PREFACE.

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.