INTRODUCTION.
The year 1894 was a momentous one in the life of the author of this book; during its passage all the varied energies of his life seemed to gather themselves up in one great effort toward outward expression.
Then it was that the manifold problems of economic science began to exercise so profound a fascination over his mind that he determined to abandon his ordinary business at the earnest opportunity and to devote himself wholly to the investigation of those economical questions with whose intricacies he had already closely grappled.
It was in the winter of this year that he wrote this book, and during its whole course he was engaged in mapping out and organising his long-projected expedition to the Himalayas. Visions of a fair future now opened before him, and although he calmly awaited the realisation of his hopes, he was nevertheless intensely eager to experience their fulfilment in the not very distant future.
Those who desire to know more of the personality
