always believed that a true story should be told as agreeably as a
fictitious one; "that the incidents of real life, whether political or
domestic, admit of being so arranged as, without detriment to accuracy,
to command all the interest of an artificial series of facts; that the
chain of circumstances which constitute history may be as finely and
gracefully woven as any tale of fancy." Acting upon this theory, he has
made Canadian history very interesting reading. He is to my mind the
only historian, beside Mr. Parkman, who has been able to make Canadian
events so dry in detail, fascinating throughout.

In private life, Mr. Dent was a most estimable man. He possessed
qualities of mind and heart, having their visible outcome in a
courteous, genial manner that endeared him very closely to his friends.
With all his wealth of learning, which was very great, he was
light-hearted, witty and companionable, and his early death leaves a
gap not very easily closed.

The four stories composing the present volume were contributed by their
author at considerable intervals to different periodicals. Some time
prior to his death he contemplated publishing them in book form, and
actually selected and carefully revised them with that purpose in view.
He thought they were worthy of being rescued from obscurity, and if we
compare them with much of a similar class of work constantly issuing
from the press, we cannot think that his judgment erred. They are now
published in accordance with his wish, to take their chances in the
great world of literature.

R. W. D.

TORONTO, Oct. 25th, 1888.