Transcriber's Notes:
1. Page scan source:
The Works of G.P.R. James, Esq.--Volume 16
https://books.google.com/books?id=dTYoAQAAIAAJ
(University of California, Davis)
THE WORKS
OF
G. P. R. JAMES, ESQ.
REVISED AND CORRECTED BY THE AUTHOR.
WITH AN INTRODUCTORY PREFACE.
"D'autres auteurs l'ont encore plus avili, (le roman,) en y mêlant lestableaux dégoutant du vice; et tandis que le premier avantage desfictions est de rassembler autour de l'homme tout ce qui, dans lanature, peut lui servir de leçon ou de modèle, on a imaginé qu'ontirerait une utilité quelconque des peintures odieuses de mauvaisesmoeurs; comme si elles pouvaient jamais; laisser le cœur qui lesrepousse, dans une situation aussi pure que le cœur qui les auraittoujours Ignorées. Mais un roman tel qu'on peut le concevoir, tel quenous en avons quelques modèles, est une des plus belles productions del'esprit humain, une des plus influentes sur la morale des individus,qui doit former ensuite les mœurs publiques."--Madame de Staël.Essai sur les Fictions.
"Poca favilla gran flamma seconda:
Forse diretro a me, con miglior voci
Si pregherà, perchè Cirra risonda."
Dante. Paradiso, Canto I.
VOL. XVI.
DE L'ORME.
LONDON:
PARRY AND CO., LEADENHALL STREET.
M DCCCXLVIII.
DE L'ORME.
BY
G. P. R. JAMES, ESQ.
AUTHOR OF
"MARGARET GRAHAM,"
"THE LAST OF THE FAIRIES," ETC.
LONDON:
PARRY AND CO., LEADENHALL STREET.
M DCCCXLVIII.
PREFACE
TO THE THIRD EDITION.
Romance writing, when rightly viewed and rightly treated, is of thesame nature as the teaching by parables of the eastern nations; and Ibelieve, when high objects are steadily kept in view and goodprinciples carefully inculcated, it may prove far more generallybeneficial than more severe forms of instruction.
The man who is already virtuous and wise, or who, at least, seekseagerly to be so, takes up the Essay or the Lecture, and reads thereinthe sentiments ever present in his own heart. But while the same manmay find equal pleasure in the work of fiction addressed to the samegreat ends, how many thousands are there who will open the pages ofthe Novel or the Romance, but who would avoid anything less amusing totheir fancy? If, then, while we excite their imagination with pleasantimages, we can cause the latent seeds of virtue to germinate in theirhearts; if we can point out the consequences of errors, follies, andcrimes; if we can recall good feelings fleeting away, or crush badones rising up under temptation,--and that we can do so with greateffect, may b