On the first publication of _Wenderholme_, the author received a number of letters from people who were quite convinced that they had recognized the originals of the characters. The friends and acquaintances of novelists always amuse themselves in this way; and yet it seldom happens, I believe, that there is any thing like a real portrait in a novel. A character is suggested by some real person, but when once the fictitious character exists in the brain of the author, he forgets the source of the original suggestion, and simply reports what the imaginary personage says and does. It is narrated of an eminent painter, famous for the saintly beauty of his virgins, that his only model for them was an old man-servant, and this is a good illustration of the manner in which the imagination operates. Some of my correspondents made guesses which were very wide of the mark. One lady, whom I had never thought about in connection with the novel at all, recognized herself in Mrs. Prigley, confessed her sins, and promised amendment; an illusion scarcely to be regretted, since it may have been productive of moral benefit. A whole township fancied that it recognized Jacob Ogden in a wealthy manufacturer, whose face had not been present to me when I conceived the character. A correspondent recognized Dr. Bardly as the portrait of a surgeon in Lancashire who was never once in my mind's eye during the composition of the novel. The Doctor was really suggested by a Frenchman, quite ignorant of the Lancashire dialect, and even of English. But, of all these guesses, one of the commonest was that Philip Stanburne represented the author himself, probably because he was called Philip. There is no telling what may happen to us before we die; but I hope that the supposed original of Jacob Ogden may preserve his sanity to the end of his earthly pilgrimage, and that the author of this volume may not end his days in a monastery. P. G. H. CONTENTS. PART I. Chapter I. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF SHAYTON 1 II. GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDSON 5 III. AT THE PARSONAGE 16 IV. ISAAC OGDEN BECOMES A BACKSLIDER. 29 V. FATHER AND SON 42 VI. LITTLE JACOB IS LOST 52 VII. ISAAC OGDEN'S PUNISHMENT 59 VIII. FROM SOOTYTHORN TO WENDERHOLME 69 IX. THE FUGITIVE 87 X. CHRISTMAS AT MILEND 94 XI. THE COLONEL GOES TO SHAYTON 106 XII. OGDEN'S NEW MILL 119 XIII. STANITHBURN PEEL 130 XIV. AT SOOTYTHORN 136 XV. WITH THE MILITIA 143 XVI. A CASE OF ASSAULT 150 XVII. ISAAC OGDEN AGAIN 155 XVIII. ISAAC'S MOTHER COMES 161 XIX. THE COLONEL AT WHITTLECUP 170 XX. PHILIP STANBURNE IN LOVE 174