The speakers tone is self-deprecating (undervaluing oneself) because she has little confidence in her unedited and unrevised writing. She is mortified that her book would be exposed to public view in rags (45). She is concerned that all may judge (6) her for a piece of writing she does not have confidence in. She admits that even with revision (rubbing, washing, and stretching), the more defects [she] saw (13) and the revision itself still made a flaw (14). Even though she does compare the book to her offspring, her tone is not nurturing (b) because she speaks about the book/child with harsh diction like rambling brat (8), unfit for light (9), and irksome (10).