’Yes，’saidmyhost，sighing，’mynameissoandso，andIamtheauthorofsoandso；itismorethanprobablethatyouhaveheardbothofmynameandworks。Iwillnotdetainyoumuchlongerwithmyhistory；thenightisadvancing，andthestormappearstobeupontheincrease。Mylifesincetheperiodofmybecominganauthormaybesummedbrieflyasanalmostuninterruptedseriesofdoubts，anxieties，andtrepidations。Iseeclearlythatitisnotgoodtoloveanythingimmoderatelyinthisworld，butithasbeenmymisfortunetoloveimmoderatelyeverythingonwhichIhavesetmyheart。Thisisnotgood，Irepeat-butwhereistheremedy？
　　Theancientswerealwaysinthehabitofsaying，“Practisemoderation，“buttheancientsappeartohaveconsideredonlyoneportionofthesubject。Itisverypossibletopractisemoderationinsomethings，indrinkandthelike-torestraintheappetites-
　　butcanamanrestraintheaffectionsofhismind，andtellthem，sofaryoushallgo，andnofarther？Alas，no!forthemindisasubtleprinciple，andcannotbeconfined。Thewindsmaybeimprisoned；HomersaysthatOdysseuscarriedcertainwindsinhisship，confinedinleathernbags，butHomerneverspeaksofconfiningtheaffections。Itwerebutrightthatthosewhoexhortusagainstinordinateaffections，andsettingourheartstoomuchupontheworldanditsvanities，wouldtellushowtoavoiddoingso。
　　’IneedscarcelytellyouthatnosoonerdidIbecomeanauthorthanIgavemyselfupimmoderatelytomyvocation。Itbecamemyidol，and，asanecessaryconsequence，ithasprovedasourceofmiseryanddisquietudetome，insteadofpleasureandblessing。I
　　hadtroubleenoughinwritingmyfirstwork，andIwasnotlongindiscoveringthatitwasonethingtowriteastirringandspiritedaddresstoasetofcountyelectors，andanotherwidelydifferenttoproduceaworkatallcalculatedtomakeanimpressionuponthegreatworld。Ifelt，however，thatIwasinmypropersphere，andbydintofunwearieddiligenceandexertionIsucceededinevolvingfromthedepthsofmyagitatedbreastaworkwhich，thoughitdidnotexactlypleaseme，Ithoughtwouldservetomakeanexperimentuponthepublic；soIlaiditbeforethepublic，andthereceptionwhichitmetwithwasfarbeyondmywildestexpectations。Thepublicweredelightedwithit，butwhatweremyfeelings？
　　Anything，alas!butthoseofdelight。Nosoonerdidthepublicexpressitssatisfactionattheresultofmyendeavours，thanmyperverseimaginationbegantoconceiveathousandchimericaldoubts；forthwithIsatdowntoanalyseit；andmyworstenemy，andallpeoplehavetheirenemies，especiallyauthors-myworstenemycouldnothavediscoveredorsoughttodiscoveratenthpartofthefaultswhichI，theauthorandcreatoroftheunfortunateproduction，foundorsoughttofindinit。Ithasbeensaidthatlovemakesusblindtothefaultsofthelovedobject-commonlovedoes，perhaps-theloveofafathertohischild，orthatofalovertohismistress，butnottheinordinateloveofanauthortohisworks，atleastnotthelovewhichonelikemyselfbearstohisworks：tobebrief，Idiscoveredathousandfaultsinmywork，whichneitherpublicnorcriticsdiscovered。However，Iwasbeginningtogetoverthismisery，andtoforgivemyworkallitsimperfections，when-andIshakewhenImentionit-thesamekindofideawhichperplexedmewithregardtothehawksandthegypsyponyrushedintomymind，andIforthwithcommencedtouchingtheobjectsaroundme，inordertobaffletheevilchance，asyoucallit；itwasneithermorenorlessthanadoubtofthelegalityofmyclaimtothethoughts，expressions，andsituationscontainedinthebook；thatis，toallthatconstitutedthebook。HowdidIgetthem？Howdidtheycomeintomymind？DidIinventthem？Didtheyoriginatewithmyself？Aretheymyown，oraretheysomeotherbody’s？YouseeintowhatdifficultyIhadgot；Iwon’ttroubleyoubyrelatingallthatIenduredatthattime，butwillmerelysaythataftereatingmyownheart，astheItalianssay，andtouchingeveryobjectthatcameinmywayforsixmonths，Iatlengthflungmybook，ImeanthecopyofitwhichIpossessed，intothefire，andbegananother。
　　’Butitwasallinvain；Ilabouredatthisother，finishedit，andgaveittotheworld；andnosoonerhadIdoneso，thanthesamethoughtwasbusyinmybrain，poisoningallthepleasurewhichI
　　shouldotherwisehavederivedfrommywork。HowdidIgetallthematterwhichcomposedit？Outofmyownmind，unquestionably；buthowdiditcomethere-wasittheindigenousgrowthofthemind？
　　AndthenIwouldsitdownandponderoverthevariousscenesandadventuresinmybook，endeavouringtoascertainhowIcameoriginallytodevisethem，andbydintofreflectingIrememberedthattoasinglewordinconversation，orsomesimpleaccidentinastreetoronaroad，Iwasindebtedforsomeofthehappiestportionsofmywork；theywerebuttinyseeds，itistrue，whichinthesoilofmyimaginationhadsubsequentlybecomestatelytrees，butIreflectedthatwithoutthemnostatelytreeswouldhavebeenproduced，andthat，consequently，onlyapartinthemeritofthesecompositionswhichcharmedtheworld-forthedidcharmtheworld-wasduetomyself。Thus，adeadflywasinmyphial，poisoningallthepleasurewhichIshouldotherwisehavederivedfromtheresultofmybrain-sweat。“Howhard!“Iwouldexclaim，lookinguptothesky，“howhard!IamlikeVirgil’ssheep，bearingfleecesnotforthemselves。“But，nottotireyou，itfaredwithmysecondworkasitdidwithmyfirst；Iflungitaside，and，inordertoforgetit，Ibeganathird，onwhichIamnowoccupied；butthedifficultyofwritingitisimmense，myextremedesiretobeoriginalsadlycrampingthepowersofmymind；myfastidiousnessbeingsogreatthatIinvariablyrejectwhateverideasIdonotthinktobelegitimatelymyown。ButthereisonecircumstancetowhichIcannothelpalludinghere，asitservestoshowwhatmiseriesthisloveoforiginalitymustneedsbringuponanauthor。
　　Iamconstantlydiscoveringthat，howeveroriginalImaywishtobe，Iamcontinuallyproducingthesamethingswhichotherpeoplesayorwrite。Whenever，afterproducingsomethingwhichgivesmeperfectsatisfaction，andwhichhascostmeperhapsdaysandnightsofbrooding，Ichancetotakeupabookforthesakeofalittlerelaxation，abookwhichIneversawbefore，IamsuretofindinitsomethingmoreorlessresemblingsomepartofwhatIhavebeenjustcomposing。Youwilleasilyconceivethedistresswhichthencomesoverme；’tisthenthatIamalmosttemptedtoexecratethechancewhich，bydiscoveringmylatentpowers，inducedmetoadoptaprofessionofsuchanxietyandmisery。
　　’ForsometimepastIhavegivenupreadingalmostentirely，owingtothedreadwhichIentertainoflightinguponsomethingsimilartowhatImyselfhavewritten。Iscarcelyevertransgresswithouthavingalmostinstantreasontorepent。To-day，whenItookupthenewspaper，IsawinaspeechoftheDukeofRhododendron，atanagriculturaldinner，theverysameideas，andalmostthesameexpressionswhichIhadputintothemouthofanimaginarypersonageofmine，onawidelydifferentoccasion；yousawhowI
　　dashedthenewspaperdown-yousawhowItouchedthefloor；thetouchwastobaffletheevilchance，topreventthecriticsdetectinganysimilaritybetweenthespeechoftheDukeofRhododendronattheagriculturaldinnerandthespeechofmypersonage。Mysensibilityonthesubjectofmywritingsissogreatthatsometimesachancewordissufficienttounmanme，I
　　applyittotheminasuperstitioussense；forexample，whenyousaidsometimeagothatthedarkhourwascomingon，Iappliedittomyworks-itappearedtobodethemevilfortune；yousawhowI
　　touched，itwastobaffletheevilchance；butIdonotconfinemyselftotouchingwhenthefearoftheevilchanceisuponme。TobaffleitIoccasionallyperformactionswhichmustappearhighlyincomprehensible；Ihavebeenknown，whenridingincompanywithotherpeople，toleavethedirectroad，andmakealongcircuitbyamirylanetotheplacetowhichweweregoing。Ihavealsobeenseenattemptingtorideacrossamorass，whereIhadnobusinesswhatever，andinwhichmyhorsefinallysankuptoitssaddle-
　　girths，andwasonlyextricatedbythehelpofamultitudeofhands。Ihave，ofcourse，frequentlybeenaskedthereasonofsuchconduct，towhichIhaveinvariablyreturnednoanswer，forIscornduplicity；whereuponpeoplehavelookedmysteriously，andsometimesputtheirfingerstotheirforeheads。“Andyetitcan’tbe，“I
　　onceheardanoldgentlemansay；“don’tweknowwhatheiscapableof？“andtheoldmanwasright；Imerelydidthesethingstoavoidtheevilchance，impelledbythestrangefeelingwithinme；andthisevilchanceisinvariablyconnectedwithmywritings，theonlythingsatpresentwhichrenderlifevaluabletome。IfItouchvariousobjects，andrideintomiryplaces，itistobaffleanymischancebefallingmeasanauthor，topreventmybooksgettingintodisrepute；inninecasesoutoftentopreventanyexpressions，thoughts，orsituationsinanyworkwhichIamwritingfromresemblingthethoughts，expressions，andsituationsofotherauthors，formygreatwish，asItoldyoubefore，istobeoriginal。
　　’Ihavenowrelatedmyhistory，andhaverevealedtoyouthesecretsofmyinmostbosom。IshouldcertainlynothavespokensounreservedlyasIhavedone，hadInotdiscoveredinyouakindredspirit。Ihavelongwishedforanopportunityofdiscoursingonthepointwhichformsthepeculiarfeatureofmyhistorywithabeingwhocouldunderstandme；andtrulyitwasaluckychancewhichbroughtyoutotheseparts；youwhoseemtobeacquaintedwithallthingsstrangeandsingular，andwhoareaswellacquaintedwiththesubjectofthemagictouchaswithallthatrelatestothestarJupiterorthemysterioustreeatUpsal。’
　　Suchwasthestorywhichmyhostrelatedtomeinthelibrary，amidstthedarkness，occasionallybrokenbyflashesoflightning。
　　Bothofusremainedsilentforsometimeafteritwasconcluded。
　　’Itisasingularstory，’saidI，atlast，’thoughIconfessthatI
　　waspreparedforsomepartofit。Willyoupermitmetoaskyouaquestion？’
　　’Certainly，’saidmyhost。
　　’Didyouneverspeakinpublic？’saidI。
　　’Never。’
　　’Andwhenyoumadethisspeechofyoursinthedining-room，commencingwithMr。Speaker，noonewaspresent？’
　　’Noneintheworld，Idouble-lockedthedoor；whatdoyoumean？’
　　’Anideacameintomyhead-dearmehowtherainispouring-but，withrespecttoyourpresenttroublesandanxieties，woulditnotbewise，seeingthatauthorshipcausesyousomuchtroubleandanxiety，togiveitupaltogether？’
　　’Wereyouanauthoryourself，’repliedmyhost，’youwouldnottalkinthismanner；onceanauthor，everanauthor-besides，whatcouldIdo？returntomyformerstateofvegetation？no，muchasI
　　endure，Idonotwishthat；besides，everynowandthenmyreasontellsmethatthesetroublesandanxietiesofmineareutterlywithout；foundationthatwhateverIwriteisthelegitimategrowthofmyownmind，andthatitistheheightoffollytoafflictmyselfatanychanceresemblancebetweenmyownthoughtsandthoseofotherwriters，suchresemblancebeinginevitablefromthefactofourcommonhumanorigin。Inshort-’