This volume, so handsomely gotten up, and in the illustration of which the pencil of a distinguished artist has been employed, is a tribute of affection from an only surviving brother to the memory of a beloved sister.
In arranging this book for publication, we have brought together, as far as practicable, the miscellaneous poems in the order of the years in which they were written; the first one being dated in 1819, when the author was in her eleventh year. It should be understood that the date of each year is prefixed to only one of the poems; and all those that follow it, until the next date appears, were written during the said named year.
In the biographical sketch by Miss Sedgwick, we have omitted a few paragraphs, not deemed relevant, at this time, to the complete understanding of Lucretia's life. . We have also incorporated into the body of the work several poems which have heretofore appeared only in the pages of the biography.
It is proper here to state that a new edition of the poems of Margaret Davidson, the younger sister, uniform with this volume, is in preparation. The works of both of these sisters have long been out of print, and we have little doubt that these editions will be welcomed by many readers: the old, who knew and prized the poets long ago, and the new, to whom their poems will be a fresh and beautiful revelation. To them, therefore, we joyfully submit this volume.Barry Gray.
Fordham, N. Y., July 25, 1870.
