I began to look over sundry of my old manuscripts... [and] among them I found a number of lectures which I had delivered more than forty-eight years ago. They proved to be on the Female "Biography of the Old and New Testament Scriptures"; and were occasioned, at the time, by my reflecting on the importance of female character, and on the influence which women must naturally and necessarily have, in every condition, period, and relation in life; so that if good should be done to them, good would be done to many, in a very wide and varied degree. But I was also aware of the difficulty and delicacy of addressing women from the pulpit distinctively. With regard to them, praise, though deserved, might seem flattery; while just reproof might be construed into common-place reflection on the sex. But in commenting on absent characters, indelibly portrayed ages back, I saw that a preacher might feel himself unfettered ; and be able to deal freely with female excellencies and faults, leaving the application to the consciences and the discretion of his present audience.These lectures I delivered on Sabbath evenings, from short notes; but afterwards, as soon as possible, while the subjects were fresh in my recollection, I wrote them at full length, or nearly so. - Summary by Preface