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1、PrefaceTHEeventonwhichthisfictionisfoundedhasbeensupposed,byDr.Darwin,andsomeofthephysiologicalwritersofGermany,asnotofimpossibleoccurrence.Ishallnotbesupposedasaccordingtheremotestdegreeofseriousfaithtosuchanimagination;yet,inassumingitasthebasisofaworkoffancy,Ihavenotconsideredmyselfasmerelyweav
2、ingaseriesofsupernaturalterrors.Theeventonwhichtheinterestofthestorydependsisexemptfromthedisadvantagesofameretaleofspectresorenchantment.Itwasrecommendedbythenoveltyofthesituationswhichitdevelopes;and,howeverimpossibleasaphysicalfact,affordsapointofviewtotheimaginationforthedelineatingofhumanpass
3、ionsmorecomprehensiveandcommandingthananywhichtheordinaryrelationsofexistingeventscanyield.Ihavethusendeavouredtopreservethetruthoftheelementaryprinciplesofhumannature,whileIhavenotscrupledtoinnovateupontheircombinations.TheIliad,thetragicpoetryofGreece--Shakspeare,intheTempestandMidsummerNight'sD
4、ream--andmostespeciallyMilton,inParadiseLost,conformtothisrule;andthemosthumblenovelist,whoseekstoconferorreceiveamusementfromhislabours,may,withoutpresumption,applytoprosefictionalicence,orratherarule,fromtheadoptionofwhichsomanyexquisitecombinationsofhumanfeelinghaveresultedinthehighestspecimens
5、ofpoetry.Thecircumstanceonwhichmystoryrestswassuggestedincasualconversation.Itwascommencedpartlyasasourceofamusement,andpartlyasanexpedientforexercisinganyuntriedresourcesofmind.Othermotivesweremingledwiththeseastheworkproceeded.Iambynomeansindifferenttothemannerinwhichwhatevermoraltendenciesexist
6、inthesentimentsorcharactersitcontainsshallaffectthereader;yetmychiefconcerninthisrespecthasbeenlimitedtotheavoidingtheenervatingeffectsofthenovelsofthepresentdayandtotheexhibitionoftheamiablenessofdomesticaffection,andtheexcellenceofuniversalvirtue.Theopinionswhichnaturallyspringfromthecharacteran
7、dsituationoftheheroarebynomeanstobeconceivedasexistingalwaysinmyownconviction;norisanyinferencejustlytobedrawnfromthefollowingpagesasprejudicinganyphilosophicaldoctrineofwhateverkind.Itisasubjectalsoofadditionali
