Uarda : a Romance of Ancient Egypt — Complete, Page 2

  PREFACE TO THE FIFTH GERMAN EDITION.

  The earlier editions of "Uarda" were published in such rapid succession,that no extensive changes in the stereotyped text could be made; butfrom the first issue, I have not ceased to correct it, and can nowpresent to the public this new fifth edition as a "revised" one.

  Having felt a constantly increasing affection for "Uarda" during thetime I was writing, the friendly and comprehensive attention bestowedupon it by our greatest critics and the favorable reception it met within the various classes of society, afforded me the utmost pleasure.

  I owe the most sincere gratitude to the honored gentlemen, who calledmy attention to certain errors, and among them will name particularlyProfessor Paul Ascherson of Berlin, and Dr. C. Rohrbach of Gotha. Bothwill find their remarks regarding mistakes in the geographical locationof plants, heeded in this new edition.

  The notes, after mature deliberation, have been placed at the foot ofthe pages instead of at the end of the book.

  So many criticisms concerning the title "Uarda" have recently reachedmy ears, that, rather by way of explanation than apology, I will hererepeat what I said in the preface to the third edition.

  This title has its own history, and the more difficult it would be forme to defend it, the more ready I am to allow an advocate to speak forme, an advocate who bears a name no less distinguished than that of G.E. Lessing, who says:

  "Nanine? (by Voltaire, 1749). What sort of title is that? What thoughtsdoes it awake? Neither more nor less than a title should arouse. A titlemust not be a bill of fare. The less it betrays of the contents, thebetter it is. Author and spectator are both satisfied, and the ancientsrarely gave their comedies anything but insignificant names."

  This may be the case with "Uarda," whose character is less prominentthan some others, it is true, but whose sorrows direct the destinies ofmy other heroes and heroines.

  Why should I conceal the fact? The character of "Uarda" and the presentstory have grown out of the memory of a Fellah girl, half child, halfmaiden, whom I saw suffer and die in a hut at Abu el Qurnah in theNecropolis of Thebes.

  I still persist in the conviction I have so frequently expressed, theconviction that the fundamental traits of the life of the soul haveundergone very trivial modifications among civilized nations in alltimes and ages, but will endeavor to explain the contrary opinion, heldby my opponents, by calling attention to the circumstance, thatthe expression of these emotions show considerable variations amongdifferent peoples, and at different epochs. I believe that Juvenal, oneof the ancient writers who best understood human nature, was right insaying:

  "Nil erit ulterius, quod nostris moribus addat Posteritas: eadem cupient facientque minores."

  Leipsic, October 15th, 1877.

  U A R D A.