PREFACE 



A PREFACE should be long, like one of 

 Mr. Shaw's, or short. I propose the 

 • latter. 



The essays here collected were written on very 

 various occasions. This must excuse the consider- 

 able overlap that will be found among them. I have 

 not thought it worth while to attempt to get rid of 

 this, since, though facts may be repeated, point of 

 view and general context are on each occasion different. 



Contrary to all custom, I have put the meat courses 

 at the two ends of my menu. If an author may 

 presume to advise his readers, I would suggest that, 

 after finishing the first essay, they should (if they 

 retain a stomach for more) proceed at once to the last. 

 This done, they will find the others all in a sense lesser 

 variations (if I may change my metaphor) upon the 

 same themes. 



In spite, however, of the diversity of their occasions, 



there is a common thread running through them, a 



common background of ideas. I do not know 



whether I am justified in calling those ideas especially 



tti 



