Howard Pyle, a chronicle by Charles D. Abbott, with an introduction by N. C. Wyeth and many illustrations from Howard Pyle's works.

HOWARD PYLE: A CHRONICLE
1 have a reader who reads to me in the mornings
while I work. We are now occupied with the Arcana Coedestia. I never knew what there was in it before! I have
found that whatever remains of turgid doubts yet lingered
in my mind are now clean gone, never, I believe, to return,
and only the truth is left as light as day..00
"Very sincerely yours,
"HOWARD PYLE."
So much philosophical thinking could not go on without
something being produced in the way of reading matter.
At first the ideas took form in the shape of an essay, which
was sent to Howells for his judgment concerning it. He evidently found many things to approve in it, for his letter is
decidedly commendatory.
"Boston, Massachusetts,
"May 17, 189i.
"My dear Mr. Pyle:
"I have read your thoughts on immortality and infinity
with great interest, and with a full sense of the strength of
your reasoning. I have never seen the subject presented in
that way and the logic seems to gather mass and weight as
you go on. There is something singularly impressive in
the summing up. But perhaps because my brain takes feeble
hold of propositions and conclusions, I found myself all the
time wishingy that these fresh and striking thoughts could
have been somehow dramatically presented. As they stand
they will appeal to a certain order of mind, but in the other
form they would appeal to all orders of mind. They really
6give me glimpses of truth that I had not had before; they
gave me proof, they gave me hope. I fancy I should have
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