BY
Newly Edited,
WITH A PREFACE
BY THE
AUTHOR OF "TOM BROWN'S SCHOOL-DAYS."
THIRD ENGLISH EDITION.
Reprinted, with the Author's Sanction, from the
Last American Edition.
LONDON:
TRÜBNER & CO. 60, PATERNOSTER ROW.
1861.
Transcriber's Note
Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Dialect spellings, contractions and discrepancies have been retained.
All Greek words have mouse-hover transliterations, δαιμονίως, and appear as originally printed.
In order to avoid any misconception, the Publishersthink it advisable to announce that the presentEdition of the "Biglow Papers" is issued with theexpress sanction of the Author, granted by letter,from which the following is an extract:—
"Cambridge, Massachusetts,
14th September, 1859.
"I think it would be well for you to announce that you areto publish an Authorized Edition of the 'Biglow Papers;'for I have just received a letter from Mr. ——, who tells methat a Mr. —— was thinking of an edition, and wished himto edit it. Any such undertaking will be entirely against mywill, and I take it for granted that Mr. —— only formed theplan in ignorance of your intention.
"With many thanks, very truly yours,
"J. R. Lowell."
I can safely say that few things in my life havepleased me more than the request of Messrs. Trübner,backed by the expressed wish of the author, that Iwould see the first English edition of the "BiglowPapers" through the press. I fell in with the Papersabout ten years ago, soon after their publication; andthe impression they then made on me has been deepeningand becoming more lively ever since. In fact, Ido not think that, even in his own New England, Mr.Lowell can have a more constant or more gratefulreader, though I cannot say that I go much beyondmost of my own intimate friends over here in my lovefor his works. I may remark, in passing, that theimpossibility of keeping a copy of the "Biglow Papers"[Pg viii]for more than a few weeks (of which many of us havehad repeated and sorrowful proof[1]) shows how muchan English Edition is needed.
Perhaps, strictly speaking, I should say a reprint,and not an edition. In fact, I am not clear (in spiteof the wishes of author and publishers) that I haveany right to call myself editor, for the book is asthoroughly edited already as a book need be. Whatbetween dear old Parson Wilbur—with his littlevanities and pedantries, his "infinite faculty ofsermonizing," his simplicity and humour, and his deepand righteous views of life, and power of hard hittingwhen he has anything to say which needs drivinghome—and Father Ezekiel, "the brown parchment-hidedold man of the geoponic or bucolic species,""76 year old cum next tater diggin, and thair aintnowheres a kitting" (we readily believe) "spryer 'n