This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1890. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... PREFACE. The title of this book has been chosen in accordance with Webster"s definition of the term curious; viz., "eager for knowledge," "given to research," "exciting attention or inquiry." "It is a pity a gentleman so very curious after things that were elegant and beautiful should not have been as curious as to their origin, their uses, and their natural history." -- Woodward. "Wednesday Afternoons with my Literature Class," would perhaps have been a better title, and one requiring no preface; but since these questions have formed the most interesting feature of our class, and are the only part of the course here represented, we call our book "Curious Questions." I say "our book ;" for in association, at least, it is the joint property of many successive classes of young friends, who, having laid aside the text-books of school, were ready and eager to enter the broader fields of polite literature. It has been my part only to lead the way. They have been apt gleaners, and this is a portion of what we have gathered. v>v!..i"v J)i Pit We trust that owners of property in these boundless fields will not hold us guilty of trespass, if, in our eagerness after the things sought, we have overstepped forbidden ground. We claim nothing original; and it was not my intention, until within the past year, to put this result of our labor in print. I do so now with the hope that it may inspire the formation of similar classes, and incite the young to more careful reading and deeper research, as the best means of obtaining general information. It gives me great pleasure to append a note of favorable comment from Henry Coppde, LL.D., ex-president, and now Professor of English Literature, Lehigh University. SARAH H. KILLIKELLY. At the reques...