This series of books aims, first, to give the English texts required
for entrance to college in a form which shall make them clear,
interesting, and helpful to those who are beginning the study of
literature; and, second, to supply the knowledge which the student
needs to pass the entrance examination. For these two reasons it is
called _The Gateway Series_.
The poems, plays, essays, and stories in these small volumes are
treated, first of all, as works of literature, which were written to be
read and enjoyed, not to be parsed and scanned and pulled to pieces. A
short life of the author is given, and a portrait, in order to help the
student to know the real person who wrote the book. The introduction
tells what it is about, and how it was written, and where the author
got the idea, and what it means. The notes at the foot of the page are
simply to give the sense of the hard words so that the student can read
straight on without turning to a dictionary. The other notes, at the
end of the book, explain difficulties and allusions and fine points.
The editors are chosen because of their thorough training and special
fitness to deal with the books committed to them, and because they
agree with this idea of what a Gateway Series ought to be. They
express, in each case, their own views of the books which they edit.
Simplicity, thoroughness, shortness, and clearness,--these, we hope,
will be the marks of the series.