TO DR. JOHN W. FRANCIS.
OF NEW YORK.
My Dear Sir:
The last evening I had the pleasure of spending at your
house, the conversation turned upon certain psychological topics,
which your experience in science enabled you to illustrate in a
very remarkable manner. The great crime which gives color,
and I trust, interest, to this romance, will probably remind you
of some of the points discussed in that conversation. This, I
hope, apart from other considerations, will confer upon this volume
a certain degree of attraction in your eyes. But, as an historical
romance, embodying a very curious and interesting progress,
during a very striking period in modern discovery, I do
not despair of securing your interest in the work, since your
taste, as we well know, and your own resources as a reminiscent,
will naturally incline you to a narrative which is meant
to increase our familiarity with one of the most magnificent
episodes in American History. May I hope that you will read
with pleasure what I have written!
F. C.
New York, Oct., 1. 1853.
