4 PREFACE. 



rule I have followed, in order to make my descriptions 

 clear, lias been to endeavor to make eacli sentence 

 bear one meaning, and one only. Speaking as a 

 reader, and especially as a reader of scientific books, I 

 venture to express an earnest wish that this simple 

 rule were never infringed, even to meet the require- 

 ments of style. 



It will hardly be necessary to mention that several 

 of the shorter Essays are rather intended to amuse 

 than to instruct. 



The Essay on the influence which marriage has 

 been supposed to exert on the death-rate is the one 

 referred to by Mr. Darwin at page 176 (vol. i.) of his 

 "Descent of Man." 



This and the other Essays from the Daily News 

 are selected from a large number of articles which 

 I wrote in the years 1868-'TO. It was by my kind 

 friend Mr. Walker, formerly editor of the Daily News, 

 that I was first urged to collect my Essays into a 

 volume. I have to thank the proprietors and the 

 present editor of the Daily News, and the proprietors 

 and editors of the other journals from which the pres- 

 ent series has been selected, for freely according me 

 permission to reprint these Essays. 



RICHARD A. PROCTOR. 



LONDON, May, 1871. 



