s last work is always his best one, in his own estimate, until it
quite loses the red heat of composition. After that, it falls into its
true place, quietly enough. But let us adjourn to my study, and examine
these new stories. It would hardly be doing yourself justice, were you
to bring me acquainted with them, sitting here on this snow bank!"

So we descended the hill to my small, old cottage, and shut ourselves
up in the south-eastern room, where the sunshine comes in, warmly and
brightly, through the better half of a winter's day. Eustace put his
bundle of manuscript into my hands; and I skimmed through it pretty
rapidly, trying to find out its merits and demerits by the touch of my
fingers, as a veteran story-teller ought to know how to do.

It will be remembered that Mr. Bright condescended to avail himself of
my literary experience by constituting me editor of the "Wonder-Book."
As he had no reason to complain of the reception of that erudite work by
the public, he was now disposed to retain me in a similar position with
respect to the present volume, which he entitled TANGLEWOOD TALES. Not,
as Eustace hinted, that there was any real necessity for my services as
introducer, inasmuch as his own name had become established in some good
degree of favor with the literary world. But the connection with myself,
he was kind enough to say, had been highly agreeable; nor was he by any
means desirous, as most people are, of kicking away the ladder that had
perhaps helped him to reach his present elevation. My young friend was
willing, in short, that the fresh verdure of his growing reputation
should spread over my straggling and half-naked boughs; even as I have
sometimes thought of training a vine, with its broad leafiness, and
purple fruitage, over the worm-eaten posts and rafters of the rustic
summer house. I was not insensible to the advantages of his proposal,
and gladly assured him of my acceptance.

Merely from the title of the stories I saw at once that the subjects
were not less rich than those of the former volume; nor did I at all
doubt that Mr. Bright's audacity (so far as that endowment might avail)
had enabled him to take full advantage of whatever capabilities they
offered. Yet, in spite of my experience of his free way of handling
them, I did not quite see, I confess, how he could have obviated all the
difficulties in the way of rendering them presentable to children. These
old legends, so brimming over wi