...h failed me, the rest of my history might be written by an editor who could present that part of my life-work better than I could do it myself, and we had agreed that that editor should be my friend, Mr. James Parton , the historian, who promised, if called upon, to undertake the work. But it has so happened that while writing this book I have been obliged to bow my head with sorrowing anguish beside his coffin....