Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque

The epithets "Grotesque" and "Arabesque" will be found to indicate with sufficient precision the prevalent tenor of the tales here published. But from the fact that, during a period of some two or three years, I have written five-and-twenty short stories whose general character may be so briefly defined, it cannot be fairly inferred - at all events it is not truly inferred - that I have, for this species of writing, any inordinate, or indeed any peculiar taste or prepossession.