Excerpt from Old Faces in New Masks A preface to a book is generally something which the Author wishes to communicate to the Reader in a somewhat private and confidential manner. The document, whether long or short, contains matter which is to be uttered in subdued and familiar accents - not in that formal and professional tone which the Writer would use to the world at large. Indeed, a Preface is a private and privileged com munication, dashed Off with a careless air, and under a kind of pleasing impression that his labours have just come to a close, and that he has now time to be quite easy and natural. The chief feature in most Prefaces is of an apolo getical character. Some shortcomings have to be acknowledged, some oversights to be atoned for, or some mental deficiencies to be lamented. In fact, these effusions are indisputable memorials of that imperfection which appertains to all things human, and to literary labours among the rest. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.