Excerpt from The Riddle of the Ruthvens and Other Studies

As the Magician in the Eastern fable approached the Princess with his specious cry of new lamps for old, so I, unfortunately no enchanter, offer to the reader - a more wary customer - these fresh versions of ancient tales. The Magician was a wicked one and his purpose fraudulent, whereas I have striven to be an honest broker, having furbished up my wares to the best of my ability, I warrant them, in my opinion, genuine and practically as good as new. Had the name "Old Stories Retold" not already been employed to admirable ends by Mr. Walter Thornbury, it would be the aptest of all labels to denote the quality of my merchandise, but I am aware that, by the rules of the game, the only part of a book which is sacrosanct is the title. You may, and probably do, borrow the volume physically, you may, if yourself of a literary turn, morally, or rather immorally, rifle its contents, but to appropriate the title is an offence for which there is no remission - that leaves you perdurably lost. Thus, like many a wiser essayist, I am constrained to name my book after the first and bulkiest item of the collection: so much easier it is to write such things than to find for them when written a charitable title.

The several papers here brought together have made for some time past a quarterly appearance in the Juridical Review, and I am indebted to the editor of that journal, as well for his original hospitality, as for permission to reprint them in their present form.

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