“On the 12th of October, ‘The Pleasant Way’ was brought into the printing office of Mr. Damrell (the one in which I work), as copy. I had the pleasure of working on it myself, and set up about sixty pages of it.
“Having gone thus far without being discovered by any one, I could keep the secret no longer, but revealed it to my brother H—— (who was at the time my room-mate and my most intimate companion) after making him promise faithfully to inform no one of it.
“During the time ‘The Pleasant Way’ was in the office, there was considerable talk about it; and it was not long before I was told all the particulars about it,—the mysterious author, correspondence under an assumed name, etc. At one time, the foreman of the office gravely informed me that he rather suspected that Dea. Julius A. Palmer was the author. He also remarked to me, and afterward repeated the remark in my hearing, that it was a ‘very excellent book,—one of the best ones the Society has published.’ Of course, these little events afforded indescribable amusement to me.
“During the first week in November, the printing was completed; and in the second week, ‘The Pleasant Way’ was published. The expense of printing, not including paper, binding, etc., was seventy-six dollars and eighty cents.
“After it was published, I received a letter from Mr. Dean, informing me that, according to their standard price, the copyright of the ‘Pleasant Way’ would come to sixty dollars; but, as I agreed to defray half the expenses of a frontispiece, this sum would be reduced somewhat.
“The manner in which ‘The Pleasant Way’ was received exceeded my utmost expectations and surprised me not a little. The following notices of it I have thought best to preserve, by way of encouragement. There were probably a few others which I have never seen.
“The following appeared in the ‘Sabbath-School Visiter’ for December, 1841; it was written by Mr. Hoadley, and I myself had the pleasure of setting it up:—
“‘The object of this book, as stated by the author, is to illustrate, in a familiar and interesting manner, some of those virtues which constitute the character of the Pilgrim in the Pleasant Way. The principal subjects introduced are Justice, Industry, Filial Duties, Governing the Tongue, Temperance, Benevolence, Humanity, and Piety. These are treated in a manly and dignified manner, with frequent illustrations from history and biography, and sometimes from science, and a happy adaptation throughout to the young. Some stories may be more taking, perhaps, to some; but the Pleasant Way, we think, can but be well received. And for all who desire solid improvement of the more substantial points of intellectual and moral excellence, it must be, beyond doubt, a lasting, good book; and, though designed more especially for the young, it may be read with profit by all of every age.’
“The ‘Boston Recorder’ thus notices it:—