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past were ever excellent in the positive feats which we have mentioned. They seem to have possessed an acknowledged . greatness in their general health, harmony, or proportion of mind, to whose consciousness pleasant truth was congenial, and came through some subtlety of attraction. This harmony or health of soul must comprise something of that delicate presence called genius: and here is our encouragement—that although we have few, if any, notable specialities to boast of, we may have a very excellent genius nevertheless.

And if it shall be found that even genius, to possess truth, must go about and court its vicinity somewhat, we shall exalt our horn a little, because of experience of various sorts that we have encountered more than most writers—experience of the varieties and extremities of outer and inner life. In this particular we can boast of having been poor enough to believe that appetite was ever sufficient, and that means to gratify it were the only requisites if contentment,—and rich enough to wish us compelled to hard labor to win again the appetites that once annoyed us. So our book may have in it the wit of both wealth and poverty. We have lain at death's door and knocked for admission; and we have wished to live on earth forever. So our book may contain the wisdom of health and of sickness. We have been heart-sick, melancholy, and despairing for months; and we have known spirits for years together which have defied calamity, pain, and care, and in which even now we are taking our immortality at leisure. So our book may contain something of madness if not of sanity.