The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Son of the Gods, and A Horseman in the Sky, by
Ambrose Bierce

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Title: A Son of the Gods, and A Horseman in the Sky

Author: Ambrose Bierce

Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5661]
Posting Date: June 4, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SON OF THE GODS ***

Produced by David Schwan

A SON OF THE GODS

and

A HORSEMAN IN THE SKY

By Ambrose Bierce

Including an Introduction by W. C. Morrow

Western Classics No. Four

The Photogravure Frontispiece After A Painting by Will Jenkins

The Introduction

Brilliant and magnetic as are these two studies by Ambrose Bierce, and
especially significant as coming from one who was a boy soldier in the
Civil War, they merely reflect one side of his original and many-faceted
genius. Poet, critic, satirist, fun-maker, incomparable writer of fables
and masterly prose sketches, a seer of startling insight, a reasoner
mercilessly logical, with the delicate wit and keenness of an Irving or
an Addison, the dramatic quality of a Hugo,--all of these, and still in
the prime of his powers; yet so restricted has been his output and so
little exploited that only the judicious few have been impressed.

Although an American, he formed his bent years ago in London, where
he was associated with the younger Hood on Fun. There he laid the
foundation for that reputation which he today enjoys: the distinction of
being the last of the scholarly satirists. With that training he came
to San Francisco, where, in an environment equally as genial, his talent
grew and mellowed through the years. Then he was summoned to New York to
assist a newspaper fight against a great railroad, since the conclusion
of which brilliant campaign eastern journalism and magazine work have
claimed his attention.

Two volumes, "The Fiend's Delight" and "Cobwebs from an Empty Skull"
titles that would damn modern books--were collections published years
ago from his work on London Fun. Their appearance made him at once the
chief wit and humorist of England, and, combined with his satirical
work on Fun, led to his engagement by friends o