In the preface to this collection, the author says: "I am constantly urged by readers and impersonators to furnish them with verses for recitation. In response to this ever-increasing demand, I have selected for this volume the poems which seem suitable for such a purpose. In making my collection of them, I have been obliged to use, not those which are among my best efforts in a literary or artistic sense, but those which contain the best dramatic possibilities for professionals."
"Her fame has reached all parts of the world, and her popularity seems to grow with each succeeding year."—American Bookseller.
AN AMBITIOUS MAN—Prose.
A realistic novel of the modern school of fiction. Although the plot borders on the sensational, the motive of the story is a good one. It teaches that hereditary tendencies can be overcome; that one can conquer passion and impulse by the use of the Divine inheritance of Will, and compel public respect by lofty ideals; in other words, that one may rise on the "stepping-stones of a dead self to higher things." Mrs. Wilcox is a successful novel writer as well as a poet, and this story is another evidence of her wide range of thought. "In 'An Ambitious Man' the central figure is a woman, who becomes chastened through suffering and purified through sin."
"Vivid realism stands forth from every page of this fascinating and interesting book."—Every Day.
AN ERRING WOMAN'S LOVE.
There is always a fascination in Mrs. Wilcox's verse, but in these beautiful examples of her genius she shows a wonderful knowledge of the human heart.
"Ella Wheeler Wilcox has impressed many thousands of people with the extreme beauty of her philosophy and the exceeding usefulness of her point of view."—Boston Globe.
"Mrs. Wilcox stands at the head of feminine writers, and her verses and essays are more widely copied and read than those of any other American literary woman."—New York World. "Power and pathos characterize this magnificent poem. A deep understanding of life and an intense sympathy are beautifully expressed."—Chicago Tribune.
MEN, WOMEN AND EMOTIONS.