Produced by Malcolm Farmer and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net CERTAIN PERSONAL MATTERS BY H.G. WELLS LONDON T. FISHER UNWIN PATERNOSTER SQUARE, E.C. 1901 CONTENTS PAGE THOUGHTS ON CHEAPNESS AND MY AUNT CHARLOTTE 7 THE TROUBLE OF LIFE 12 ON THE CHOICE OF A WIFE 18 THE HOUSE OF DI SORNO 22 OF CONVERSATION 27 IN A LITERARY HOUSEHOLD 32 ON SCHOOLING AND THE PHASES OF MR. SANDSOME 36 THE POET AND THE EMPORIUM 40 THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS 45 THE LITERARY REGIMEN 49 HOUSE-HUNTING AS AN OUTDOOR AMUSEMENT 54 OF BLADES AND BLADERY 59 OF CLEVERNESS 63 THE POSE NOVEL 67 THE VETERAN CRICKETER 71 CONCERNING A CERTAIN LADY 76 THE SHOPMAN 80 THE BOOK OF CURSES 85 DUNSTONE'S DEAR LADY 90 EUPHEMIA'S NEW ENTERTAINMENT (_this is illustrated_) 94 FOR FREEDOM OF SPELLING 98 INCIDENTAL THOUGHTS ON A BALD HEAD 104 OF A BOOK UNWRITTEN 108 THE EXTINCTION OF MAN 115 THE WRITING OF ESSAYS 120 THE PARKES MUSEUM 124 BLEAK MARCH IN EPPING FOREST 128 THE THEORY OF QUOTATION 132 ON THE ART OF STAYING AT THE SEASIDE 135 CONCERNING CHESS 140 THE COAL-SCUTTLE 145 BAGARROW 150 THE BOOK OF ESSAYS DEDICATORY 155 THROUGH A MICROSCOPE 159 THE PLEASURE OF QUARRELLING 164