The pessimism of my hero also requires some apology. I appeal, however, to my reader's intelligence, whether any one coming from a happier world, and seeing the anomalies and misery of Earth, would not be shocked and pained? As it is, the pessimism of Aleriel is not stronger than that of the Wise King in Ecclesiastes, nor of many ancient and modern philosophers. It is not nearly so bitter as that of Byron.
With regard to the resemblances to other works of this character, e.g., Swedenborg, Fontenelle, Lord Lytton, &c., I may say frankly that I have not copied, consciously at least, from any one. If resemblances occur, they may be attributed to the fact that two minds have come by diverse paths to the same conclusion, and that conclusion has therefore something to be said for it—which is all one can say for an obscure speculation of this nature.
The fabric of the work is a continuation of my "Voice from Another World," a short résumé of part of which I have given in the Trehyndra letter, to make the argument plain. I must add that the dramatis personæ are, of course, purely imaginary.
In conclusion, I must ask my readers to consider the work as a whole, and not condemn
