le consists of complaints because I avoided discussions and
condensed documents, which, if fully gone into and spread out at length,
would have swelled the dimensions of the work, as well as broken the
thread of the narrative. It must be borne in mind, that a reader can
only be held to the line of a subject, by an occasional retrospection
and reiteration of what must be constantly kept in view. The traveler
needs, at certain points and suitable stages, to turn and survey the
ground over which he has passed. A condensation that would strike out
such recapitulations and repetitions, might impair the effect of a work
of any kind, particularly, of one embracing complicated materials.

The Reviewer says that, "by all means, I must give references to
authorities," when I quote. This, as a general thing, is good advice.
But it must be remembered that my work consists of three divisions. The
History of Salem Village constitutes the First. This is drawn, almost
wholly, from papers in the offices of registry, and from judicial files
of the County, to which references would be of little use, and serve
only to cumber and deform the pages. Everything can be verified by
inspection of the originals, and not otherwise. The Second Part is a
cursory, general, abbreviated sketch or survey of the history of
opinions, not designed as an authoritative treatise for special
students, but to prepare the reader for the Third Part, the authorities
for which are, almost wholly, Court files.

As to the remaining suggestion, that I must divide the work into
Chapters, with headings, there is something to be said. When the nature
of an historical work admits of its being invested with a dramatic
interest--and all history is capable, more or less, of having that
attraction--where minute details can fill up the whole outline of
characters, events, and scenes, all bearing the impress of truth and
certainty, real history, being often stranger than fiction, may be, and
ought to be, so written as to bring to bear upon the reader, the charm,
and work the spell, of what is called romance. The same solicitude,
suspense, and sensibilities, which the parties, described, experienced,
can be imparted to the reader; and his feelings and affections keep pace
with the developments of the story, as they arise with the progress of
time and events. Headings to Chapters, in historical works, capable of
this dramatic element, would be as out of place, and as much mar and