The biographical element is deeply interwoven with these as with all Mary Shelley’s writings. It is of especial interest to search out the traces of her own history, and the sources from which her descriptions and ideas may have been derived. _The Mourner_ has evident vestiges of her residence near Windsor when _Alastor_ was written, and probably reflects the general impression derived from Shelley’s recollections of Eton. The visit to Pæstum in _The Pole_ recalls one of the most beautiful of Shelley’s letters, which Mary, however, probably never saw. Claire Clairmont’s fortunes seem glanced at in one or two places; and the story of _The Pole_ may be partly founded on some experience of hers in Russia. Trelawny probably suggested the subjects of the two Greek tales, _The Evil Eye_, and _Euphrasia. The Mortal Immortal_ is a variation on the theme of _St. Leon_, and _Transformation_ on that of _Frankenstein_. These are the only tales in the collection which betray the influence of Godwin, and neither is so fully worked out as it might have been. Mary Shelley was evidently more at home with a human than with a superhuman ideal; her enthusiasm soars high, but does not transcend the possibilities of human nature. The artistic merit of her tales will be diversely estimated, but no reader will refuse the authoress facility of invention, or command of language, or elevation of soul. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS. ------- I. THE SISTERS OF ALBANO, 1 II. FERDINANDO EBOLI, 20 III. THE EVIL EYE, 42 IV. THE DREAM, 66 V. THE MOURNER, 83 VI. THE FALSE RHYME, 103 VII. A TALE OF THE PASSIONS; OR, 112 THE DEATH OF DESPINA, VIII. THE MORTAL IMMORTAL, 148 IX. TRANSFORMATION, 165 X. THE SWISS PEASANT, 186 XI. THE INVISIBLE GIRL, 210 XII. THE BROTHER AND SISTER, 227 XIII. THE PARVENUE, 262 XIV. THE POLE, 274 XV. EUPHRASIA, 311 XVI. THE ELDER SON, 328 XVII. THE PILGRIMS, 359 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I. _THE SISTERS OF ALBANO._