Genre: Short non-fiction, Writing & Linguistics
Chapter: 31
Listen:
Dedications is an anthology of the forms used from the earliest days of book-making to the present time. My purpose in the following anthology of dedications has been to make a representative, rather than an exhaustive collection. My first idea was to take only beautiful dedications, and above all those which showed thought and originality. I next sought those which were quaint and curious, grave and gay, and then wandering through the wide field of English literature, tried to have each section of it represented. Dedications which brought one in touch with the world of religion, philanthropy, the fine arts, science, nature and travel have also claimed my attention. Then, narrowing my interest, I searched for those to celebrated people, or by celebrated people, even though the dedications were not particularly desirable in themselves. I was anxious to include great heroes, as David Livingstone, and when unable to obtain dedications to them I substituted books by them or about them. The same was true in regard to certain industrial subjects, as needlework, cooking, etc. Last but not least, I tried to include dedications which were valuable because of their human interest. – Summary by Mary Elizabeth Brown