The aim of this book is not to trace the origin or the development of the short-story, but to set forth some standards of appreciation of what is good in story-writing, illustrating by the practice of the masters as contrasted with amateurish fail ures: this with the view of rousing the student to a more lively interest in his reading, and of awak ening such a wholesome spirit of self-criticism as shall enable him to improve his own workmanship, should he feel called to write.