the subject from a purely human point of view.

In contrast to the lofty scheme I had originally proposed to myself, I
now simply place before all those who are interested in the art of
story-telling in any form the practical experiences I have had in my
travels in America and England.

I hope that my readers may profit by my errors, improve on my methods,
and thus help to bring about the revival of an almost lost art.

In Sir Philip Sydney's "Defence of Poesie: we find these words:

"Forsooth he cometh to you with a tale, which holdeth children from
play, and old men from the chimney-corner, and pretending no more,
doth intend the winning of the mind from wickedness to virtue even as
the child is often brought to take most wholesome things by hiding them
in such other as have a pleasant taste."

MARIE L. SHEDLOCK, LONDON.




PART I. THE ART OF THE STORY-TELLER.


CHAPTER I. THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE STORY.

I propose to deal in this chapter with the difficulties or dangers
which beset the path of the story-teller, because, until we have