THE ROSE OF SHARON: A RELIGIOUS SOUVENIR, FOR M DCCC XLIII. EDITED BY MISS SARAH C. EDGARTON. BOSTON: A. TOMPKINS AND B. B. MUSSEY. THE NEW YORK 209472 ASTOR. LENOX AND Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1842, BY ABEL TOMPKINS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. PRESS OF WM. A. HALL & CO., No. 12 Water Street.. PREFACE.. ACCEPT, dear reader, the FOURTH blossom of our cherished ROSE. We present it, not because it is costly and rare, gorgeous and of difficult cultivation, but because we believe it will minister to your enjoyment, and beguile you of your cares; and because we wish, also, that its annual improvements may receive the meed of your approbation. Our contributors have been unwontedly generous. We owe them a thousand cordial thanks. A few gentlemen are missed from their accustomed places, but we trust another year will restore them. One sweet spirit has ceased her earthly songs; but in this volume of the ROSE her loss will not be so greatly felt. We regret the unavoidable omission of an editorial article, enti tled, "KATE SCRANTON AND HER ORIGINAL," the design of which was to point out the strong points of likeness in the characters of "The Dweller Apart" and her lamented author. We believe it would have thrown an increased interest around the latest work of her pen, to have been told what a truthful and beautiful portraiture of her own nature is given in the history of poor Kate. As it is, we would simply remark, that "The Dweller Apart" is to be considered rather as a fragment than a finished tale. Ill health and premature death prevented the completion of her original design. Once more we take affectionate leave of the reader, with the earnest wish that this volume may contribute largely to his intellectual tastesthat it may soothe hours of weariness, and pleasantly fill up many a small void in life's sterner occupations. Boston, August 1st. |