xii THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 



upon acts or habits that are within our control ; 

 when it is remembered too how easily we accustom 

 ourselves to jog on in a round of monotonous exist- 

 ence when perhaps a slight, a very slight, attention 

 to the details of enjoyment would furnish us with 

 constant sources of pleasure, it will be allowed that 

 a most important object will be secured if it be 

 found possible successfully to urge, that such atten- 

 tion should be given to the subject of which this 

 volume treats. 



More than a year ago the author conceived the 

 idea of this book, and fixed upon its present title. 

 He subsequently contributed three papers, which 

 embodied the plan of the proposed book, to the 

 pages of a well-known magazine. These papers 

 are now reproduced in a somewhat altered form, 

 in the Introduction and in Chapters I., II., VI., and 

 VII. of Part I. of this volume. 



The author feels that in this address to the 

 reader he has already trenched upon matters which 

 have been dealt with in another part of the volume ; 

 but he is anxious in this place to put forth a good 

 plea for the object which he desires to effect ; for 



