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

THE CRUCIBLE OF NEW YORK
would doubtless any of them give me the entree into their
theatres without the slightest hesitation. It seems a very
long course to take but I hope it will come about in
time.
"The rest of the day I spent in writing, and in the evening went down to the Mercantile Library and got Howells's
A Foregone Conclusion. It makes me feel blue when I
read his style and then look at my own poor endeavors;
the distance is so immeasurable that it makes me heartily
discouraged. I wonder if the time will ever come when
I will be able to do work somewhat to my satisfactionI begin to think there's poor prospect."
"November 13, 1876.
"Yesterday afternoon passed without much note. I had
intended going to Mr. Smith's church, Fifty-third Street
and Fifth Avenue, but leaving it until too late I was compelled in consequence to attend the Swedenborgian. They
are all very cordial and pleasant there, and speak to me
with the utmost friendliness. Mr. Giles preached a wonderfully good sermon, fairly convincing, it seemed to me,
two men directly in front of me, who had evidently come
in -in a skeptical mood, but in the end seemed deeply
interested.
"I finished A Foregone Conclusion in the afternoon and
wrote somewhat upon the manuscript I am engaged on.
I know it is rather a wild venture, but it is at least excellent
practice. I shall devote myself hereafter to the endeavor
for something else beside money, for I see more and more
clearly now that New York society expects one to give an
equivalent return for the pleasures it grants.
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