"The author of this little volume pretends to settle no disputes, aims at inaugurating no reforms. He has lightly touched on passing topics and jotted down, "to point a moral or adorn a tale," some of the more obvious foibles and inconsistencies of our American ways. If a stray bit of philosophy has here and there slipped in between the lines, it is mostly of the laughing "school," and used more in banter than in blame. This much abused "world" is a fairly agreeable place if you do not take it seriously. Meet it with a friendly face and it will smile gaily back at you, but do not ask of it what it cannot give, or attribute to its verdicts more importance than they deserve." 'Worldly Ways and Byways' is a collection of sketches by author Eliot Gregory.