great excellence of character, and of many accomplishments, whom God in
his providence has made totally blind within a few years past."

We need add but two remarks to these statements--one in reference to the
volume itself, and the other in reference to her for whose welfare it is
contributed.

The volume is one of the many proofs which have been gathering for years,
of the alliance between literature and humanity. Every good and true word
that has been written from the beginning has been a minister of mercy to
every human heart which it has reached, whilst the mercy has been twice
blessed when the word so benign in its result has been charitable in its
intention, and the author at once yields his profits to a friend's need,
and his production to the public eye. Thackeray has written well upon
humor and charity, but should he undertake to carry out his idea and
treat of literature and humanity in their vital relations, he would have
his hands and heart full of work for more than a lifetime. Princes who
give their gold to generous uses are worthy of honor; but there is a
coinage of the brain that costs more and weighs more than gold. The
authors of these papers would of course be little disposed to claim any
high merit for their offerings, yet any reader who runs his eye over the
list of contributors will see at once that they are generally writers
whose compositions are eagerly sought for by the public, and among them
are some names whose pens can coin gold whenever they choose to move. All
these articles are original, and nothing is inserted in this book that has
been before published. We are confident that it deserves, and will command
wide and choice circulation.

A word as to the lady for whose benefit these gifts are brought together.
The preface of Mr. Bryant and the letter of Mr. Butler, tell her story