Excerpt from Reminiscences of a Literary Life The principal, and indeed besetting, dif ficulty against which I have had to struggle, has been the constant introduction, if not obtrusion, Of Self: I have been inevitably compelled to put that Self in the fore ground, as it were, Of every picture deli neated; but not, I trust, at the expense Of injuring the effect of the middle or back ground Of the composition. The reader will perhaps admit the impracticability of rendering the matter otherwise; but to con sole, Or to reconcile him, he may be assured that in most instances the middle or back ground will be found to be the most pic turesque or instructive portion Of the picture. To keep up the metaphor. Time, which Is Of so much use in mellowing the colours and blending the tints Of the pencil, seems to be not lessf'occa'sionally serviceable in harmonising the productlons of the pen. Much that may appear raw or glaring, in the following pages; may, in the course of a few revolving years. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.

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