If, Yes and Perhaps

Four Possibilities and Six Exaggerations with Some Bits of Fact

(1869)

Dedication:

I dedicate this book to the youngest of my friends, now two hours old.

Fun, fact, and fancy,-may his fresh life mix the three in their just

proportions.

Milton, June 6, 1868.

Preface to the Third Edition:

The title to this book has met with general opprobrium, except in a few

quarters, where it was fortunately regarded as beneath contempt. Colonel

Ingham even exacted an explanation by telegraph from the Editor, when he

learned from the Governor-General of Northern Siberia what the title

was. This explanation the Editor gave in the following note. It is,

however, impossible to change the title, as he proposes. For reasons

known to all statesmen, it is out of the question to swap horses in

crossing a river; and all publishers know that it is equally impossible

to change titles under those circumstances.