- The "Editor" says that he would've liked to edit the letters to make their grammar and diction more correct and to shorten some he thought were way too long.
- But people objected that these were real letters and should be left as is. He disagrees, but the final decision wasn't up to him.
- Despite the literary faults of the letters, he thinks they do have advantages.
- First, he thinks that the different styles and concerns of the various letter-writers offer variety and will keep the reader from being bored.
- Most importantly, these letters are a public service.
- By showing the most immoral people who corrupt the most innocent, it's a moral warning to people, especially women, to stay away from "unprincipled" people offering "friendship."
- The editor gives the book an NC-17 rating; young people should be kept away from it until they absolutely need it.
- He quotes one mother who thinks that her daughter would find the book very helpful, but not until her wedding day. He'd be happy if everyone felt it would be so useful.
- Regardless, he knows that everyone's going to find something to criticize.
- Promiscuous people won't like it because it criticizes promiscuity, and devout folks won't like it because it suggests that religion and virtue won't protect you in the end.
- Literary types will think it's too conversational; general readers might think some of the letters are too formal and suspect they're not real.
- The editor knows he can't please everyone, but if he didn't think the racy letters weren't worth reading as a moral lesson, he wouldn't have published them.