Harriet Prescott Spofford was a regular contributor of short stories to the well known journal, The Atlantic Monthly. Spofford was well known and well liked at the end of the 19th century for her vivid gothic and fantastic tales. 'Circumstance' is the finest example of her work, dealing with themes of reality, religion, sex and fear. This short story was originally published in 1860 and we are here republishing it with a introductory biography of the author.