Tom Brown at Oxford

Tom Brown at Oxford

Prefaces written to explain the objects and meaning of a book, or to make any appeal, ad miseracordiam or other, in its favor, are, in my opinion, nuisances. Any book worth reading will explain its own objects and meaning, and the more it is criticized and turned inside out, the better for it and its author. Of all books, too, it seems to me that novels require prefaces leastat any rate, on their first appearance. Notwithstanding which belief, I must ask readers for three minutes' patience before they make trial of this book. The natural pleasure which I felt at the unlooked for popularity of the first part of the present story, was much lessened by the pertinacity with which many persons, acquaintance as well as strangers, would insist (both in public and in private) on identifying the hero and the author. On the appearance of the first few numbers of the present continuation in Macmillan's Magazine, the same thing occurred, and, in fact, reached such a pitch, as to lead me to make some changes to the story. Sensitiveness on such a point may seem folly, but if the readers had felt the sort of loathing and disgust which one feels at the notion of painting a favorable likeness of oneself in a work of fiction, they would not wonder at it. So, now that this book is finished and Tom Brown, so far as I am concerned, is done with for ever, I must take this, my first and last chance of saying, that he is not I, either as boy or manin fact, not to beat about the bush, is a much braver, and nobler, and purer fellow than I ever was. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 26851
Author: Hughes, Thomas
Release Date: Oct 9, 2008
Format: eBook
Language: English