham, — I owe it to your kindness that
the mechanical labor of putting this book into words has
been so greatly reduced as almost to become a pleasure.
Hence you were much in my thoughts while I wrote, and I
do not ask your permission to associate your name with the
completed work.
I have found, from experience, that whatever the preliminary
explanations an author may choose to give, they
are practically useless. Those persons who insist — against
my own express declaration — that “Hannah Thurston”
was intended as a picture of the “Reformers” of this
country, will be sure to make the discovery that this book
represents the literary guild. Those, also, who imagine
that they recognized the author in Maxwell Woodbury, will
not fail to recognize him in John Godfrey, although there
is no resemblance between the two characters. Finally,
those sensitive readers who protest against any representation
of “American Life,” which is not an unmitigated
glorification of the same, will repeat their dissatisfaction,
and insist that a single work should contain every feature
of that complex national being, which a thousand volumes
could not exhaust.
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I will only say (to you, who will believe me) of this
book, that, like its predecessor, it is the result of observation.
Not what ought to be, or might be, is the proper
province of fiction, but what is. And so, throwing upon
John Godfrey's head all the consequences of this declaration,
I send him forth to try new fortunes.
Yours always,
Bayard Taylor.
Cedarcroft, September, 1864.
-- --
CONTENTS.
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PAGE
CHAPTER I.
IN WHICH, AFTER THE VISIT OF NEIGHBOR NILES, MY CHILDHOOD
SUDDENLY TERMINATES 1
CHAPTER II.
DESCRIBING MY INTRODUCTION INTO DR. DYMOND'S BOARDING-SCHOOL
16
CHAPTER III.
IN WHICH I BEGIN TO LOOK FORWARD 31
CHAPTER IV.
CONTAINING FEATS IN THE CELLAR AND CONVERSATIONS
UPON THE ROOF 43
CHAPTER V.
WHICH BRINGS A STERNER CHANGE IN MY FORTUNES 58
CHAPTER VI.
IN WHICH I DISCOVER A NEW RELATIVE 75
CHAPTER VII.
IN WHICH UNCLE AND AUNT WOOLLEY TAKE CHARGE OF ME 86
CHAPTER VIII.
DESCRIBING CERTAIN INCIDENTS OF MY LIFE IN READING 99
CHAPTER IX.
IN WHICH I OUGHT TO BE A SHEEP, BUT PROVE TO BE A
GOAT 110
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CHAPTER X.
CONCERNING MY ESTABLISHMENT IN UPPER SAMARIA 126
CHAPTER XI.
CONTAINING BRATTON'S PARTY AND THE EPISODE OF THE
LIME-KILN 138
CHAPTER XII.
IN WHICH LOVE AND LITERATURE STIMULATE EACH OTHER 157
CHAPTER XIII.
IN WHICH I DECLARE, DECIDE, AND VENTURE 167
CHAPTER XIV.
IN WHICH I GO TO MARKET, BUT CANNOT SELL MY WARES 179
CHAPTER XV.
CONCERNING MY ENTRANCE INTO MRS. VERY'S BOARDINGHOUSE,
AND VARIOUS OTHER MATTERS 192
CHAPTER XVI.
DESCRIBING MR. WINCH'S RECONCILIATION BALL, AND ITS
TWO FORTUNATE CONSEQUENCES 202
CHAPTER XVII.
WHICH “CONDENSES THE MISCELLANEOUS” OF A YEAR 216
CHAPTER XVIII.
IN WHICH I AGAIN BEHOLD AMANDA 226
CHAPTER XIX.
RELATING HOW I CAME INTO POSSESSION OF MY INHERITANCE 242
CHAPTER XX.
IN WHICH I DINE WITH MR. CLARENDON AND MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE
OF MR. BRANDAGEE 254
CHAPTER XXI.
IN WHICH I ATTEND MRS. YORKTON'S RECEPTION 269
CHAPTER XXII.
IN WHICH I ENTER GENTEEL SOCIETY AND MEET MY RELATIVES
284
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CHAPTER XXIII.
DESCRIBING MY INTERVIEW WITH MARY MALONEY 297
CHAPTER XXIV.
A DINNER-PARTY AT DELMONICO'S 306
CHAPTER XXV.
CONTAINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MY VISIT TO THE ICHNEUMON
319
CHAPTER XXVI.
IN WHICH I TALK WITH TWO GIRLS AT A VERY SOCIABLE
PARTY 332
CHAPTER XXVII.
WHICH SHOWS THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE 343
CHAPTER XXVIII.
WHICH GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF A FIRE, AND WHAT FOLLOWED IT 355
CHAPTER XXIX.
IN WHICH PENROSE FLINGS DOWN THE GLOVE AND I PICK
IT UP 369
CHAPTER XXX.
WHICH BRINGS A THUNDERBOLT 381
CHAPTER XXXI.
IT WHICH I BEGIN TO GO DOWNWARDS 393
CHAPTER XXXII.
CONCERNING MARY MALONEY'S TROUBLE, AND WHAT I DID TO
REMOVE IT 405
CHAPTER XXXIII.
WHICH SHOWS WHAT I BECAME 417
CHAPTER XXXIV.
IN WHICH I HEAR FOOTSTEPS 430
CHAPTER XXXV.
IN WHICH I HEED GOOD ADVICE, MAKE A DISCOVERY, AND
RETURN TO MRS. VERY 443
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CHAPTER XXXVI.
WHICH BRINGS THE SYMPHONY TO AN END, BUT LEAVES ME
WITH A HOPE 454
CHAPTER XXXVII.
WHICH BRINGS MY FORTUNE AT LAST 465
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
OF WHICH JANE BERRY IS THE HEROINE 479
CHAPTER XXXIX.
IN WHICH I RECEIVE AN UNEXPECTED LETTER FROM UNCLE
WOOLLEY 491
CHAPTER XL.
CONCLUSION 504
Taylor, Bayard, 1825-1878 [1864], John Godfrey's fortunes; related by himself: a story of American life (G. P. Putnam, New York) [word count] [eaf714T].
