It is with a view to meeting the wants of all classes of readers and spreading the knowledge of Thomas Hood’s Works still farther, that the present edition has been planned, in a cheap form that will place it within everybody’s reach. The publishers have already issued editions of all the Works, either complete, or in separate volumes, to suit every taste. The present edition embraces the complete Works with the original illustrations, and also includes some hitherto unpublished dramatic fragments. It will be issued in a convenient periodical form, to be obtained at the option of the purchaser either in Monthly Parts, or Quarterly Volumes. The last generation will no doubt welcome in the old familiar form the Author’s quaint wood-cut illustrations, as well as the humorous illustrations of George Cruickshank to the “Epping Hunt,” with those by Harvey to “Eugene Aram;” and the present generation are still too recently mourning the loss of John Leech’s graceful pencil, to pass carelessly by his admirable drawings in the “Whimsicalities.” The completeness and low price of this edition will, it is hoped, place it in the hands of most readers. FRANCES FREELING BRODERIP. [1] See “Memorials of Thomas Hood,” 2nd Edition. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. The present arrangement of my Father’s works for a complete and uniform edition has not been determined on without due deliberation. It appeared to me that for the requirements of those--who do not care to trace his career as a writer from his first connection with Literature, and to note the gradual development of a genius which, at the time of his death, had not arrived at its fulness--enough is to be found in the edition of the “Serious Poems;” of those of “Wit and Humour;” of the “Whims and Oddities;” and of two volumes of “Hood’s Own,” already published by Messrs. Moxon. I have therefore considered it best, when called upon to prepare a complete and uniform series of his writings, to throw the materials collected into a form which shall be of interest to more than the general reader. By republishing his works in the order in which they were written, as far as my most diligent search and most earnest endeavours can establish it, I believe I shall meet the wishes of many of my Father’s admirers and readers, who have contracted, from the perusal of his works, an almost friendlike interest, that will be gratified by tracing step by step the bent of his mind, the progress of his intellect, and the maturing of his powers. It may be urged that I have reprinted fugitive articles that might well have been omitted without detriment to the Series. To this I might answer by pleading that it is only natural that I should place greater store by what my Father has written, than one not so nearly related to him would do.