ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1863, BY MRS. L. H. SIGOURNEY, IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF CONNECTICUT. Rare Books PREFACE. THE ENSUING pages consist of miscellaneous extracts from a voluminous mass of manuscripts which owe their existence to the ancient adage of reading with a pen or pencil in the hand. They have accumulated during a long series of years, without the most distant idea of publication. Recently, however, it has been suggested that what had given pleasure or edification to myself, might perform a similar office for others. The index of authors, at the close of the book, may serve as a partial guide to its contents, though in making the different quotations, care was not always taken to designate their source. Perhaps, some apology should be offered for desultory arrangement, or that all the materials are not of equal lustre and gravity, — yet a mosaic pavement may be interesting without revealing a consecutive plan, and no bequest is more precious than pearls of refined thought, and gems of hallowed sentiment. HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. L. H. S. |