Dedication.
TO THE MEMORY OF HENRY PARKES, EDITOR OF THE EMPIRE
IN GRATITUDE FOR HIS PROMPT AND TIMELY RECOGNITION OF THE KEEN-EDGED WIT AND CLEAR INTELLECTUALITY OF MY DEAR FATHER, THE LATE ROBERT MELVILLE, TO WHOSE LITERARY TASTE AND CULTURE I OWE MY EARLIEST IMPRESSIONS OF AND INTEREST IN POETRY AND DRAMA, WHICH HAVE BEEN TO ME A NEVER-FAILING SOURCE OF PLEASURE, A SOLACE IN LONELINESS, AND A RENEWAL OF THE ARDOUR AND ENTHUSIASM OF THE FAITH AND HOPE OF YOUTH. UNDER THE PRESSURE OF LIFE'S DULL, "LEADEN-FOOTED CARES," "THANK GOD" FOR POETRY; FOR THE POETRY OF "THE LAURELLED THRONG," AND FOR THE POETRY OF THE BIBLE:—THE ELIXIR OF SOUL.
