The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter Summary | Preface Summary

The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, admits to having caused considerable excitement regarding his introductory essay, "The Custom-House." Having been fired under the umbrella of a minor scandal engendered by the Whig Party, Hawthorne is notably not happy with what he has been through.

His characterization of William Lee, the Permanent Inspector, apparently greatly angered the family. There are not many denizens of the Custom-House that escape his biting wit. Nonetheless, Hawthorne states, irrevocably, having re-examined the introductory carefully, that it could not have been written in a "kindlier spirit" and therefore will be republishing it as a whole.