31 

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PREFACE 



THE idea that Miss Ormerod should write her biography 

 originated with the present writer during one of many visits 

 paid to her at St. Albans. Miss Ormerod had unfolded in 

 charming language and with admirable lucidity and fluency 

 some interesting chapters of her personal experiences and 

 reminiscences. The first working plan of the project in- 

 volved the concealment of a shorthand writer behind a 

 screen in the dining-room while dinner was proceeding, 

 and while the examination of ethnological specimens or 

 other attractive objects gave place for a time to general 

 conversation on subjects grown interesting by age. 

 Although the shorthand writer was selected and is several 

 times referred to in letters written about this period 

 (pp. 304-7), Miss Ormerod, on due reflection, felt that 

 the presence, though unseen, of a stranger at these meet- 

 ings in camera would make the position unnatural, and 

 dislocate the association of ideas to the detriment of the 

 narrative. 



She then bethought herself of the method of writing 

 down at leisure moments, from time to time as a suitable 

 subject occurred to her, rough notes (p. 122) to be elaborated 

 later, and when after a time a subject had been exhausted, 

 the rough notes were re-written and welded into a narrative 

 (pp. 304-21). Some four or five of the early chapters were 

 thus treated and then typewritten, but the remainder of 

 the Autobiography was left in crude form, requiring much 

 piecing together and editorial trimming. Had the book 

 been produced on the original plan, it was proposed to name 

 it " Recollections of Changing Times." I It would have 

 dealt with a number of subjects of general interest, such as 

 the history of the Post Office, early records of floods and 



1 See letter to the Editor dated June 14, 1900, p. 304. 



