antwithahighlywroughtfancy,withatasteforpathos,withsentimentsmoretender,elevated,unworldly.Indeed,untilanauthorhastriedtodisposeofamanuscriptofthiskind,hecanneverknowwhatstoresofromanceandsensibilityliehiddeninbreastshewouldnothavesuspectedofcasketingsuchtreasures.Meninbusinessareusuallythoughttoprefertherealontrialtheideawillbeoftenfoundfallacious:apassionatepreferenceforthewild,wonderful,andthrilling—thestrange,startling,andharrowing—agitatesdiverssoulsthatshowacalmandsobersurface.
Suchbeingthecase,thereaderwillcomprehendthattohavereachedhimintheformofaprintedbook,thisbriefnarrativemusthavegonethroughsomestruggles—whichindeedithas.Andafterall,itsworststruggleandstrongestordealisyettocomebutittakescomfort—subduesfear—leansonthestaffofamoderateexpectation—andmuttersunderitsbreath,whileliftingitseyetothatofthepublic,
“Hethatislowneedfearnofall.”
CURRERBELL.
Theforegoingprefacewaswrittenbymywifewithaviewtothepublicationof“TheProfessor,”shortlyaftertheappearanceof“Shirley.”Beingdissuadedfromherintention,theauthoressmadesomeuseofthematerialsinasubsequentwork—“Villette.”As,however,thesetwostoriesareinmostrespectsunlike,ithasbeenrepresentedtomethatIoughtnottowithhold“TheProfessor”fromthepublic.Ihavethereforeconsentedtoitspublication.
A.B.NICHOLLS
HaworthParsonage,
September22nd,1856.