---------------------------------------- --------- ,transcriber's note3 ,obvious typographic errors have been corrected4 ---------------------------------------- --------- ,,free ,,opinions ,,freely ,,expressed ,,constable',s ,,new #f_/- ,,novels ,,robert ,w4 ,,chambers4 ,,in ,,search ,,of ,,the ,,unknown4 ,,john ,,fox 7,author of 8,the ,little ,shepherd of ,kingdom ,come074 ,,crittenden4 ,,mrs4 ,,stepney ,,rawson4 ,,tales ,,of ,,rye ,,town4 ,,ernest ,,glanville4 ,a ,,rough ,,reformer4 ,,una ,l4 ,,silberrad4 ,,the ,,wedding ,,of ,,the ,,lady ,,of ,,lovell4 ,,helen ,h4 ,,colvill4 ,,the ,,stepping ,,stone4 ,,mrs4 ,,comyns ,,carr4 ,,john ,,fletcher',s ,,madonna4 ,,may ,,sinclair4 ,,the ,,divine ,,fire4 ,,london3 ,,archibald ,,constable ,,co4 ,,ltd4 ,,free ,,opinions ,,freely ,,expressed ,,on ,certain ,phases of ,modern ,social ,life and ,conduct ,by ,,marie ,,corelli ,,author ,,of 8,,god',s ,,good ,,man0 8,,temporal ,,power0 8,,barabbas0 8,,the ,,master ,,christian0 ,,etc ,,london ,,archibald ,,constable ,,co ,,ltd #aije ,,butler ,,tanner1 ,,the ,,selwood ,,printing ,,works1 ,,frome1 ,,and ,,london4 ,a ,toi1 ,sauvage6 8,si vous voulez combattre1 ,il faut croire d'abord2 ,il faut que le lutteur ,affirme la justice2 ,il faut1 pour le devoir ,qu'il s'offre au sacrifice1 ,et qu'il soit le plus pur1 ,s'il n'est pas le plus fort40 ,,eug,,ne ,,manuel4 ,,contents ,,page ,a ,,vital ,,point ,,of ,,education #a ,,the ,,responsibility ,,of ,,the ,,press #ad 8,,pagan ,,london0 #bi ,a ,,question ,,of ,,faith #ch ,,unchristian ,,clerics #fh ,,the ,,social ,,blight #gi ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,hospitality #hi ,,the ,,vulgarity ,,of ,,wealth #ih ,,american ,,women ,,in ,,england #aag ,,the ,,american ,,bounder #abh ,,coward ,,adam #adc ,,accurs,d ,,eve #aeb 8,,imaginary0 ,,love #afb ,,the ,,advance ,,of ,,woman #afi ,,the ,,palm ,,of ,,beauty #ahe ,,the ,,madness ,,of ,,clothes #aie ,,the ,,decay ,,of ,,home ,,life ,,in ,,england #bjg ,,society ,,and ,,sunday #bcc ,,the 8,,strong0 ,,book ,,of ,,the ,,ishbosheth #bde ,,the ,,making ,,of ,,little ,,poets #beb ,,the ,,prayer ,,of ,,the ,,small ,,country ,m4,p4 #bfb ,,the ,,thanksgiving ,,of ,,the ,,small ,,country ,m4,p4',s ,,wife #bfg ,,the ,,vanishing ,,gift #bgc ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,pen #bib ,,the ,,glory ,,of ,,work #caj ,,the ,,happy ,,life #cbf ,,the ,,soul ,,of ,,the ,,nation #cdj ,,author',s ,,note ,some of these social papers which are now collected together for the first time1 have appeared before in various periodicals enjoying a simultaneous circulation in this country and the ,united ,states4 ,eleven of them were written for an ,american syndicate1 which 7for the purpose of copyright in ,great ,britain7 sold them to a ,london weekly journal1 wherein they were duly issued4 8,pagan ,london10 however1 which caused some little public discussion1 was not included among those supplied to the ,american syndicated press1 that article having been written specially for readers in this country as a protest against ,archdeacon ,sinclair's sweeping condemnation of the lax morality and neglect of religion among the teeming millions that populate our great ,english metropolis1--a condemnation which ,i ventured1 and still venture to think unfair1 in the face of the open worldliness1 and gross inattention to the spiritual needs of their congregations on the part of a very large majority of the clergy themselves4 ,certain people1 whose brains must be of that peculiar density which is incapable of receiving even the impression of a shadow of common sense1 have since accused me of attacking 8all0 the clergy4 ,such an accusation is unwarranted and unwarrantable1 for no one appreciates more than ,i do the brave1 patient1 self-denying and silent work of the true ministers of the ,gospel1 who1 seeking nothing for themselves1 sacrifice all for their ,master4 ,but it is just these noble clergy whose high profession is degraded by the ever-increasing tribe of the false hypocrites of their order1 such as those mentioned in 8,unchristian ,clerics10 all of whom have come within the radius of my own personal experience4 ,i readily admit that ,i have little patience with humbug of any kind1 and that 8religious0 humbug does always seem to me more like open blasphemy than what is commonly called by that name4 ,i equally confess that ,i have no sympathy with any form of faith which needs continuous blatant public advertisement in the press of a so-called 8,christian0 country--nor do ,i believe in a ,brass-band 8revival0 of what1 if our religion is religion at all1 should never need 8reviving40 ,i have put forward these views plainly in 8,the ,soul of the ,nation10 which appears for the first time in the present volume4 ,i have only to add that ,i attach no other merit to such 8opinions0 as will be found in the following pages1 than that they are honest1 and that they are honestly expressed1 without fear or favour4 ,this is their only claim upon the attention of the public4 ,,stratford-,,on-,,avon1 ,march1 #aije4 ,a ,,vital ,,point ,,of ,,education ,in days like these1 when the necessity of ,education1 technical or otherwise1 is strenuously insisted upon by all the learned1 worshipful1 governmental and dictatorial personages who 8sit0 on ,county ,councils1 or talk the precious time recklessly away in ,parliament without apparently arriving at any decision of definite workable good for the nation1 it will not perhaps be considered obtrusive or intrusive if a suggestion be put forward as to the importance of one point1-- ,,the ,,necessity ,,of ,,teaching ,,people ,,to ,,read4 ,this essential of education is sadly lacking among the general majority of 8educated0 persons in ,great ,britain1 and ,i think ,i may say ,america4 ,especially among those of the 8upper0 classes1 in both countries4 ,when we speak of these 8upper0 classes1 we mean of course those1 who by chance or fortune have been born either to such rank or to such sufficient wealth as to be lifted above the toiling million1 and who may be presumed to have had all the physical1 mental and social advantages that tuition1 training and general surroundings can give them4 ,yet it is precisely among these that we find the ones who cannot read1 who frequently cannot spell1 and whose handwriting is so bad as to be well-nigh illegible4 ,when it is said that they cannot read1 that statement is not intended to convey the idea that if a book or newspaper be given to them they do not understand the letters or the print in which the reading matter is presented to their eyes4 ,they do4 ,but such letters and such print impress no meaning upon their minds4 ,anyone can prove this by merely asking them what they have been reading4 ,in nine cases out of ten they 8don't know40 ,and if they ever did know1 during one unusual moment of brain-activity1 they 8forget40 ,the thinking faculty is1 with them1 like a worn-out sieve1 through which everything runs easily and drops to waste4 ,the news of the day1 be it set forth never so boldly in no matter what startlingly stout headlines1 barely excites their interest for more than a second4 ,they may perhaps glance at a couple of newspaper placards and lazily observe1 8,russia at it again10 but of the ins and outs of policy1 the difficulties of ,government1 the work of nations1 they grasp absolutely nothing4 ,thus it happens that when they are asked their opinion on any such events of the hour as may be making history in the future1 they display their utter ignorance in such a frankly stupid fashion that any intelligent enquirer is bound to be stunned by their lack of knowledge1 and will perhaps murmur feebly3 8,have you not read the news80 to which will come the vague reply3 8,oh1 yes1 ,i read all the newspapers6 ,but ,i really don't remember the particulars just now60 ,what they do remember--these 8cultured0 persons1 7and the more highly they are cultured1 the more tenacious appears to be their memory in this respect7--is a divorce case4 ,they always read that carefully over and over again4 ,they comment upon it afterwards with such gusto as to make it quite evident to the merest tyro1 that they have learned all its worst details by heart4 ,if they can only revel in the published shame and disgrace of one or two of their very 8dearest0 friends1 they enjoy and appreciate that kind of mental fare more than all the beautiful poems and idyllic romances ever written4 ,the 8million0 have long ago learned to read1--and are reading4 ,the last is the most important fact1 and one which those who seek to govern them would do well to remember4 ,for their reading is of a most strange1 mixed1 and desultory order--and who can say what wondrous new notions and disturbing theories may not leap out sprite-like from the witch's cauldron of seething ideas round which they gather1 watching the literary 8bubble1 bubble1 toil and trouble10 wherein the 8eye of newt and toe of frog0 in the book line may contrast with something which is altogether outside the boiling hotch-potch1--namely that 8sick eagle looking at the sky0 which is the true symbol of the highest literary art4 ,but the highest literary art1 particularly in its poetic form1 is at a discount nowadays4 ,and why8 ,simply because even the million do not know 8how0 to read4 ,moreover1 it is very difficult to make them learn4 ,they have neither the skill nor the patience to study beautiful thoughts expressed in beautiful language4 ,they want to 8rush0 something through4 ,whether poem1 play1 or novel1 it must be 8rushed through0 and done with4 ,very few authors' work1 if any1 can be sure of an honest and unprejudiced reading1 either by those whose business it is to review it for the press1 or those whose pleasure it is to 8skim0 it for themselves4 8,they have no time40 ,they have time for motoring1 cycling1 card-playing1 racing1 betting1 hockey and golf1--anything in short which does not directly appeal to the intellectual faculties1--but for real reading1 they can neither make leisure1 nor acquire aptitude4 ,this vague1 sieve-like quality of brain and general inability to comprehend or retain impressions of character or events1 which is becoming so common among modern so-called 8readers0 of books1 can but make things very difficult for authors who seek to contribute something of their utmost and best to the world of literature4 ,most men and women who feel the 8divine afflatus10 and who are able to write in a style above the average1 must be conscious of a desire to rise yet higher than any of their own attempted efforts1 and to do something new1 strong1 and true enough to hold life and lasting in it when other contemporary work is forgotten4 ,it is the craving of the 8sick eagle looking at the sky0 perhaps1 nevertheless it is a noble craving4 ,in taking an aim1 it is as well to let fly at the moon1 even if one only hits a tree4 ,but when fiery-footed ,pegasus would fain gallop away with its rider into the realms of imagination and enchantment1--when the aspiring disciple of literature1 all aglow with freshness and fervour1 strives to catch some new spirit of thought as it rushes past on its swift wings1 or seeks to create some fair consoling idyll of human circumstance1 then all the publishers stand massed in the way and cry 8,halt60 8,don't let us have any great ideas60 they say--8,they are above the heads of the public4 ,be domestic--be matrimonially iniquitous1--be anything in the line of fiction but #8great4' ,don't give us new things to think about1--the public have no time to think4 ,what they want is just something to glance at between tea and dinner40 ,now this condition of affairs1 which is positively disastrous to all literary art1 is brought about by the lack of the one vital point in the modern education of the ,british and ,american people1--namely1 that they have not been taught 8how0 to read4 ,as a result of this1 they frequently pronounce a book 8too long0 or 8too dull10--too this1 or too that1 without having looked at more than perhaps twenty pages of its contents4 ,they will skim over any amount of cheap newspapers and trashy society 8weeklies0 full of the unimportant movements and doings of he and she and they1 but to take up a book with any serious intention of reading it thoroughly1 is a task which only the thoughtful few will be found ready to undertake4 ,what is called the appreciation of the 8belles lettres0 is indeed 8caviare to the general40 ,knowledge brings confidence2 and if it were made as much the fashion to read as it is to ride in motor-cars1 some improvement in manners and conduct might be the happy result of such a prevailing taste4 ,but as matters stand at the present day1 there are a large majority of the 8educated0 class1 who actually do not know the beginnings of 8how0 to read4 ,they have never learned--and some of them will never learn4 ,they cannot realize the unspeakable delight and charm of giving one's self up to one's author1 sans prejudice1 sans criticism1 sans everything that could possibly break or mar the spell1 and being carried on the wings of gentle romance away from ,self1 away from the everyday cares and petty personalities of social convention1 and observance1 and living 8with0 the characters which have been created by the man or woman whose fertile brain and toiling pen have unitedly done their best to give this little respite and holiday to those who will take it and rejoice in it with gratitude4 ,few there are nowadays who will so permit themselves to be carried away4 ,far larger is the class of people who take up a novel or a volume of essays1 merely to find fault with it and fling it aside half unread4 ,the attitude of the bad-tempered child who does not know what toy to break next1 is the attitude of many modern readers4 ,nothing is more manifestly unfair to an author than to judge a book by the mere 8skimming0 of its pages1 and this injustice becomes almost felonious when the merits or demerits of the work are decided without reading it at all4 ,for instance1 ,smith meets ,jones in the train which is taking them out to their respective 8little places0 in the country1 and says3 8,have you read ,so-and-,so's latest book8 ,if not1 don't60 ,whereupon ,jones murmurs3 8,really6 ,so bad as all that6 ,have you read it80 ,to which ,smith rejoins rudely3 8,no6 ,and don't intend6 ,i've heard all about it60 ,and ,jones1 acquiescing feebly1 decides that he must 8taboo0 that book1 also its author1 lest perhaps ,mrs4 ,jones' virtue be put to the blush at the mention of either4 ,now if ,smith dared to condemn a tradesman in this way1 and depreciated his goods to ,jones in such wise that the latter should be led to avoid him altogether1 that tradesman could claim damages for injuring his character and depriving him of custom4 ,should not the same rule apply to authors when they are condemned on mere hearsay8 ,or when their work is wilfully misrepresented and misquoted in the press8 ,it may not1 perhaps1 be considered out of place here to recall a 8personal reminiscence0 of the wilful misrepresentation made to a certain section of the public of a novel of mine entitled 8,temporal ,power40 ,that book had scarcely left the printer's hands when ,w4 ,t4 ,stead1 of the ,review of ,reviews1 wrote me a most cordial letter1 congratulating me on the work1 and averring that it was 8the best0 of all ,i had done4 ,but in his letter he set forth the startling proposition that ,i 8must have meant0 ,king ,edward1 our own gracious ,sovereign1 for my 8fictional0 ,king1 ,queen ,alexandra for the ,queen1 the ,prince of ,wales for my 8,prince ,humphry10 and ,mr4 ,chamberlain for the defaulting ,secretary of ,state1 who figures in the story as 8,carl ,perousse40 ,i was so amazed at this curious free translation of my ideas1 that at first ,i thought it was 8,julia0 who had thus persuaded ,mr4 ,stead to see things upside down4 ,but as his criticism of the book had not yet appeared in the ,review of ,reviews1 ,i wrote to him at once1 and earnestly assured him of the complete misapprehension he had made of my whole scope and intention4 ,despite this explanation on my part1 however1 ,mr4 ,stead wrote and published a review of the book maintaining his own fabricated 8case0 against me1 notwithstanding the fact that he held my denial of his assertions in his possession before the publication of his criticism6 ,and though a dealer in meat1 groceries1 and other food stuffs may obtain compensation if his wares are wilfully misrepresented to the buying public1 the purveyor of thoughts or ideas has no remedy when such thoughts or ideas are deliberately and purposefully falsified to the world through the press4 ,yet the damage is surely as great1--and the injury done to one's honest intention quite as gratuitous4 ,from this little incident occurring to myself1 ,i venture to say in reference to the assertion that people do not know how to read1 that if those who 8rushed0 through the misleading criticism of 8,temporal ,power0 had honestly read the book so criticized for themselves1 they would have seen at once how distorted was ,mr4 ,stead's view of the whole story4 ,but1--while many who had read the book and not the review1 laughed at the bare notion of there being any resemblance between my fictional hero-king of romance and the ,sovereign of the ,british ,empire1 others1 reading the review only1 foolishly decided that ,i must have written some 8travesty0 upon ,english royalty1 and condemned the book without reading it4 ,this is what all authors have a right to complain of1--the condemnation or censure of their books by persons who have not read them4 ,for though there never was so much reading matter put before the public1 there was never less actual 8reading0 in the truest and highest sense of the term than there is at present4 ,to read1 as ,i take it1 means to sit down quietly and enjoy a book in its every line and expression4 ,whether it be tragic or humourous1 simple or ornate1 it has been written to beguile us from our daily routine of life1 and to give us a little change of thought or mood4 ,it may please us1 or it may make us sad--it may even anger us by upsetting our pet theories and contradicting us on our own lines of argument2 but if it has taken us away for a time from ourselves1 it has fulfilled the greater part of its mission1 and done us a good turn4 ,those who have really learned to read1 are no encouragers of the ,free ,library craze4 ,the true lover of books will never want to peruse volumes that are thumbed and soiled by hundreds of other hands--he or she will manage to buy them and keep them as friends in the private household4 ,any book1 save the most expensive 8dition de luxe10 can be purchased for a few shillings1--a little saving on drugged beer and betting would enable the most ordinary mechanic to stock himself with a very decent library of his own4 ,to borrow one's mental fare from ,free ,libraries is a dirty habit to begin with4 ,it is rather like picking up eatables dropped by some one else in the road1 and making one's dinner off another's leavings4 ,one book1 clean and fresh from the bookseller's counter1 is worth half a dozen of the soiled and messy knock-about volumes1 which many of our medical men assure us carry disease-germs in their too-frequently fingered pages4 ,free ,libraries are undoubtedly very useful resorts for betting men4 ,they can run in1 glance at the newspapers for the latest 8,sporting ,items0 and run out again4 ,but why ratepayers should support such houses of call for these gentry remains a mystery which one would have to pierce through all the ,wool and ,wobble of ,municipal ,corporations to solve4 ,an ,american 8professor0--7there are so many of them7 spoke to me the other day in glowing terms of ,andrew ,carnegie4 8,he's cute1 you bet60 he remarked1 8he goes one better than ,pears' ,soap6 ,pears has got to pay for the upkeep of his hoardings1 but ,carnegie plants his down in the shape of libraries and gets the ,british ratepayer to keep them all going6 ,ain't he spry60 ,poor ,british ratepayer6 ,it is to be feared he is easily gulled6 ,but1--to return to the old argument--if he knew 8how0 to read--really knew1--he would not be so easily taken in1 even by the schemes of philanthropy4 ,he would buy his books himself1 and among them he might even manage to secure a copy of a very interesting volume published in ,america1 so ,i am given to understand1 which tells us how ,carnegie made his millions1 and how he sanctioned the action of the ,pinkerton police force in firing on his men when they 8struck0 for higher wages4 ,apropos of ,america and things ,american1 there is just now a pretty little story started in the press on both sides of the water1 about ,british novels and ,british authors no longer being wanted in the ,united ,states4 ,the ,children of the ,eagle are going to make their fiction themselves4 ,all power to their elbows6 ,but ,british authors will do themselves no harm by enquiring carefully into this report4 ,it may even pay some of them to send over a private agent on their own behalf to study the ,american book stores1 and take count of the thousands of volumes of ,british fiction which are selling there 8like hot cakes10 to quote a choice expression of ,transatlantic slang4 ,it is quite evident that the ,children of the ,eagle purchase ,british fiction4 ,it is equally evident that the publishers who cater for the ,children of the ,eagle are anxious to get ,british fiction cheap1 and are doing this little deal of the 8,no demand0 business from an acute sense of urgency4 ,it is all right1 of course6 ,if ,i were an ,american publisher and had to pay large prices to popular ,british authors for popular ,british fiction 7now that 8piracy0 is no longer possible71 ,i should naturally tell those ,british authors that they are not wanted in ,america1 and that it is very good and condescending of me to consider their wares at all4 ,i should give a well-known ,british author from #ajj to #ejj for the sole ,american rights of his or her newest production1 and proceed to make #e1jjj or #g1jjj profit out of it4 ,that kind of thing is called 8business40 ,i should never suspect the ,british author of being so base as to send over and get legal statements as to how his or her book was selling1 or to take note of the thousands of copies stacked up every day in the stores1 to be melted away as soon as stacked1 in the hands of eager purchasers4 ,no6 ,as a strictly honourable person1 ,i should hope that the ,british author would stay at home and mind his or her own business4 ,but let us suppose that the ,american publisher's latest delicate 8feeler0 respecting the 8,no demand for ,british literature0 were true1 it would seem that ,americans1 even more than the ,british1 require to be taught 8how0 to read4 ,if one may judge from their own output of literature1 the lesson is badly needed4 ,ralph ,waldo ,emerson remains1 as yet1 their biggest literary man4 ,he knew 8how0 to read1 and from that knowledge learned 8how0 to write4 ,but no ,american author has come after him that can be called greater than he1 or as great4 ,concerning the art of fiction1 the present ,american 8make0 is1 whatever the immediate 8catching on0 of it may be1 distinctly ephemera of the utmost ephemeral4 ,such 8literature0 would not exist even in ,america1 if ,americans knew 8how0 to read4 ,what is called the 8,yellow ,journalism0 would not exist either4 ,why8 ,because a really educated reader of things worth reading would not read it--and it would therefore be a case of the wicked ceasing to trouble and the weary being at rest4 ,there is a general complaint nowadays--especially among authors--of the 8decadence0 of literature4 ,it is true enough4 ,but the cause of the 8decadence0 is the same--simply and solely that people cannot and will not read4 ,they do not know 8how0 to do it4 ,if they ever did know in the bygone days of ,dickens and ,thackeray1 they have forgotten4 ,every book is 8too long0 for them4 ,yet scarcely any novel is published now as long as the novels of ,dickens1 which were so eagerly devoured at one time by tens of thousands of admiring readers4 ,a short1 risky1 rather 8nasty0 book1 7reviewers would call it strong1 but that is only a little joke of theirs1--they speak of this kind of literature as though it were cheese7 finds most favour with the 8upper0 circles of society in ,great ,britain and ,america4 ,not so with the 8million0 though4 ,the million prefer simpler fare--and they read a good deal--though scarcely in the right way4 ,it is always more a case of 8skimming0 than reading4 ,if they are ever taught the right way to read1 they may become wiser than any political government would like them to be4 ,for right reading makes right thinking--and right thinking makes right living--and right living would result in what8 ,well6 ,for one thing1 members of councils and other 8ruling0 bodies would be lazier than ever1 with less to do--and the ,education ,act would no longer be necessary1 as the fact of simply knowing 8how0 to read1 would educate everybody without further trouble4 ,dear ,sir or ,madam1--read6 ,don't 8skim06 ,learn your letters6 ,study the pronunciation and meaning of words thoroughly first1 and then you may proceed to sentences4 ,gradually you will be able to master a whole passage of prose or poetry in such a manner as actually to understand it4 ,that will be a great thing6 ,and once you understand it1 you may even possibly remember it6 ,and then1--no matter how much you may have previously been educated1--your education will only have just begun4 ,illustration3 ,decoration ,,the ,,responsibility ,,of ,,the ,,press ,not very long ago a ,royal hint was given by one of the wisest and most tactful among the great throned ,rulers of the world1 to that other ruling power which is frequently alluded to as 8the ,fourth ,estate40 ,edward the ,seventh1 ,king by the ,grace of ,god over ,great ,britain and all the dependencies which flourish under the sign of the ,rose1 ,shamrock and ,thistle1 using that courteous and diplomatic manner which particularly belongs to him1 expressed his 8hope0 that the ,gentlemen of the ,press would do their best to foster amity and goodwill between the ,british ,empire and other nations4 ,now amongst the many kindly1 thoughtful1 sagacious and farsighted things which ,his ,majesty has done since he ascended the ,english ,throne1 that highest seat of honour in the world--perhaps this mild and friendly suggestion to the ,press is one of the most pointed1 necessary and admirable4 ,it is a suggestion which1 if accepted in the frank1 manly and magnanimous spirit in which it has been conveyed1 would make for the peace of ,europe4 ,petty insult often begets serious strife1 and the cheap sneer of a would-be 8smart0 journalist at another country's governmental mistakes may lead to consequences undreamt of in newspaper-office philosophy4 ,yet the journalist1 as journalist1 is scarcely to blame if1 in a praiseworthy desire to give a 8selling0 impetus to the paper on which he is employed1 he gets up a little bit of speculative melodrama1 such as 8,german ,malignity10 8,russian ,trickery10 8,mysterious ,movements of the ,fleet10 8,french ,insult to the ,king10 8,america's ,secret ,treaty10 or 8,alarming ,eastern ,rumours40 ,he is perhaps not in any way departing from his own special line of business if he counts on the general gullibility of the public1 though in this matter he is often liable to be himself gulled4 ,for the public have been so frequently taken in by mere 8sensationalism0 in war news and the like1 that they are beginning to view all such rumours with more contempt than credence4 ,nevertheless the ambitious little ,press boys 7for they are only boys in their lack of discernment1 whatever may be their external appearance as grown men7 do not deserve so much reproof for their hot-headed1 impulsive and thoughtless ways as the personages set in authority over them1 whose business it is to edit their 8copy0 before passing it on to the printers4 ,they are the responsible parties1--and when they forget the dignity of their position so much as to allow a merely jejune view of the political situation to appear in their journals1 under flamboyant headlines which catch the eye and ensnare the attention of the more or less uninstructed crowd1 one naturally deplores the lapse of their honourable duty4 ,for in this way a great deal of harm may be done and endless misunderstanding and mischief created4 ,it is quite wrong and wholly unpatriotic that the newspapers of any country should strive to foster ill-feeling between conflicting nations or political parties4 ,when they engage in this kind of petty strife one is irresistibly reminded of the bad child in the nursery who1 seeing his two little brothers quarrelling1 cries out3 8,go it1 ,tom6 ,go it1 ,jack6 ,hit him in the eye60 and then1 when the hit is given and mutual screams follow1 runs to his mother with the news--8,ma6 ,tom and ,jack are fighting60 carefully suppressing the fact that he helped to set them at it4 ,and when the trouble begins to be serious1 and national recriminations are freely exchanged1 it is curious to note how quickly the ,press1 on both sides1 assumes the attitude of an almost matronly remonstrance4 ,one hears in every leading article the 8,how can you behave so1 ,jack8 ,what a naughty boy you are1 ,tom6 ,positively1 ,i am ashamed of you both60 ,there would be no greater force existing in the world as an aid to civilization and human fraternity than the ,press1 if its vast powers were employed to the noblest purposes4 ,it ought to resemble a mighty ship1 which1 with brave1 true men at the helm1 moves ever on a straight course1 cleaving the waters of darkness and error1 and making direct for the highest shores of peace and promise4 ,but it must be a ship indeed1--grandly built1 nobly manned1 and steadily steered1--not a crazy1 water-logged vessel1 creaking with the thud of every wave1 or bobbing backwards and forwards uncertainly in a gale4 ,its position at the present day is1 or appears to be1 rather the latter than the former4 ,unquestionably the people1 taken in the mass1 do not rely upon it4 ,they read the newspapers--but they almost immediately forget everything in them except the headlines and one or two unpleasant police cases4 ,and why do they forget8 ,simply because first of all they are not sufficiently interested2 and1 secondly1 because they do not believe the news they read4 ,a working man told me the other day that he had been saving sixpence a week on two halfpenny papers which he had been accustomed to take in for the past year4 8,i found 'em out in ten lies1 all on top of one another1 in two weeks10 he candidly explained2 8and so ,i thought ,i might as well keep my money for something more useful4 ,so ,i started putting the halfpence by for my little kiddie1 and ,i'm going to stick to it4 ,there's five shillings in the ,savings ,bank already60 ,glancing back to the early journalism of the past century1 when ,dickens and ,thackeray wrote for the newspapers 78there were giants in those days071 one cannot help being struck by the great deterioration in the whole 8tone0 of the press at the present time1 as contrasted with that which prevailed in the dawn of the ,victorian era4 ,there is dignity1 refinement1 and power in the leading articles of the ,times and other journals then in vogue1 such as must needs have compelled people not only to read1 but to think4 ,the vulgar 8personal0 note1 the flippant sneer at this1 that1 or t'other personage1--the monkey-like mockery of women1--the senseless gibes flung at poets and poetry1--the clownish kick at sentiment1--were all apparently unknown4 ,true it is that the ,times still holds its own as a journal in which one may look in vain for 8sensationalism0 but its position is rather like that of a grim old lion surrounded by cubs of all sizes and ages1 that yap and snap at its whiskers and take liberties with its tail4 ,it can be said1 however1 that all the better1 higher-class periodicals are in the same situation--the yapping and snapping goes on around them precisely in the same way--8,circulation ,five ,times as ,large as that of any ,penny ,morning ,journal10 etcetera1 etcetera4 ,and the question of the circulation of any particular newspaper resolves itself into two points1--first1 the amount of money it puts into the pockets of its proprietors or proprietor1--and secondly1 the influence it has1 or is likely to have1 on the manners and morals of the public4 ,the last is by far the most important matter1 though the first is naturally the leading motive of its publication4 ,herein we touch the keynote of responsibility4 ,how1 and in what way are the majority of people swayed or affected by the statements and opinions of some one man or several men employed on the world's press8 ,on this point it may perhaps be asked whether any newspaper is really justified in setting before readers of all ages and temperaments1 a daily fare of suicides1 murders1 divorce-cases1 sudden deaths1 or abnormal 8horrors0 of every kind to startle1 depress or warp the mind away from a sane and healthful outlook upon life and the things of life in general8 ,a very brilliant and able journalist tells me that 8if we don't put these things in1 we are so deadly dull60 ,one can but smile at this candid statement of inefficiency4 ,the idea that there can be any 8lively0 reading in the sorrowful details of sickness1 crime or mania1 leaves much room for doubt4 ,and when it is remembered how powerfully the human mind is affected by suggestion1 it is surely worth while enquiring as to whether the newspapers could not manage to offer their readers noble and instructive subjects of thought1 rather than morbid or degrading ones4 ,fortunately for all classes1 the bulk of what may be called 8magazine literature0 makes distinctly for the instruction and enlightenment of the public1 and though a 8gutter press0 exists in ,great ,britain1 as in ,america1 a great portion of the public are now educated enough to recognize its type and to treat it with the contempt it merits4 ,i quote here part of a letter which recently appeared in the ,westminster ,gazette signed 8,observer10 and entitled3 8,a ,,press-,,governed ,,empire4 8,to the ,editor of the ,westminster ,gazette4 8,,sir1--,we have it on the highest authority that the ,government acts on the same information as is at the disposal of #8the man in the street' 7vide ,mr4 ,balfour at ,manchester74 ,the man in the street obviously must depend on the ,press for his information4 ,how has the ,press served him8 8,let me take a recent illustration4 ,a great experiment was to be made by the ,navy4 ,a battleship with all its tremendous armament was to pound a battleship4 ,naturally the ,press was well represented1 and the public was eager for its report4 8,in due course a narrative appeared describing the terrible havoc wrought4 ,the greatest stress was laid upon the instant ignition and complete destruction by fire of all the woodwork on the doomed ship4 ,elaborate leading articles appeared enforcing the lesson that wood was no longer a possible material for the accessory furniture of a battleship4 8,a day or two after1 a quiet answer in the ,house of ,commons from ,mr4 ,goschen informed the limited public who read it1 that no fire whatever had occurred on the occasion so graphically described by the host of ,press correspondents4 8,the events dealt with on these occasions took place in our own country1 and under our own eyes1 so to speak4 ,if such untrue reports are set forth with the verisimilitude of accurate and detailed personal description of eye-witnesses1 what are we to say of the truth in the reports of events occurring at a distance8 8,special knowledge1 special experience long continued1 speaking under a sense of responsibility1 are set at nought4 ,the regular channels of information are neglected1 and the conduct of affairs is based on newspaper reports4 ,any private business conducted and managed on these lines would be immediately ruined4 ,the business of the ,empire is more important1 and the results of its mismanagement are more serious4 ,for how long will it be possible to continue its management1 trusting to the light thrown on events by an irresponsible ,press80 99 99 99 99 99 ,the 8irresponsibility0 here complained of comes out perhaps more often and most glaringly in those papers which profess to chronicle the sayings and doings of kings and queens1 prime ministers1 and personages more or less well known in the world of art1 letters and society4 ,in nine cases out of ten1 the journalist who reports these sayings and doings has never set eyes on the people about whom he writes with such a free and easy flippancy4 ,even if he has1 his authority to make their conversation public may be questioned4 ,it is surely not too much to ask of the editors of newspapers that they should1 by applying directly to the individuals concerned1 ascertain whether such and such a statement made to them is true before giving it currency4 ,a couple of penny stamps expended in private correspondence would settle the matter to the satisfaction of both parties4 8,personalities10 however1 would seem to be greatly in vogue4 ,note the following3 8,at seven o'clock the ,king left the hotel and walked to the spring to drink more of the water4 ,altogether1 ,his ,majesty has to drink about a quart of the water every morning1 before breakfast4 8,standing among the throng1 in which every type and nationality of humanity was represented1 the ,king sipped his second pint glass of water4 8,after drinking the quart of water1 the regulations laid down for the #8cure' further require the ,king to walk for two hours before eating a morsel of food4 8,this ,his ,majesty performed by pacing up and down the promenade from the ,kruez spring at one end1 to the ,ferdinand spring at the other4 8,notwithstanding all the appeals of the local authorities to the visitors1 ,king ,edward was#amuch greatly inconvenienced by the snobbish curiosity of the crowd40 ,one may query whether 8the snobbish curiosity of the crowd0 or the snobbish information as to how 8the ,king sipped his second pint glass of water0 was the more reprehensible4 ,of course there are both men and women who delight in the personalities of the ,press1 especially when they concern themselves4 ,many ladies of rank and title are only too happy to have their dresses described to the man in the street1 and their physical charms discussed by ,tom1 ,dick and ,harry4 ,and when the ,press is amiable enough to oblige them in these little yearnings for personal publicity1 let us hope that the labourer1 being worthy of his hire1 hath his reward4 ,the following extract1 taken from a daily journal boasting a large circulation1 can be called little less than a pandering to the lowest tastes of the abandoned feminine snob1 as well as a flagrant example of the positively criminal recklessness with which irresponsible journalists permit themselves to incite1 by their flamboyant praise of the demi-mondaine1 the envy and cupidity of thoughtless girls and women1 who perhaps but for the perusal of such tawdry stuff1 would never have known of1 or half-unconsciously coveted the dress-and-diamond gew-gaws which are the common reward of female degradation and dishonesty3 8,miss ,w41 a young ,american actress1 has burst upon ,london4 ,she has brought back from ,paris to the ,savoy ,hotel1 along with her golden hair and lovely brown eyes1 an enormous jewel-case1 innumerable dress-baskets--and a story4 ,it concerns herself and how she made a fortune on the ,paris ,bourse1 and she told it to our representative yesterday4 8,she is an ,american1 and was eating candy when she met ,m4 ,j---- ,l----4 #8,ah6' said he1 #8give up stick and buy stock4' ,she #8took the tip1' she says1 and staked her fortune--every penny--on the deal4 ,a fortnight later she came back one night to her flat in the ,avenue du ,bois de ,boulogne1 from the ,olympia1 where she plays a leading part4 ,a telegram from her bankers was waiting4 ,it said3 #8,you have been successful4' #8,next day1' says ,miss ,w41 #8,i called on those bankers and picked up the #bj1jjj ,i had made4' 8,,inveterate ,,gambler4 8#8,wonderful1 wasn't it8' said ,miss ,w41 and our representative agreed that it was4 #8,oh1 but it was a mere nothing6' she said4 #8,i have gambled since ,i was seven4 ,then ,i used to bet in pop-corn and always won4 ,at seventeen ,i was quite #8a dab' at spotting winners on the ,turf4 8#8,monte ,carlo8 ,oh1 yes4 ,i won a trifle there this year--#hjj or so4 ,and ,trouville6 ,why1 you may not believe it1 but ,i won #d1jjj there this year in a few weeks4 8#8,of course1 ,i don't know the tricks of the ,stock ,exchange1 though ,i was once chased by a bull1' observed ,miss ,w41 with a smile4 #8,still1 ,i think ,i'll stick to it4' 8,opposite the ,bourse is a shop where fashionable ,parisians buy their furs4 ,she spent #a1fjj in a sable coat and hat on the day that the ,bourse made her4 ,her other purchases include3-- ,paris hats to the value of #bjj4 ,a robe of baby lamb1 #aej4 ,fifteen ,paquin gowns4 ,two long fur coats4 ,five short fur coats4 ,three sets of furs4 8,she also admits that she bought such trifles in the way of jewellery as3-- ,a corsage with thirteen large diamonds4 ,eighteen rows of pearls4 ,eighteen diamond rings4 ,two diamond butterflies4 ,one emerald ring4 ,several pendants4 8,diamonds1 says ,miss ,w41 are the joy of her life4 ,each night on the stage of the ,olympia she wears between #cj1jjj and #dj1jjj worth of jewellery40 ,the woman who confides her wardrobe list and the prices of her clothes to a ,fleet ,street hack of the pen is far gone past recall1 but her manner of misdemeaning herself should not be proclaimed in the ,press under 8headings0 as if it were news of importance to the country2 and it would not be so proclaimed were the ,press entirely1 instead of only partially1 in the hands of educated men4 ,in olden days it would seem that a great part of the responsibility of the ,press lay in its criticism of art and literature4 ,that burden1 however1 no longer lies upon its shoulders4 ,since the people began to read for themselves1 newspaper criticism1 so far as books are concerned1 carries little weight4 ,when some particular book secures a great success1 we read this kind of thing about it3 8,in argument1 intrigue and style it captures the fancy of the masses without attracting the slightest attention from the critical and discriminating few whose approval alone gives any chance of permanence to work40 ,this is1 of course1 very old hearing4 8,the critical and discriminating few0 in ,italy long ago condemned ,dante as a 8vulgar0 rhymer1 who used the 8people's vernacular40 ,now the much-abused ,florentine is the great ,italian classic4 ,the same 8critical and discriminating few0 condemned ,john ,keats1 who is now enrolled among the chiefest of ,english poets4 ,onslaughts of the bitterest kind were hurled at the novels of ,charles ,dickens by the 8critical and discriminating few0--in the great writer's time--but he 8captured the fancy of the masses0 and lives in the hearts and homes of thousands for whom the 8critical and discriminating few0 might just as well never have existed4 ,and when we look up the names of the 8critical and discriminating few0 in our own day1 we find1 strange to say1 that they are all disappointed authors6 ,all of them have-written poems or novels1 which are failures4 ,so we must needs pity their 8criticism0 and 8discrimination0 equally1 knowing the secret fount of gall from which these delicate emotions spring4 ,at the same time1 the 8responsibility0 of the ,press might still be appealed to in literary1 dramatic and artistic matters as1 for example3 ,why allow an unsuccessful artist to criticize a successful picture8 ,why ask an unlucky playwright who cannot get even a farce accepted by the managers1 to criticize a brilliant play8 ,why depute a gentleman or lady who has 8essayed0 a little unsuccessful fiction to 8review0 a novel which has 8captured the fancy of the masses0 and is selling well8 ,these be weighty matters6 ,common human nature is common human nature all the world over1 and it is not in common human nature to give praise to another for qualities we ourselves envy4 ,every one has not the same fine endowment of generosity as ,sir ,walter ,scott1 who wrote an anonymous review of ,lord ,byron's poems1 giving them the most enthusiastic praise1 and frankly stating that after the appearance of so brilliant a luminary of genius1 ,walter ,scott could no longer be considered worthy of attention as a poet4 ,what rhymer of to-day would thus nobly condemn himself in order to give praise to a rival8 ,may it not1 with due respect1 be suggested to those who have the handling of such matters that neither the avowed friends nor the avowed foes of authors be permitted to review their books8--the same rule of criticism to apply equally to the works of musicians1 painters1 sculptors and playwrights8 ,neither personal prejudice nor personal favouritism should be allowed to interfere with the impression produced on the mind by a work of art4 ,vulgar abuse and fervid eulogy are alike out of place4 ,in the productions of the human brain nothing is wholly bad and nothing is wholly good4 ,perfection is impossible of attainment on our present plane of existence4 ,we do not find it in ,nature1--still less shall we find it in ourselves4 ,the critic can show good in everything if he himself is of a good mind4 ,or he can show bad in everything as easily1 should his digestion be out of order4 ,unfortunately the 8wear and tear of life0--to quote the patent medicine advertisements1 wreaks natural havoc on the physical composition of the gentleman who is perhaps set down to review twenty novels in one column of print for the trifling sum of a guinea4 ,all sorts of difficulties beset him4 ,for instance1 he may be employed on a certain 8literary0 paper which1 being the property of the relatives of a novelist1 exists chiefly to praise that novelist1 even though it be curiously called an 8organ of ,english literature10--and woe betide the miserable man who dares to praise anyone else6 ,knowing much of the ins and outs of the literary grind1 ,i tender my salutations to all reviewers of books1 together with my respectful sympathy4 ,i am truly sorry for them1 and ,i do not in the least wonder that they hate with a deadly hatred every scribbling creature who writes a 8long0 novel4 ,because the 8pay0 for reviewing such a book is never in proportion to its length1 as of course it ought to be4 ,but anyway it doesn't matter how much or how little of it is criticized4 ,the bulk of the public do not read reviews4 ,that is left to the 8discriminating few40 ,and oh1 how that 8discriminating few0 would love to 8capture the fancy of the masses0 if they could only manage to do it6 ,yet--8,never mind60 they say1 with the tragedian's glare and scowl--8,our names will be inscribed upon the scroll of fame when all ye are forgotten60 ,dear things6 ,heaven grant them this poor comfort in their graves6 ,one cannot but regret that in these days of wonderful research1 discovery and invention1 so little is done to popularize science in the columns of the daily ,press4 ,the majority of the public are appallingly ignorant of astronomy for instance4 ,would it not be as interesting to instruct them in a simple and easy style as to the actual wonders of the heavens about us1 as to fill their minds with the details of a murder8 ,i hardly like to touch on the subject of geography1 for out of fifteen 8educated0 persons ,i asked the question of recently1 not one knew the actual situation on the map1 of ,tibet4 ,now it seems to me that the ,press could work wonders in the way of education1--much more than the 8,bill0 will ever do4 ,books on science and learning are often sadly dull and generally expensive1 and the public cannot afford to buy them largely1 nor do they ask for them much at the libraries4 ,if the daily journals made it a rule to give bright picturesque articles on some grand old truths or great new discoveries of science1 such a course of procedure would be far more productive of good than any amount of 8,short ,sermons0 such as we have lately heard discussed in various quarters4 ,for the ,press is a greater educational force than the ,pulpit4 ,in its hands it has the social moulding of a people1 and the dignity of a nation as represented to other nations4 ,there could hardly be a nobler task1--there can certainly never be a higher responsibility4 ,illustration3 ,decoration ,,footnote3 #a ,copied verbatim from the ,press report4 8,,pagan ,,london0 ,london is 8a pagan city40 ,such was the uncompromising verdict lately pronounced upon it by the ,venerable ,archdeacon ,sinclair1 of great ,st4 ,paul's4 8,a pagan city0--he said1 or was reported to say--8with churches glimmering here and there like fairy lamps twinkling in the spaces of darkness upon a lawn4 ,like fairy lamps1 they serve to show the darkness rather than to illuminate it40 ,it was in a manner striking and curious that the ,archdeacon should have chosen such a simile as 8fairy lamps0 for the ,churches4 ,it was an unconsciously happy hit--no doubt absolutely unintentional4 ,but it described the ,churches of to-day with marvellous exactitude4 ,they are 8fairy lamps0--no more6--only fit for show--of no use in a storm--and quenched easily with a strong puff of wind4 ,fairy lamps6--not strong or steady beacons--not lighthouses in the rough sea of life1 planted bravely on impregnable rocks of faith to which the drowning sailor may cling for rescue and haply find life again4 ,fairy lamps6 ,multiply them by scores1 good ,archdeacon6--quadruple them in every corner of this 8pagan0 city of ours1 over which the heart of every earnest thinker must yearn with a passion of love and pity1 and they shall be no use whatever to light the blackness of one soul's midnight of despair6 8,pagan ,london60 ,the roaring1 rushing crowd--the broad deep river of suffering1 working1 loving1 struggling humanity1 sweeping on1 despite itself1 to the limitless sea of ,death1--every unit in the mass craving for sympathy1 praying for guidance1 longing for comfort1 trying to discover ways out of pain and grief1 and hoping to find ,god somehow and somewhere--and naught but 8fairy lamps0--twinkling doubtfully1 making the gloom more visible1 the uncertainty of the gathering shadows more confusing and misleading6--8fairy lamps0 of which the 8,church of the ,laodiceans10 so strongly reproved by the 8,spirit0 in the ,revelation of ,st4 ,john the ,divine1 must have been the originator and precursor--8,i know thy works1 that thou art neither cold nor hot2 ,i would thou wert cold or hot4 ,so1 because thou art lukewarm1 and neither cold nor hot1 ,i will spue thee out of my mouth60 ,it is perhaps to be doubted whether any ,churchman1 no matter how distinguished1 learned1 fashionable or popular1 has the right to call ,london or any city which is under the ,christian dispensation 8pagan40 ,no one man can honestly say he has probed the heart of another1--and if this be true1 as it undoubtedly is1 still less can one man assume to judge the faith or the emotions of six million hearts--six million striving1 working and struggling souls4 ,that even a handful of the six million should still wander towards 8fairy lamp0 ,churches1 in the hope to find warmth and luminance for their poor lives in such flickering and easily quenched sparks of life1 speaks volumes for the touching faith1 the craving hope1 the desire of ultimate good1 which animates our 8pagan0 citizens4 ,for1 if after two thousand years of ,christianity1 some of them are still passionately asking to be taught and guided1 still praying for strength and courage to fight against many natural besetting sins1 and still seeking after such pure ideals of work and attainment as can alone make life worth living1 it is not they1 surely1 who merit the term 8pagan40 ,they should not be so much blamed as compassionated1 if1 when searching for ,god's fair and open sunshine1 they only stumble at the 8fairy lamps10 and1 angered thereby1 turn altogether away into the outer darkness4 ,such a term as 8pagan0 can be applied with far more justice to their teachers and preachers1 who1 having all the means of help and consolation at their disposal1 fail to perform their high duties with either power1 conviction or effect4 ,it is quite easy to say 8,pagan ,london10 but what if one spoke of 8pagan clergy08 ,what of certain ecclesiastics who do not believe one word of the creed they profess1 and who daily play the part of ,judas ,iscariot over again in taking money for a new betrayal of ,christ8 ,what of the ordained ministers of ,christianity who are un-,christian in every word and act of their daily lives8 ,what of the surpliced hypocrites who preach to others what they never even try to practise8 ,what of certain vicious and worldly clerical bon-vivants1 who may constantly be met with in the houses of wealthy and titled persons1 8clothed in fine linen and faring sumptuously every day10 talking unsavoury society scandal with as much easy glibness as any dissolute 8lay0 decadent that ever cozened another man's wife away from the path of honour in the tricky disguise of a 8,soul08 ,what of the spiteful1 small-minded1 quarrelsome 8local0 parsons1 who1 instead of fostering kindness1 neighbourliness1 goodwill and unity among their parishioners1 set them all by the ears1 and play the petty tyrant with a domineering obstinacy which is rather worse than pagan1 being purely barbarous8 ,many cases could easily be quoted where the childish1 not to say querulous1 pettiness of the ruling vicar of a country parish has helped to narrow1 coarsen1 and deteriorate the spirit of a whole community1 spreading mean jealousies1 fostering cheap rivalries1 and making every soul in the place1 from ,sunday school children up to poor workhouse octogenarians1 irritable1 discontented and unhappy4 ,and if the word 8pagan0 be used at all1 should it not be particularly and specially applied to those theatrical dignitaries of the ,church whose following of the simple and beautiful doctrine of ,christ consists in sheer disobedience to ,his commands--disobedience openly displayed in the ornate ritual and 8vain repetitions0 which ,christ expressly forbade4 8,for all their works they do to be seen of men2 they make broad their phylacteries1 and enlarge the borders of their garments40 ,and while 8enlarging the borders of their garments0 they institute 8processional0 services and promenades round the 8fairy lamp0 churches1 with various altar-bobbings and other foolish ceremonies1 caring nothing for the ,spirit of the faith1 if only all forms and observances1 imported from ,rome1 or from still older 8pagan0 rites than the ,roman1 namely1 the ,grco-,egyptian1 may be in some way introduced into the simple and unaffected form of prayer authorized by the ,church of ,england4 ,disloyal to both ,god and the ,king1 the 8pagan clergy0 are doing more at this present day to injure the cause of true religion among the masses than is any lack of zeal or want of faith that may exist in the people themselves4 ,who can blame sensible men and women for staying away from church1 when in nine cases out of ten they know that the officiating minister is less ,christian1 less enlightened1 less charitable and kind-hearted than themselves8 ,canon ,allen ,edwards1 in an admirable letter addressed to the ,press1 put the case of 8pagan ,london0 very clearly4 ,he says3 8,we do not want new churches40 ,true4 ,no more 8fairy lamps0 are required for the general misleading of the straying sheep4 ,he adds3 8,we want new men40 ,this is the real need--men6 ,men of thought--men of heart1--men of true conviction1 ardent faith1 passionate exaltation1 and unceasing devotion1--men who will not play about with 8show0 services1 like amateur actors in a charity performance1--but who will sincerely care for and sympathize with their fellow-creatures1 and will offer up the prayer and praise of humanity to an all-wise ,omnipotence with that deep heartfelt fervour which is always expressed in the utmost simplicity of form and language1--men who have the intelligence to understand intelligent people1 and who are as able to deal sympathetically with the spiritual troubles and perplexities of an educated person as with those of the ill-taught and frequently ill-fed rustic1--men who1 if they preach1 can find something to say of the marvels of this ,god-born creation of which we are a part--who will teach as well as admonish1--and who will take reverent care not to set the ,almighty ,creator within a small circle of their own special form of orthodoxy1 and condemn every creature that wanders outside that exclusive 8fairy lamp0 enclosure4 ,canon ,allen ,edwards further remarked that 8,the reason why the working classes do not go to church is the same reason why ,i do not go to the ,derby1 not because ,i think it wrong1 for ,i have no opinion on the subject1 but because ,i have no interest in the things that go on there4 ,and this is the reason1 and no other1 why many men do not go to church4 ,they are not interested in what is done there4444 ,a large number of those who are going into the ministry to-day are1 for one most essential part of their work1 entirely without the first elements of equipment4 ,they cannot preach1 and they are not helped to try and learn1 and yet preaching is that very part of their work for which the people expect1 and have a right to expect1 equipment of the highest order40 ,the ,canon says3 8they cannot preach40 ,that is true enough1 but why8 ,i maintain that if they felt their mission1 they could preach it4 ,if they loved their fellow-creatures a thousand times better than themselves1 as they should do1 they would find much of greatness1 beauty and truth to say6 ,if they honoured and worshipped their ,divine ,master as they profess to honour and worship ,him1 there would be little lack of spirit or of eloquence6 ,people always know when a speaker or a preacher is in earnest4 ,he may have a faulty utterance--his elocution may be far from perfect1 but if the heart attunes the voice1 the voice carries4 ,there are many hundreds of noble clergy--but they are fewer than the ignoble of the same calling4 ,and many there are1 not only ignoble in themselves1 but who attempt to pervert their very churches to illegitimate uses4 ,i quote the following from a letter addressed to me on one occasion by a notorious 8minister0 of the ,gospel4 8,as the vicar of one of the largest parishes in ,england1 ,i am often put to it how best to attract to the church the careless and the indifferent4 ,though a very strong ,high ,anglican1 ,i am an intense believer in the ,priesthood of the ,laity4 ,it is the one weak spot in the ,church's system that she does not1 as do the non-conformists1 make sufficient use of and properly appreciate the services of her lay members4 ,it has occurred to me therefore this year that by way of a start in this direction ,i should ask the help of certain leading people in the ,literary1 ,dramatic and ,artistic worlds4 ,my friend1 ,mrs4 ,x41 has already made a beginning by reciting two poems in my ,church1 and thereby moving intensely a congregation of upwards of #c1jjj people40 ,now ,mrs4 ,x4 was1 and is1 a well-known actress1 and she recited the two poems in question from the chancel steps at the conclusion of the ,sunday evening service4 ,i am told1 7though for this ,i will not vouch17 that money was taken at the church doors1 and seats reserved and paid for1 precisely as if the sacred building had been suddenly metamorphosed into a theatre or music hall4 ,it never seemed to occur to the reverend gentleman who is the proprietor of this once 8consecrated0 building1 that if he could not attract to his church 8the careless and indifferent10 the fault probably lay in himself and his general unfitness4 ,as a 8very strong ,high ,anglican0 he would naturally have leanings towards the theatre and its lime-light effects1 and certes1 the 8,priesthood of the ,laity10 whatever may be meant by that term1 is more to be believed in than the ,priesthood of this particular ordained 8priest0 who instituted and encouraged a kind of stage recital from the steps of a sacred chancel1 where the actor or actress concerned was invited to declaim his or her lines1 with back turned to the ,altar1 the ,communion-table serving as the 8scenery40 ,such men as these are the real 8pagans10 and they do infinite harm to the dignity and purity of the ,christian doctrine by their unworthy and debasing example4 ,churches under their dominance are less than 8fairy lamps0 in their influence for good1--they are the mere flare of stage footlights1 showing up the grease-paint and powder of the clerical mime4 ,a deep religious sentiment lies at the hearts of the ,british people1 as indeed of all peoples in the world4 ,no nation1 small or great1 was ever entirely given over to atheism4 ,if atheism and indifference affect a few1 or even a majority of persons1 the fault is assuredly with those who are elected to teach 8the ,way1 the ,truth1 and the ,life40 ,they are chosen and solemnly ordained to be the friends1 lovers and guides of humanity1--not to be selfish pedants1 quarrelsome quidnuncs1 and bigoted despots1 exposing themselves1 as they often do1 to the righteous scorn1 as well as to the careless contempt of the more honest laity4 ,when they show themselves unworthy1 the people fall away4 ,when even one minister of religion appears as co-respondent in a divorce case1 tens of thousands of men and women turn their backs on the ,church4 ,when anything low1 mean1 despicable or treacherous is said or done by a professing 8servant of ,christ10 the evil word or deed from such a source makes ,christianity a byword to many more than the merely profane4 ,when certain great dignitaries of the ,church sit wine-bibbing at 8swagger0 dinner-parties1 relating questionable or 8spicy0 anecdotes unfitting for the ears of decent women1 they lose not only caste themselves1 but they lay all the brethren of their order open to doubt4 8,example is better than precept40 ,we have all written that in our school copy-books1--and nothing has ever happened1 or ever will happen1 that is likely to contradict the statement4 ,if ,london is indeed a 8pagan0 city1 as ,archdeacon ,sinclair has solemnly declared from under the shadowy luminance of his own big 8fairy lamp10 ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral1 then the clergy1 and the clergy alone are responsible4 ,on their 8ordained0 heads be it6 ,for 8pagan0 people are merely the natural outcome of a 8pagan0 priesthood4 ,illustration3 ,decoration ,a ,,question ,,of ,,faith ,,propounded ,,to ,,all ,,whom ,,it ,,may ,,concern ,before fully entering on this paper1 ,i should like those who may be inclined to read it to understand very distinctly1 once and for all1 that ,i am a ,christian4 ,i am sorry that the too-hasty misjudgment of others compels me to assert the fact4 ,the term 8,atheist0 has been applied to me by several persons who should know better1--for it is an absolutely false1 and ,i may add1 libellous accusation4 ,that it has been uttered unthinkingly and at random1 by idle chatterers who have never read a line ,i have written ,i can well believe1--nevertheless it is a mischievous rumour1 as senseless as wicked4 ,poor and inadequate as my service is1 and must ever be1 still ,i am a follower of the ,christian ,faith1 as expounded in ,christ's own words to ,his disciples4 ,i believe that ,christian ,faith to be the grandest and purest in the world1--the most hopeful1 the most strengthening1 the most soul-supporting and ennobling religion ever taught to humanity4 ,to me1 in hours of the bitterest trial1 it has proved not 8a reed shaken by the wind10--but a rock firmer than the foundations of the world1 against which the waves of tribulation break in vain and disperse to naught1--and when brought face to face with imminent death as ,i have been1 it has kept me fearless and calm4 ,i know--because ,i have experienced1--its priceless worth1 its truth1 its grand uplifting power2 and it is because this simple ,christian ,faith is so dear to me1 and so much a part of my every-day life1 that ,i venture to ask a few straight questions of those who1 calling themselves ,christians1 seem to have lost sight altogether of their ,master and ,his commands4 ,i like people who are consistent4 ,inconsistency of mind is like uncleanliness of body2 it breeds discomfort and disease4 ,and in this wonderful age of ours1 in which there is so little real 8greatness10--when even the tried heroism of our leading statesmen and generals is sullied by contemptible jealousies and petty discussions of a quarrelsome nature1--when the minds of men are bent chiefly on money-making and mechanical inventions to save labour 7labour being most unfortunately estimated as a curse instead of the blessing it indubitably is71 ,i find inconsistency the chief ingredient of all modern thought4 ,things are jumbled up in a heterogeneous mass1 without order1 distinction or merit4 ,and the principal subject on which men and women are most wildly1 glaringly inconsistent1 is that which is supposed to be the guiding rule of life--,religion4 ,i should like to try and help to settle this vexed question4 ,i want to find out what the ,christian ,empire means by its 8faith40 ,i venture to lift up my voice as the voice of one alone in the wilderness1 and to send it with as clear a pitch and true a tone as ,i can across the sea of discussion1--the stormy ocean of angry and contradictory tongues1--and ,i ask bluntly and straightly1 8,what is it all about8 ,,do ,,you ,,believe ,,your ,,religion1 ,,or ,,do ,,you ,,not80 ,it is an honest question1 and demands an honest answer4 ,put it to yourselves plainly4 ,,do ,,you ,,believe ,,with ,,all ,,your ,,heart ,,and ,,soul ,,in ,,the ,,faith ,,you ,,profess ,,to ,,follow8 ,again--put it with equal plainness--,,do ,,you ,,not ,,believe ,,one ,,iota ,,of ,,it ,,all8 ,,and ,,are ,,you ,,only ,,following ,,it ,,as ,a ,,matter ,,of ,,custom ,,and ,,form8 ,let us1 my reader or readers1 be round and frank with each other4 ,if you are a ,christian1 your religion is to believe that ,christ was a human ,incarnation or ,manifestation of an ,eternal ,god1 born miraculously of the ,virgin ,mary2 that ,he was crucified in the flesh as a criminal1 died1 was buried1 rose again from the dead1 and ascended to heaven as ,god and ,man in one1 and there perpetually acts as ,mediator between mankind and ,divine ,justice4 ,remember1 that if you believe this1 you believe in the ,,purely ,,supernatural4 ,but let any one talk or write of the purely supernatural as existent in any other form save this one of the ,christian ,faith1 and you will probably be the first to scout the idea of the supernatural altogether4 ,why8 ,where is your consistency8 ,if you believe in one thing which is supernatural1 why not in others8 ,now let us consider the other side of the question4 ,you who do not believe1 but still pretend to do so1 for the sake of form and conventional custom1 do you realize what you are8 ,you consider yourself virtuous and respectable1 no doubt2 but facts are facts1 and you1 in your pretence at faith1 are nothing but a ,liar4 ,the honest sunshiny face of day looks on you1 and knows you for a hypocrite--a miserable unit who is trying in a vague1 mad fashion to cheat the ,eternal ,forces4 ,be ashamed of lying1 man or woman1 whichever you be6 ,stand out of the press and say openly that you do not believe2 so at least shall you be respected4 ,do not show any religious leanings either to one side or the other 8for the sake of custom0--and then we shall see you as you are1 and refrain from branding you 8liar40 ,i would say to all1 clergy and laity1 who do not in their hearts believe in the ,christian ,faith1 8,go out of all churches2 stand aside and let us see who is who4 ,let us have space in which to count up those who are willing to sacrifice all their earthly well-being for ,christ's sake 7for it amounts to nothing less than this71 and those who prefer this world to the next40 ,i will not presume to calculate as to which will form the larger majority4 ,i only say it is absurd to keep up churches1 and an enormous staff of clergy1 archbishops1 bishops1 popes1 cardinals1 and the like1 for a faith in which we do not ,,truly1 ,,absolutely1 ,,and ,,entirely ,,believe4 ,it is a mere pageant of inflated ,falsehood1 and as such must be loathsome in the sight of ,god1--this always with the modern proviso1 8if there indeed be a ,god40 ,yet1 apart from a ,god altogether1 it is degrading to ourselves to play the hypocrite with the serious facts of life and death4 ,therefore1 ,i ask you again--,do you believe1 or do you not believe8 ,my object in proposing the question at all is to endeavour to show the spiritual and symbolic basis upon which the ,christian ,faith rests1 and the paramount necessity there is for accepting it in its pristine purity and beauty1 if we would be wise4 ,to grasp it thoroughly1 we must view it1 not as it now seems to look to us through the darkening shadows of sectarianism1 ,,but ,,as ,,it ,,was ,,originally ,,founded4 ,the time has come upon us that is spoken of in the ,new ,testament1 when 8one shall be taken and the other left10 and the sorting of the sheep from the goats has already commenced4 ,it can be said with truth that most of our ,churches1 as they now exist1 are diametrically opposed to the actual teachings of their ,divine ,founder4 ,it can be proved that in our daily lives we live exactly in the manner which ,christ ,himself would have most sternly condemned4 ,and when all the proofs are put before you plainly1 and without disguise or hyperbole1 in the simplest and straightest language possible1 ,i shall again ask you1 8,,do ,,you ,,believe1 ,,or ,,do ,,you ,,not ,,believe80 ,if you do believe1 declare it openly and live accordingly2 if you do not believe1 in ,god's name leave off lying6 ,the ,symbolism of the ,christian ,faith has been1 and is still1 very much lost sight of1 owing to the manner in which the unimaginative and unthinking majority of people will persist in looking at things from a directly physical1 materialistic and worldly point of view4 ,but if we take the life and character of ,christ as a ,symbolic representation of that ,perfect ,manhood which alone can be pleasing to ,god1--which alone can be worthy to call the ,divine ,source of ,creation 8,father60--some of our difficulties may possibly be removed4 ,christ's ,gospel was first proclaimed in the ,east1--and the ,eastern peoples were accustomed to learn the great truths of religion by a 8symbolic10 or allegorical method of instruction4 ,christ ,himself knew this1--for 8,he taught them many things by parables40 ,we shall do well to keep this spirit of ,eastern symbolism in mind when considering the 8miraculous0 manner of ,christ's birth4 ,note the extreme poverty1 humility1 well-nigh shame attending it6 ,joseph doubted ,mary1 and was 8minded to put her away privily40 ,mary herself doubted the ,angelic ,annunciation1 and said1 8,how shall this be80 ,thus1 even with those most closely concerned1 a cloud of complete disbelief and distrust environed the very thought1 suggestion1 and announcement of the ,god-in-,man4 ,it should be remembered that the ,evangelists1 ,mark and ,john1 have no account of a 8miraculous0 birth at all4 ,john1 supreme as a ,symbolist1 the 8disciple whom ,jesus loved10 wrote1 8,the ,,word was made flesh and dwelt among us40 ,securing this symbolic statement for ourselves1 we find that two of the chief things to which we attach importance in this world--namely1 birth and position--are altogether set aside in this humanizing of the ,,word1 and are of no account whatever4 ,and1 that the helpless ,child lying in a manger on that first ,christmas morning of the world1 was1--despite poverty and humility1--fore-destined to possess more power than all the kings and emperors ever born in the purple4 ,thus1 the first lessons we get from the birth of ,christ are--,faith and ,humility--these are indeed the whole spirit of ,his ,divine doctrine4 ,now1--,how does this spirit pervade our social community to-day1 after nearly two thousand years of constant preaching and teaching8 ,look round on the proud array of the self-important1 pugnacious1 quarrelsome1 sectarian and intolerant so-called 8servants of the ,lord40 ,the ,pope of ,rome1 and his ,cardinals and his ,monsignori6 ,the ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 and his ,bishops1 ,deacons1 ,deans and ,chapters and the like6 ,the million 8sects0--and all the cumbrous paraphernalia of the wealthy and worldly1 8ordained0 to preach the ,gospel6 ,ask them for 8proofs0 of faith6 ,for signs of 8humility06 ,for evidences of any kind to show that they are in very soul and life and truth1 the followers of that ,master who never knew luxury1 and had not where to lay ,his head6 ,and you1 among the laity1 how can you pray1 or pretend to pray to a poor and despised 8,man of ,sorrows10 in these days1 when with every act and word of your life you show your neighbours that you love ,money better than anything else in earth or in heaven6--when even you who are millionaires only give and do just as much as will bring you notoriety1 or purchase you a 8handle0 to your names6 ,why do you bend your hypocritical heads on ,sundays to the ,name of 8,jesus10 who 7so far as visible worldly position admitted7 was merely the son of a carpenter1 and followed the carpenter's trade1 while on week-days you make no secret of your scorn of1 or indifference to the 8working-man10 and more often than not spurn the beggar from your gates6 ,be consistent1 friends6--be consistent6 ,,if ,,you ,,believe ,,in ,,christianity1 you must also believe in these three things3-- #a4 ,the virtue of poverty4 #b4 ,the dignity of labour4 #c4 ,the excellence of simplicity4 ,rank1 wealth1 and all kinds of ostentation should be to you pitiable--not enviable4 ,,is ,,it ,,so8 ,do you prefer poverty1 with a pure conscience1 to ill-gotten riches8 ,would you rather be a faithful servant of ,christ or a slave of ,mammon8 ,give the answer to your own soul1--but give it honestly--if you can6 ,if you find1 on close self-examination1 that you love yourself1 your own importance1 your position1 your money1 your household goods and clothes1 your place in what you call 8society10 more than the steady working for and following of ,christ1--,,you ,,are ,,not ,a ,,christian4 ,that being the case1 be brave about it6 ,say what you are1 and do not pretend to be what you are not6 ,it ought to be quite easy for you to come to a clear understanding with yourselves4 ,take down the ,new ,testament and read it4 ,read it as closely and carefully as you read your cheap newspapers1 and with as much eagerness to find out 8news40 ,for news there is in it1 and of grave import4 ,not news affecting the things of this world1 which pass like a breath of wind and are no more1--but news which treats of ,eternal ,facts1 outlasting the creation and re-creation of countless worlds4 ,read this book for yourselves1 ,i say1 rather than take it in portions on ,sundays only from your clergy1--and devote your earnest attention to the simple precepts uttered by ,christ ,himself4 ,if you are a ,christian1 you believe ,christ was an ,incarnation of ,god1--then does it not behove you to listen when ,god speaks8 ,or is it a matter of indifference to you that the ,maker and ,upholder of millions of universes should have condescended to come and teach you how to live8 ,if it is1 then stand forth and let us see you6 ,do not attend places of worship merely to be noticed by your neighbours4 ,for1--apart from such conduct being strictly forbidden by ,christ1--you insult other persons by your presence as a liar and hypocrite4 ,this is what you may call a 8rude0 statement2--plain-speaking and truth-telling are always called 8rude40 ,you will find the utmost plain-speaking in the ,gospels upon which you profess to pin your faith4 ,if you have any 8fancy ,ritualism0 lurking about you1 you will discover that 8forms0 are not tolerated by the ,saviour of mankind4 8,all their works they do for to be seen of men2 they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments40 8,shows0 of religion are severely censured and condemned by ,him whose commands we assume to try and obey--we can scarcely find even a peg whereon to hang an excuse for our practice of praying in public1 while 8vain repetitions0 of prayer are expressly prohibited4 ,i repeat--,read the ,four ,gospels2 they are very much mis-read in these days1 and even in the ,churches are only gabbled4 ,see if your private and personal lives are in keeping with the commands there set down4 ,if not1 cease to play ,humbug with the ,eternities2--they will avenge themselves upon your hypocrisy in a way you dream not of6 8,whosoever excuses himself accuses himself40 ,the true ,christian faith has no dogma1--no form1--no sect4 ,it starts with ,christ as ,god-in-,man1 in an all-embracing love for ,god and ,his whole ,creation1 with an explicit and clear understanding 7as symbolized so emphatically in the ,crucifixion and ,resurrection71 that each individual ,soul is an immortal germ of life1 in process of eternal development1 to which each new 8experience0 of thought1 whether on this planet or others1 adds larger powers1 wider intelligence1 and intensified consciousness4 ,there are no 8isms0 in this faith--no bigotry1 and no intolerance4 ,it leaves no ground for discussion4 8,this is my commandment1--,that ye love one another as ,i have loved you40 ,it is all there1--simple1 straight and pure--no more1 no less than this4 8,love feels no burden1 thinks nothing of trouble1 attempts what is above its strength1 pleads no excuse of impossibility4 ,it is1 therefore1 able to undertake all things1 and it completes many things and warrants them to take effect where he who does not love would faint and lie down4 ,love is watchful1 and1 sleeping1 slumbereth not4 ,though weary1 it is not tired2 though alarmed1 it is not confounded1 but1 as a lively flame and burning torch1 it forces its way upwards1 and securely passes all4444 ,love is born of ,god and cannot rest but in ,god1 above all created things40 ,is our ,gospel of modern life and society to-day one of love or of hate8 ,do we help each other more readily than we kick each other down8 ,do we prefer to praise or to slander our neighbours8 ,is it not absolutely true that 8a cruel story runs on wheels1 and every hand oils the wheels as they run08 ,can we leave anybody alone without covert or open detraction from his or her merits8 ,even in the most ordinary1 every-day life do we not see people taking a malicious1 insane delight in making their next-door neighbours as uncomfortable as possible in every petty way they can8 ,these persons1 by the way1 are generally the class who go to ,church most regularly1 and are constant ,communicants4 ,do they not by their profane attempt to assimilate the malignity of their dispositions with the gospel of ,christ1 deserve to be considered as mere blasphemers of the ,faith8 ,yet1 as a matter of fact1 it is much easier to love than to hate4 ,love is the natural and native air of the immortal soul4 8,while we fulfil the law of love in all our thoughts and actions1 we cannot fail to grow40 ,hatred1 discontent1 envy1 and pessimism1 cramp all the higher faculties of the mind and very often actually breed disease in the body4 ,to love all creation is to draw the responsive health and life of creation into one's own immortal cognizance4 8,love easily loosens all our bonds4 ,there is no discomfort that will not yield to its sovereign power40 ,but it must not be a selfish love4 ,it must be a ,love which is the keynote of the ,christian ,faith--8,love one another as ,i have loved you40 ,it follows very plainly that if we truly loved one another there would be no wars1 no envyings1 no racial hatreds1 no over-reaching of our brethren for either wealth1 place or power4 ,there would be no such hells as the ,lancashire factories1 for example1 where1 as ,allen ,clarke graphically tells us1#b 8,amidst that sickening jerry-jumble of cheap bricks and cheaper ,british industry1 over a hundred thousand men1 women and children1 toil and exist1 sweating in the vast1 hot1 stuffy mills and sweltering forges--going1 when young1 to the smut-surrounded schools to improve their minds1 and trying to commune with the living ,god in the dreary1 dead1 besmirched churches and grimy puritanical chapels2 growing up stunted1 breeding thoughtlessly1 dying prematurely1 knowing not1 nor dreaming1 except for here and there a solitary one cursed with keen sight and sensitive soul1 of aught better and brighter than this sickening1 steaming sphere of slime and sorrow40 ,contrast this picture with a crowded 8supper-night0 at the ,carlton or any other fashionable ,feeding-place of ,london1 and then maintain1 if you dare1 that the men and women who are responsible for two such differing sides of life are 8,christians06 ,england is1 we are told1 in danger of becoming 8,romanized40 ,priests and nuns of various 8orders0 who have been thrust out of ,france and ,spain for intermeddling1 are seeking refuge here1 in company with the organ-grinders and other folk who have been found unnecessary in their own countries4 ,from ,paris official news was cabled on ,september #aa1 #aijb1 as follows3-- 8,,jesuit ,,exodus ,,from ,,france4 8,,paris1 ,wednesday1 ,september #aa4 8,it is announced officially that by the #ast of next month not a single ,jesuit will be left in ,france4 ,most of them are emigrating to ,england1 and will make ,canterbury their headquarters4--,,dalziel40 ,france will not have the ,jesuits2 may it be asked why we are to have them8 ,it is ,england's proud privilege to be an international workhouse for all the decrepit of the world1 and for this cause a happy hunting ground is open to ,rome among these same decrepit4 ,there is no creed in the world which is better adapted for those who are morally weak1 and frightened of themselves4 ,all the millionaires who have gotten their goods by fraud1 can1 by leaving the greater part of these goods to ,rome1 secure a reserved seat in ,rome's ,heaven1 with a special harp and crown4 ,all the women with 8soul-affinities0 other than lawful1 can1 after a considerable wallow in social mire1 enter the ,church of ,rome1 and1 after confession1 be 8cleansed0 sufficiently to begin again a new life1 approved of the saints4 ,all the spiritualists and faith-healers can find support for their theories with ,rome1--and the ,roman hell1 full of large snakes and much brimstone1 is a satisfactory place to consign one's enemies to1 when we have quite put aside ,christ's command1 8,love one another40 ,altogether ,romanism is calculated to appeal to a very large majority of persons through the sensuous and emotional beauty of its ritual2--it is a kind of heavenly narcotic which persuades the believer to resign his own will into the hypnotic management of the priests4 ,the church is made gorgeous with soft lights and colours1--glorious music resounds through the building1 and the mind drowses gently under the influence of the ,latin chanting1 which we need not follow unless we like1--we are permitted to believe that a large number of saints and angels are specially looking after us1 and that the sweet ,virgin ,mary is ever ready with outstretched hands to listen to all our little griefs and vexations4 ,it is a beautiful and fascinating ,creed1 hallowed by long antiquity1 graced by deeds of romance and chivalry1 sanctified by the memories of great martyrs and pure saints1 and even in these degenerate days1 glorified by the noble-hearted men and women who follow it without bigotry or intolerance1 doing good everywhere1 tending the sick1 comforting the sorrowful1 and gathering up the little children into their protecting arms1 even as ,jesus ,himself gathered them4 ,it would need an angel's pen dipped in fire1 to record the true history of a faithful1 self-denying priest of the ,roman ,church1 who gives up his own advantage for the sake of serving others1--who walks fearlessly into squalid dens reeking with fever1 and sets the pure ,host between the infected lips of the dying1--who combats with the ,demon of ,drink1 and drags up the almost lost reprobate out of that horrible chasm of vice and destruction4 ,no one could ever give sufficient honour to such a man for all the immense amount of good he does1 unostentatiously and without hope of reward4 ,but many men like himself exist equally in the ,english ,church as the ,roman1--in the ,presbyterian ,church1 in the ,greek ,church1 in the ,buddhist temples1 among the ,quakers1 8,plymouth ,brethren10 and other sects--among the followers of ,mahomet or of ,confucius4 ,for there are good men and good women in every ,church1 faithful to the ,,spirit ,,of ,,christ1 and1 therefore1 8,christians10 even if called ,jews or ,hindoos4 ,personally1 ,i have no more objection or dislike to ,romanism than ,i have to any other 8ism0 ever formulated4 ,from a student's point of view ,i admire the ,roman ,catholic priesthood1 because they understand their business1 and thoroughly know the material with which they have to deal4 ,wise as their ,egyptian prototypes of old1 they decline to unveil 8mysteries0 to the uninitiated vulgar--therefore the laity are not expected to read the ,bible for themselves4 ,knowing the terrors of a guilty conscience1 they are able to intimidate the uneducated ruffian of both sexes more successfully than all the majesty of the law4 ,thoroughly aware of the popular delight in 8shows10 they organize public processions on feast days1 just as the 8,masters of the ,stars0 used to do in ,memphis1 where1 by the way 7as those who take the trouble to study ancient ,egyptian records will discover71 our latest inventions1 such as the electric light1 the telephone1 the phonograph1 and many other modern conveniences1 were used by the priests for 8miraculous0 effects4 ,from the ,egyptian priesthood we derive the beginnings of scientific discovery2--to the early ,roman ,catholic priesthood we owe the preservation of much history and learning4 ,the one is1 intellectually speaking1 a lineal descendant of the other1 and both deserve the utmost respect for their immense capacity as ,rulers of the ,ignorant4 ,the greater majority of persons have no force of will and no decided opinions1 but only an under-sense of coward fear or vexation at the possible unsuccessful or damaging result of their own ill-doings4 ,hence the power of the ,roman ,catholic dogma4 ,it is not ,christianity2 it has not the delicate subtlety of ,greek mythology2 it is simply pagan ,rome engrafted on the conversion and repentance of the ,jew1 ,peter1 who1 in the time of trial1 8knew not the ,man40 ,curiously enough1 it is just the 8,man10 the real typical ,christ1 the pure1 strong ,god-in-humanity who is still 8not known0 in the ,roman ,catholic ritual4 ,there are prayers to the 8,sacred ,heart0 and to other physical attributes of ,jesus1--just as in old ,rome there were prayers to the physical attributes of the various deities1 but of the perfect 8,man10 as seen in ,christ's dauntless love of truth and exposure of shams1 ,his scourging of the thieves out of the holy temple1 ,his grand indifference to the world's malice and hatred1 and ,his conquest over death and the grave1--of these things we are given no clear or helpful image4 ,nevertheless1 it is the 8,man0 we most need1--the 8,man0 who came to us to teach us how to live2--the brother1 the friend1 the close sympathizer1--the great ,creator of all life mingling ,himself with ,his human creation in a beautiful1 tender1 loving1 wise and all-pitiful ,spirit1 wherein is no hate1 no revenge1 and no intolerance6 ,this is the ,christ2--this is ,his ,christianity4 ,romanism1 on the contrary1 allows plenty of space for those who want to hate as well as to love1 and it is as helpful or as useless as any of the thousand and one dogmas built up around ,christ1 dogmas which include bad passions as well as divine aspirations4 ,the danger of such a creed gaining too much ground in ,england1 the land where our forefathers fought against it and trampled it out with their own blood and tears1 is not because it is a particular form of religious ,faith1 but because it is an intolerant system of secret ,government4 ,this has been proved over and over again throughout history4 ,its leaders have not shown themselves as gentle pagans by any means1 either now or in the past2--and intolerance in any form1 from any sect1 is no part of the ,constitution of a free country4 ,hence the real cause of the objection which has been entertained by millions of persons in the ,empire to the suggested alteration of the ,king's ,coronation oath4 ,the ,british ,king is a ,constitutional monarch1--and the words 8,defender of the ,faith0 imply that he is equally ,defender of the ,constitution4 ,he agrees1 when he is crowned ,king of ,england1 to uphold that ,constitution1--he therefore tacitly rejects all that might tend to undermine it1--all secret methods of tampering with political1 governmental or financial matters relating to the ,state4 ,the wording of the ,coronation ,oath is1 and must be distinctly offensive to thousands of excellent persons who are ,roman ,catholics1--nevertheless1 in the times when it was so worded1 the offending terms were made necessary by the conduct of the ,roman ,catholics themselves4 ,those times1 we are assured1 are past4 ,we have made progress in education1--we are now broad-minded enough to be fair to foes1 as well as to friends4 ,we should1 therefore1 in common courtesy to a rival ,church1 consent to have this irritating formula altered4 ,perhaps we should1--but is it too much to ask our ,roman ,catholic brethren that they also should1 if they wish for tolerance1 exhibit it on their own side8 ,when ,queen ,victoria died1 was it not quite as offensive on the part of ,pope ,leo to publicly state that he 8could not be represented at the funeral of a ,protestant ,queen0--as it may be for our ,king to publicly repudiate the service of the ,mass8 ,nothing could have been more calculated to gratuitously wound the feelings of a great ,people than that most unnecessary announcement made from an historical religious centre like the ,vatican1 at a time of universal grief for the death of a good ,monarch4 ,if the ,pope's act was according to the rule of his ,church1 the ,king's oath is according to the rule of the ,british ,constitution4 ,no one could accuse the ,pope of any particularly 8,christian0 feeling in declining to be represented at the last obsequies of the best ,queen that ever reigned--no one can or would ever conscientiously accuse an ,english ,king of 8religious intolerance0 when he takes the oath as it is set down for him4 ,both acts are matters of policy4 ,we have seen the foremost peer of ,england1 the ,duke of ,norfolk1 forgetting himself so far on one occasion as to drag his religious creed into the political arena1 and publicly expressing the hope on behalf of all ,english ,catholics that the ,pope may soon regain temporal power 7which means1 to put it quite plainly1 that the ,british ,constitution should be disintegrated and laid under subjection to ,rome73 the natural consequence of such conduct is that an enormous majority of perfectly sensible broad-minded people doubt whether it is wise to leave an entirely loose rein on the neck of the papal ,pegasus4 ,tolerance and equity on the one side must be met by tolerance and equity on the other1 if a fair understanding is to be arrived at4 ,and when the professors of any religious ,creed still persecute heroism and intellect1 or refuse reverence to the last rite of a noble ,queen1 whose long reign was a blessing to the whole world1 one may be permitted to question their fitness for the task of elevating and refining the minds and morals of those whom their teachings help to influence4 ,and having1 as a man of intellectual and keen perception1 the full consciousness that such unuttered 8questioning0 was burning the hearts and minds of thousands1 the late ,cardinal ,vaughan showed himself a master of the art of ,roman ,catholic diplomacy in his speech at ,newcastle-on-,tyne on ,september #i1 #aijb4 ,speaking of the inrush of ,roman ,catholic priests into ,england1 he said3-- 8,a statement from a ,london paper has been running through the provincial ,press to the effect that ,i have deliberately outraged public feeling by inviting to ,england certain ,french religieux1 some of those confrres who have made themselves particularly obnoxious by their constant attacks upon this country4 ,the fact is that1 upon the passing of the iniquitous law against the religious congregations1 ,i gave a general invitation to any religieux who might wish1 to come to my diocese until they could return to ,france4 ,among those who applied were three or four fathers1 some of those confrres who do not love ,england4 ,my invitation being general1 ,i was not1 and am not going to make distinctions4 ,none will come who do not intend to obey the laws and follow my direction4 ,and if there be any who have not been sufficiently enlightened to appreciate this country while living in ,france1 they are the very people who had best come and make our acquaintance4 ,this is the surest way to change their views4 ,but while ,england boasts of her generous hospitality to every kind of refugee1 ,i shall certainly offer whatever hospitality ,i can to the men and women who have suffered for ,christ's sake4 ,i am too broad an ,englishman to know any other policy40 8,broad ,englishman0 as the ,cardinal professed to be1 he had no pity on the aged ,dr4 ,st4 ,george ,mivart1 the circumstances of whose treatment are not yet forgotten4 ,speaking of the ,coronation oath1 the ,cardinal said3 8,i entirely and frankly accept the decision of the country that the ,king must be a ,protestant4 ,they believe that this is in some way bound up with the welfare of the ,empire4 ,,without ,,going ,,this ,,length1 ,i am convinced that in the present condition of the ,english people1 ,,haunted ,,as ,,they ,,are ,,by ,,fears ,,and ,,suspicions1 it is expedient that the ,king should be of the religion of the overwhelming majority4 ,besides1 the ,king being1 in virtue of ,royal supremacy1 head of the ,state ,church1 it is impossible that he should be other than a ,protestant4 ,catholics have no difficulty in paying most loyal allegiance to a ,protestant ,sovereign4 ,in this they seem to be of more liberal and confiding temper than those who would refuse allegiance to a ,king unless he professed their creed4 ,the ,catholic has no difficulty1 because he gives his allegiance and his life1 when needed1 primarily to the civil power ordained of ,god40 7,the ,cardinal did not pause here to try and explain why ,god has thus 8ordained0 a ,protestant sovereign instead of a ,roman ,catholic one6 ,yet no doubt he will admit that ,god knows best47 8,the ,sovereign ,,represents ,,this ,,power1 whatever be his religion4 ,was it not ,catholic ,belgium that placed the ,protestant ,king ,leopold upon the ,throne1 and gave to him at least as hearty a devotion as ever has been shown to his ,catholic successor8 ,other ,catholic ,states are ruled by ,protestant ,sovereigns4 ,and who can say that the #af1jjj1jjj of ,german ,catholics are a whit less loyal to their ,german ,protestant ,emperor than the millions who are of the ,protestant or of no religion8 ,there are people1 ,i believe1 pursued by the conviction that we ,catholics would do anything in the world to get a ,catholic ,king upon the ,throne2 that the ,pope would give us leave to tell lies1 commit perjury1 plot1 scheme1 and kill to any extent for such a purpose2 that there is no crime we should stick at if the certainty1 or even the probability of accomplishing such an end were in view4 ,now let me put it to our ,protestant friends in this way4 ,if the ,king of ,england were an absolute ,monarch1 the dictator of the laws to be enacted1 and his own executive1 there might be something of vital importance to our interests and to those of religion to excite in us an intense desire to have a ,catholic ,king4 ,though even then the end could never1 even remotely1 justify the means suggested4 ,but how do matters really stand8 ,we have a ,constitutional ,monarch who is subject to the laws1 and in practice bound to follow the advice of his ,ministers4 ,a ,catholic ,king1 under present circumstances1 would be a cause of weakness1 of perpetual difficulty1 and of untold anxiety4 ,we are far better off as we are4 ,our dangers and grievances1 our hopes and our happiness1 ,,lie ,,in ,,the ,,working ,,of ,,the ,,constitution1 not in the favour or power of any ,sovereign4 ,,it ,,is ,,the ,,parliament1 ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,commons1 ,,that ,,we ,,must ,,convert1 or at least strive to retain within the influence of ,christianity4 ,for the well-being of this country and the salvation of its people depend1 above all other human things1 ,,upon ,,the ,,view ,,that ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,commons ,,can ,,be ,,got ,,to ,,take ,,of ,,its ,,duty--to respect and obey the law of ,christ4 ,what we want is to get the ,house of ,commons to maintain the ,christian laws of marriage as the basis of society1 and to secure to parents and their children a true and proper liberty in the matter of ,christian education4 ,and in this1 remember well1 ,,that ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,commons ,,depends ,,not ,,upon ,,the ,,king1 ,,whatever ,,his ,,religion1 ,,but ,,upon ,,ourselves4 ,the people of this country must work out their own salvation4 ,and here let me point out to you1 in passing1 that the next ,session of ,parliament may settle for ever the position of ,christianity in this country4 ,secondary and middle-class education will be thrown into the melting-pot4 ,in the process of the devolution of educational authority upon county councils1 ,christianity will run the risk of losing rights which it seems to have almost secured under the working of the ,education ,department4 ,the adoption of a single clause or principle will have far-reaching and most vital results4 ,there will be another educational struggle4 ,struggles will be inevitable until the ,christian cause which is becoming more and more openly the cause of the majority has permanently triumphed40 ,here we have four distinct 8moves0 on the plan of campaign4 #a4 8,it is the ,parliament1 the ,house of ,commons1 that we must convert40 ,this means1 that wherever influence can be brought to bear on the return of ,roman ,catholic members to the ,house1 that influence will not be lacking4 #b4 8,the next ,session of ,parliament may settle for ever the position of ,christianity in this country40 ,not ,,christianity1 for that is above all 8settling10--save with its ,founder--but that the next or other ,sessions may open the way to a more complete ,roman ,catholic domination is what is here hoped for4 #c4 8,the adoption of a single clause or principle will have far-reaching and most vital results40 ,precisely2--so far-reaching and vital that ,england must be on her guard against even a 8single clause or principle0 which endangers the liberty of the subject4 #d4 8,struggles will be inevitable until the ,christian cause which is becoming more and more openly the cause of the majority has permanently triumphed40 ,for ,cardinal ,vaughan there was only one 8,christian0 cause--viz41 the ,roman ,catholic1 and he who runs may read the meaning of the above phrase without much difficulty4 ,concerning the ,king's ,declaration ,oath1 said the ,cardinal3-- 8,it is not the ,king who is responsible for the drafting or the retention of this detestable ,declaration4 ,it is the ,ministry1 the ,legislature1 the ,constitution that are responsible for its retention1 and for forcing its acceptance upon the ,sovereign4 ,the gravamen1 therefore1 lies against the ,state1 not against the person of the ,king40 ,quite true2 and it is therefore against the ,state that the ,vatican powers must1 and possibly may1 in time1 be directed4 8,and10 went on the ,cardinal1 8do not devout clergymen swear every day in good faith to teach the ,thirty-nine ,articles1 and find every day that conscience and good faith compel them to break their engagement by submitting to the ,catholic ,church8 ,when a man fully realizes that by a promise or an oath he has pledged himself to something that is unjust1 immoral1 untrue1 the engagement ceases to bind40 ,ergo1 the ,english ,church1 the particular 8,faith0 which our ,king undertakes to ,,defend1 is 8unjust1 immoral and untrue40 ,and1 8,could ,englishmen see themselves as others see them1 they would be more chary than they are of provoking hatred by such wanton contempt for the feelings of other nations40 ,well1 ,englishmen have every chance of seeing themselves as others see them1 when they have to chronicle a 8,christian0 ,cardinal's indictment accusing them of 8wanton contempt for the feelings of other nations40 ,to whom do other nations turn in want or distress but ,england8 ,from whom do the famine and fever-stricken in all corners of the world obtain relief8 ,england6 ,where is there any ,roman ,catholic country that has poured out such limitless charity and pity to all in sorrow as ,england8 ,and why should the 8conversion of ,england0 be so valuable to the ,roman ,church8 ,merely because of ,england's incalculable wealth and power6 ,again1 concerning the ,declaration ,oath1 the ,cardinal continued3--8,now1 should it ever happen that the ,king became convinced1 by ,god's grace1 of the truth of the doctrines that he abjured1 of what value would be the ,declaration8 ,absolutely none60 ,of course not6--he would simply cease to be ,king1 and would enjoy the complete liberty of the subject4 8,by all means10 went on his ,eminence1 warming with his theme1 8let the majority1 if it please1 stand by the law1 which exists apart from the ,declaration1 declaring that to reign over ,england the ,sovereign must be a ,protestant4 ,retain this law and enforce it2 but respect our creed1 at least just so far as to ignore it1 and to leave us alone4 ,this1 surely1 is not a heavy demand to make upon the spirit of modern toleration40 ,then why did not the ,cardinal and all his followers 8respect the creed0 established in this country1--the religion of the ,state1--8just so far as to ignore it10 and to leave those who honour it 8alone08 8,this1 surely1 is not a heavy demand to make upon the spirit of modern toleration40 ,it was not the ,church of ,england which started any discussion on the ,coronation ,oath at the time of ,king ,edward the ,seventh's crowning1--the quarrel emanated entirely from the ,roman ,catholic side4 ,and the ,cardinal's speech was intended to be more aggressive than pacifying4 8,but if10 he continued1 8after all1 there must be a ,declaration as a sop to certain fears and passions1 let there be one to the effect that the ,king is a ,protestant--and stop there4 ,should1 however1 a denunciation of the ,catholic religion be added to a profession of ,protestantism1 the whole world will understand it2 it will understand it as a pitiable confession of ,english fear and weakness4 ,and as to ourselves2 well1 we shall take it as a complimentary acknowledgment by our ,protestant fellow-countrymen of the importance and power of faith--that it can not only remove mountains1 but is capable of moving even the fabric of the ,british ,empire itself4 ,but ,i should like to conclude in another strain1 and add to these observations a resolution to this effect3-- 8,that the ,sovereign of this ,empire ought to be raised high above the strife of all political and religious controversies1 the more easily to draw to himself and to retain the unabated loyalty of all creeds and races within his ,empire40 ,with the latter part of the ,cardinal's harangue every one of every creed and class will agree1 but 8a pitiable confession of ,english fear and weakness0 is a phrase that should never have been uttered by an ,englishman1 whether 8broad0 or narrow1 cardinal or layman4 8,english fear and weakness0 has never yet been known in the world's history4 ,and as for 8moving the fabric of the ,british ,empire10 that can only be done through the possible incompetence or demoralization of its own statesmen1--by shiftiness1 treachery and corruption in ,state affairs--and even at this utmost worst1 though ,england might be bent1 she would never be broken4 ,all this1 however1 has nothing to do with the ,christian faith as ,christ ,himself expounded it in ,his own commands4 ,quarrels and dissensions are as far from the teaching of the ,divine ,master as an earth's dusthole is from the centre of the sun4 ,differences of dogma are not approved in ,his eyes4 ,whether candles shall1 or shall not1 be set on the altar1 whether incense shall1 or shall not1 be burnt1 may be said to relegate to the 8cleansing of the outside of the cup and platter10 and are not a vital part of ,his intention--for ,he has nothing but condemnation for 8forms0 and 8ceremonies40 ,there is something both strange and unnatural in the provocative spirit which is at present being exercised by professing rulers of the ,church of ,england against one another2 and another matter too for deep regret is the attitude of favour maintained by certain political ministers1 towards the practice of an almost theatrical display in the form of ,english ,christian services4 ,the various appointments of ,high ,churchmen to important bishoprics shows the tendency towards extravagant ritualism2 certainly the more simple and unaffected men of pure taste and dignity in ,church ritual get little chance of encouragement2 and that the path is being prepared for a second ,cromwell is only too evident4 ,it is lamentable indeed that any discussions should arise between the different sects as to 8forms and ceremonies10 and those who excite fanatical hatreds by their petty quarrels over unimportant 8shows0 and observances1 are criminally to blame for any evils that are likely to ensue4 ,what ,christ commands is 8,love one another02--what ,he desires is that all mankind should be friends and brothers in ,his ,name4 ,and it is from this point of view that ,i again ask the question of those who may have glanced through this paper--,,do ,,you ,,believe1 ,,or ,,do ,,you ,,not ,,believe8 ,are you a ,,christian8 ,or a ,,sectarian8 ,the one is not the other4 ,for my own part ,i would desire to see all the ,sects cease their long quarrel1--all 8dogmas0 dropped--and all creeds amalgamated into one great loving family under the name of ,christ4 ,i should like to see an end to all bigotry1 whether of ,protestantism against ,romanism1 or ,romanism against ,protestantism1--a conclusion to all differences--and one ,universal ,church of simple ,love and ,thanksgiving1 and obedience to ,christ's own commands4 8,temporal power0 should be held as the poor thing which it is1 compared to ,spiritual power1--for ,spiritual power1 according to the ,founder of the ,christian ,faith1 is the transcendent force of ,love--love to ,god and love to man1--8that perfect love which casteth out fear10 and which1 being 8born of ,god1 cannot rest but in ,god above all created things40 ,thus it follows--,that if we hate or envy or slander any person1 ,,we ,,are ,,not ,,christians4 ,if we prefer outward forms of religious ceremonial to the every-day practice of a life lived as closely as possible in accordance with the commands laid down for us in the ,gospel1 ,,we ,,are ,,not ,,christians4 ,if we love ourselves more than our neighbours1 ,,we ,,are ,,not ,,christians4 ,if we care for money1 position1 and the ostentation attending these things1 more than truth1 simplicity and plain dealing1 ,,we ,,are ,,not ,,christians4 ,these ordinary tests of our daily conduct are quite enough to enable us to decide whether we are or are not of the faith4 ,if we are not1 we should cease to 8sham0 that we are4 ,it will be far better for all those with whom we are brought in contact4 ,for1 thank ,god1 there exist thousands of very real 8,christians0--78by their fruits ye shall know them071 doing unostentatious good everywhere1 rescuing the lost1 aiding the poor1 comforting the sick1 and helping the world to grow happier and better4 ,they may be called ,jews1 or ,baptists1 ,papists1 or ,buddhists1--but ,i hold them all as 8,christians0 if they perform those good deeds and live those good lives which are acceptable to ,christ1--while many church-going hypocrites called 8,christians0 whose social existence is a scandal1 whose dissipations1 gross immoralities and pernicious example of living are open dangers to the whole community1 do not deserve even such a complimentary term as 8pagan0 applied to them4 ,for the pagans--aye1 the earliest savages1 believed in ,something higher than themselves1--but these sort of people believe in nothing but the necessity of getting what they want at all costs1 and are mere human cancers of evil1 breeding infection and pestilence4 ,and it is particularly incumbent on the clergy of all denominations at the present juncture to sift ,themselves as to their calling and election while sifting others1--to ask ,themselves whether they may not be in a great measure to blame for much of the infamy which reeks from our great cities--for much of the apathy and indifference to that bitter poverty1 that neglected suffering which often gives birth to ,anarchy1--for much of the open atheism which shames the upper classes of society4 ,let them live such lives as may liberate them from all fear or hesitation in speaking out boldly to the souls they have in charge--let them 8preach the ,gospel0 as they were commanded1 rather than expound human dogmas4 ,sympathy1 tenderness1 patience1 love for all living creatures1 rejection of everything that is mean and cruel1 false and cowardly1--a broad mind1 open to all the beautiful and gracious influences of ,nature--a spirit uplifted in thanksgiving to the loving ,god of all worlds1 who is brought close to us and made the friend of man in the ,divine ,personality of ,christ1--this surely is ,,christianity1--a ,faith which leaves no corner anywhere for the admission of hate1 dissension or despair4 ,such is the ,faith the ,master taught1 saying3 #c8;,i have not spoken of myself1 but of the ,father which sent me2 ,he gave me a commandment what ,i should say1 and what ,i should speak4 8,and ,i know that ,his commandment is life everlasting--whatsoever ,i speak1 therefore1 even as the ,father taught me1 so ,i speak40 ,so ,he speaks--but do we listen8 ,and if we listen1--and believe1--why do we not obey8 ,,footnotes3 #b 8,effects of the ,factory ,system40--,allen ,clarke4 #c ,john xii4 #di4 ,,unchristian ,,clerics ,it is generally supposed that an ordained minister of the ,gospel is a ,christian4 ,whatever the faults1 negligences and shortcomings of other people in other conditions of life1 it is tacitly expected that the professing disciples of ,christ1 the priests1 teachers and exponents of holy and spiritual things1 should be more or less holy and spiritual in themselves4 ,they are at any rate accredited with honest effort to practise1 as well as to preach1 the divine ethics of their ,divine ,master4 ,their position in the social community is one which1 through old-time tradition1 historical sentiment1 and inborn national piety1 is bound to command a certain respect from the laity4 ,any public disgrace befalling a clergyman is always accompanied by a strong public sense of shame1 disappointment and regret4 ,and when we meet 7as most unhappily we often do71 with men in 8holy orders0 who1--instead of furnishing the noble and pure examples of life and character which we have a distinct right to look for in them1--degrade themselves and their high profession by conduct unworthy of the lowest untutored barbarian1 we are moved by amazement as well as sorrow to think that such wolves in sheep's clothing should dare to masquerade as the sacredly ordained helpers and instructors of the struggling human soul4 ,during the past few years there have been many examples of men belonging to the hierarchy of the ,church1 who have wantonly and knowingly outraged every canon of honour and virtue1 and their sins appear all the blacker because of the whiteness of the faith they profess to serve4 ,a criminal is twice a criminal when he adds hypocrisy to his crime4 ,the clergyman of a parish1 who has all doors thrown open to him1--who invites and receives the trust of his parishioners1--who is set among them to guide1 help and comfort them in the devious and difficult ways of life1 is a thousand times more to blame than any other man in a less responsible position1 when he knowingly and deliberately consents to sin4 ,unless he is able to govern his own passions1 and eschew every base1 mean and petty motive of action1 he is not fit to influence his fellow men1 nor should he presume to instruct them in matters which he makes it evident he does not himself understand4 ,quite recently a case was chronicled in the daily press of a clergyman who went to visit a dying woman at her own request4 ,she wished to make a last confession to him1 and so unburden her soul of its secret misery before she passed away1 trusting in ,god's mercy for pardon and peace4 ,the clergyman went accordingly1 and heard what she had to say4 ,when the unhappy creature was dead1 however1 he refused her poor body the sacred rites of burial6 ,now it surely may be asked what authority had he or any man calling himself a ,christian minister to refuse the rites of burial even to the worst of sinners8 ,whatever the woman's faults might have been1 vengeance wreaked on a corpse is both futile and barbarous4 ,there is nothing in ,christ's pure and noble teaching that can endorse so unholy a spirit of intolerance1--one too1 which is calculated to give the bitterest pain to the living friends and relations of the so coarsely-insulted dead1 and to breed in them a relentless hostility to the ,church and its representatives4 ,for the poorest erring human creature that ever turned over the pages of the ,new ,testament1 knows that such conduct is not ,christ-like1 inasmuch as ,christ had nothing but the tenderest pity1 pardon and peace for the worst sinner at the last moment4 ,when death steps in to close all accounts1 it behoves man to be more than merciful to his brother man4 8,for if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your ,father forgive you your trespasses40 ,still fresh in the minds of many must be the un-,christian conduct of the late ,cardinal ,vaughan in denying the rites of ,christian burial to the venerable ,dr4 ,st4 ,george ,mivart4 ,dr4 ,st4 ,george ,mivart was a man of science whose theories did not agree with the tenets of the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 and as he belonged ostensibly to that form of faith1 one may call him1 if one so chooses1 a bad ,catholic4 ,but when it is remembered that within quite recent days1 so-called 8,christian0 priests in ,servia have given their solemn benediction to the assassins of the late ,king and ,queen of that country1 it is somewhat difficult to understand or appreciate the kind of 8religion0 that blesses murderers and regicides1 yet refuses burial to a modern scientist who1 as far as his intellectual powers allowed him1 was working for the good and the wider instruction of the human race4 ,at the time of the 8inhibition0 and subsequent death of ,dr4 ,mivart1 ,i ventured to address an 8,open ,letter0 to ,cardinal ,vaughan on the subject4 ,this ,letter was published in ,march #aijj1 and though no doubt the great 8,prince of the ,church0 never deigned to read it1 a large majority of the public did1 and ,i have had much cause to rejoice that in the timorously silent acquiescence of the ,christian world in a deed which shames the very name of ,christ1 ,i1 at least1 as one of the humblest among the followers of the ,christian faith1 did have sufficient courage to speak out openly against the wicked intolerance which made the ,church itself seem mere 8sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal10 because lacking in that holy charity 8which suffereth long and is kind40 ,it was a barbarous act to 8inhibit0 ,dr4 ,mivart1--it was still more barbarous to refuse his body the sacred burial-rites1--and though the great ,cardinal has now followed his victim to that world where all the secrets of the soul are made manifest1 his cruelty remains as a blot on his mortal career1--a black smirch1 ugly to look upon in the chronicle of his various virtues and excellencies4 ,no ordained minister of the ,gospel has the right to be intolerant4 ,he has not the slightest excuse for arrogating to himself any other code of ethics or conduct than that which is set out plainly for him in the ,new ,testament4 ,away from that he should not dare to go1 if he truly believes what he elects to preach1--and if he does not believe1 he should at once resign his office and not live on the proceeds of what in his own private conscience he considers untrue4 ,most of us have met with many a mean little curate1--many a sly1 spiteful1 scandal-mongering hypocritical parson1--in the daily round of our common lives and duties4 ,most of us know the 8salad0 cleric1--the gentleman who is a doubtful compound of oil and vinegar1 with a good deal of tough green vegetable matter growing where the brain should be1--coarse weed of bigotry1 prejudice1 and rank obstinacy4 ,none of us are entirely ignorant of the sedately amorous parson who is either looking out for a wife on his own account1 or attempting a 8,christianly0 conversion of the wife of somebody else4 ,in country towns we can scarcely fail to have come across the domineering vicar1--the small and petty tyrant1 who whips the souls committed to his charge with rods steeped in his own particular pickle of arrogance1 austerity and coercion1 playing the part of a little despot over terrorized ,sunday-school children1 and laying down the law for his parishioners by way of a 8new dispensation0 wherein the ,gospel has no part4 ,one such petty martinet1 well known in a certain rural parish1 plays regular 8ogre0 to his choir boys4 ,it is always a case of 8,fee1 fi1 fa1 fo1 fum1 ,i smell the blood of a chorister10 with him4 ,should one of these unfortunate minstrels chance to sneeze during service1 this vicar straightway imposes a penny fine 7sometimes more7 on the unlucky little wretch for yielding to an irresistible nasal impulse6 ,this kind of thing is1 of course1 ridiculous1 and would merit nothing but laughter1 were it not for the dislike1 distrust and contempt engendered in the minds of the boys by the display of such a peevish spirit of trumpery oppression on the part of a man who is placed in the position he holds to be an example of kindness1 good temper1 cheerfulness and amiability to all4 ,true1 the vicar in question is what may be called 8liverish10 and a small boy's sneeze may seem1 to a mind perverted by bilious bodily secretions1 like the collapse of a universe4 ,but there are various ways of conquering even one's physical ills1--at least to the extent of sparing poor children the infliction of fines because they have noses which occasionally give them trouble4 ,the begging cleric is of all sacerdotal figures the one most familiar to the general community4 ,one can seldom attend a church without hearing the mendicant's plea4 ,if the collection taken were indeed for the poor1 and one felt that it was really and truly going to help feed the starving and nourish the sick1 how gladly most of us would contribute1 to the very best of our ability6 ,but sad experience teaches us that this is not so4 ,there are 8,funds0 of other mettle than for the sick and poor1--8restoration0 funds especially4 ,for many years a famous church was in debt owing to 8restorations10 and ,sunday after ,sunday the vicar implored his congregation to lift 8the burden0 off its time-honoured walls--in vain6 ,at last one parishioner paid the amount required in full4 ,the vicar acknowledged the cheque1--put a recording line in the 8,parish ,magazine10--wrote a formal letter of thanks regretting that the donor did not 8show a good example by attending public worship on ,sundays10--after which1 for more than a year he did not speak to that parishioner again6 ,this is a fact4 ,neither he nor his wife during that time ever showed the slightest common civility to the one individual who1 out of all the parish1 had 8lifted the burden10 concerning which so many pious exordiums had been preached4 ,till the debt was paid1 the vicar showed every friendliness to the person in question--but afterwards--well6--one can only suppose it was a case of 8,othello's occupation gone60 ,he could beg no more1--not for that particular object4 ,but ,i understand he has started fresh 8restorations0 lately1 so till he finds another trusting sheep in the way of a too sympathetic parishioner1 he will be quite happy4 ,there are some clerics who1 to their sacred duties add 8a little literary work40 ,they are not literary men1--indeed very frequently they have no idea whatever of literature--they are what may be called 8literary jobbers40 ,many clergymen have been1 and are still1 greatly distinguished in the literary calling--but ,i am not alluding to past or future ,kingsleys4 ,the men ,i mean are those who 8do a bit of writing0--and help in compiling books of reference to which few ever refer4 ,they are apt to be the most pertinacious beggars of their class1--beggars1 not for others' needs1 but for their own4 ,they want introductions to 8useful0 people--people of 8influence0--and they ask for letters to publishers1 which they sometimes get4 ,the publishers are not grateful4 ,they are over-run1 they say1 with clergymen who want to write guide-books1 books of travel1 books of reference1 books of reminiscence4 ,one of these 8reverend0 individuals1 pleading stress of poverty1 was employed by a lady to do some copying work1 for which1 in a well-meant wish to satisfy the immediate needs of his wife and children1 she paid him in advance the sum of ,fifty ,pounds4 ,he sent her a signed receipt for the money with the following gushing epistle3 8,,dear ----1 ,could ,i write as you do1 ,i might find words to express in part some of my feelings of gratitude to you for all your kindness4 ,my little daughter owes to you untold happiness1 and ,i believe the goodness you ever show her will brighten her whole future life4 ,my dear wife you help to bear her many burdens of health and loneliness as no other has ever attempted to do2 and my very mediocre self owes to you1 a recognition1 after many long struggles1 ,i will not say of merit1 for no one knows better than myself1 my own shortcomings1 but of #8effort4' ,in fact1 you come to us as ,amenhotep sung of the sun3-- ,thou art very beautiful1 brilliant and exalted above earth1 ,thy beams encompass all lands1 which thou hast made4 ,thou art our sun4 ,thou bindest us with thy love4 ,thou art on high1 but the day passes with thy going6 ,even so1 your kindly heart has shone upon our life1 and made us feel the springs of life within us4 ,may the ,great ,master of all things for ever bless you and yours60 ,after this poetical effusion1#d it is difficult to believe that this same 8,christian0 minister1 in order to gratify the private jealousy1 spite and malice of a few common persons whom he fancied might be useful to him on account of their 8local0 influence1 wrote and published a scurrilous lampoon on the very friend who had tried to benefit him and his wife and family1 and to whom he had expressed himself in the above terms of unmeasured gratitude6 ,but such1 nevertheless1 was the case4 ,report says that he was handsomely paid for his trouble1 which may perhaps serve as his excuse1--for in many cases1 as we know1 money outweighs principle1 even with a disciple of ,christ4 ,it did so in the case of ,judas ,iscariot1 who1 however1 8went out and hanged himself0 promptly4 ,perhaps the 8very mediocre0 cleric who owed to the woman he afterwards insulted1 8a recognition after many long struggles10 will do the same morally and socially in due course4 ,for it would be as great a wrong to the ,church to call such a man a 8,christian0 as it would be to canonize ,judas4 ,even the untutored savage will not injure one with whom he has broken bread4 ,and to bite the hand that has supplied a need1 is scarcely the act of a mongrel cur1--let us hope it is a sufficiently rare performance among mongrel clerics4 ,among other such 8trifling0 instances of the un-,christianity of ,christian ministers may be quoted a recent instance of a letter addressed to a country newspaper by a clergyman who complained of the small fees allowed him for the burial of paupers6 8,the game10 so he expressed it1 8was not worth the candle40 ,christian charity was no part of the business4 ,unless one can make a margin of profit1 by committing paupers to the hope of a joyful resurrection1 why do it at all8 ,such appeared to be the sum and substance of the reverend gentleman's argument4 ,another case in point is the following3 ,a poor man of seventy-five years old1 getting the impression that ,death was too long in coming to fetch him1 committed suicide by hanging himself in a coal-shed4 ,his widow1 nearly as aged as he was1 went tottering feebly along to the clergyman of the parish1 to relate the disaster and seek for help4 ,the first thing the good minister told her was1 that her husband1 by committing suicide1 had gone to hell4 ,he then relaxed his sternness somewhat1 and kindly said that1 considering her age1 infirmity and trouble1 she 8might call at the rectory every afternoon for the tea-leaves40 ,this gracious invitation meant that the bereaved old creature could have1 for her consolation1 the refuse of the afternoon tea-pot after it had been well drained by this 8,christian0 gentleman1 his wife and family6 ,of other help she got none1 and life having become too hard for her to manage alone1 despite the assistance of the clergyman's tea-leaves1 she very soon1 fortunately for herself1 died of grief and starvation4 8,he that giveth to the poor0 in this fashion1 truly 8lendeth to the ,lord40 8,christianity0 and 8,christian0 are beautiful words1 emblematic of beautiful thoughts and beautiful deeds4 ,the men who profess to teach the value of those thoughts1 the influence of those deeds1 should be capable in themselves of practically illustrating what they mean by their faith1 in their own lives and actions4 ,inspired by the purest ,creed that was ever taught to mankind for its better hope and enlightenment1 they should express in their attitude to the world1 a confident and constant joy and belief in ,god's goodness1 and should remember that if ,he1 their divine ,master 8so loved us10 equally should they1 ,his ordained ministers1 love us1 ay1 even the worst of us1 in their turn4 ,when1 on the contrary1 they do things for which the poorest peasant or dockyard labourer would have the right1 and the honest right too1 to despise them1--when they commit base actions for money or advancement1--when they are harsh1 unyielding1 discourteous and obstinate to the degree of even declining to aid a good cause or assist in some benefit to the nation at large1 merely because they have not been consulted as to ways and methods1 they do not deserve to be called 8,christian0 at all4 ,they are of that class1 unhappily increasing in number1 who cry out3 8,lord1 ,lord1 have we not prophesied in ,thy name80 to whom will be given the answer3 8,i never knew you2 depart from ,me1 ye that work iniquity60 ,great and noble beyond all praise are true 8,christian0 ministers1--and thousands of them are to be found in all parts of the world1 working silently and bravely for the rescue of bodies as well as souls1 giving practical as well as spiritual help and sympathy to their fellow-men in trouble4 ,but just because their labours are so valuable1 one resents all the more deeply the conduct of certain members of the clergy who cast dishonour upon their whole calling1--and just because the vocation of 8priest0 is so high1 we intensely deplore every action that tends to debase it4 ,the un-,christian cleric belongs to no spiritual form of faith whatsoever1 and should not be allowed to pretend that he does4 ,he has but one religion1--,self4 ,and from the professor of ,self1 no man need ask either help or instruction4 ,,footnote3 #d ,as some doubt has been expressed as to whether this incident is a true one1 the author wishes it to be known that she holds the original letter written and signed by the reverend lampooner in question4 ,,the ,,social ,,blight ,people who live in the country know what is meant by a 8blight0--a thing which is neither mist nor storm1 neither cloud nor rain1--a fever of the atmosphere1 without any freshening or cleansing force in its composition4 ,like a dull stretch of smoky fog1 it hangs for hours and often for days over the face of the landscape1 poisoning the wholesome fruit and grain in the orchards and fields1 and leaving trails of noxious insect pests behind it upon trees and flowers1 withering their foliage1 and blackening all buds of promise with a destroying canker to their very core4 ,it is a suffocating1 malodorous miasma1 clinging to the air1 for which there is no remedy but a strong1 ay1 even a tempestuous wind1--a wind which vigorously pierces through the humid vapour and disperses it1 tearing it to shreds1 and finally working up such a storm as shall drown it out of existence in torrents of purifying rain4 ,then all nature is relieved1--the air is cleared1--health and gladness re-assert their beneficent influences1 and the land lies open to renewed life and easy breathing once more4 ,even as 8blight0 is known in things natural1 so is it known and easily recognizable in things moral and social4 ,it occurs periodically and with more or less regularity1 between certain changing1 and not always progressive phases or epochs of human civilization4 ,it visited ,sodom and ,gomorrah1 ,tyre and ,sidon2 it loomed over ,nineveh and ,babylon1--and in our day it is steadily spreading its pall over ,europe and ,america4 ,its gloom is heavy and pronounced1--it would seem to be darkening into the true sable or death colour1 for there is no light of faith to illumine it4 ,it is the outcome of the infected breath of peoples who are deliberately setting ,god aside out of their countings1 and living for ,self and the ,hour alone4 ,so-called 8scientists10 scraping at the crust-covering of the mine of knowledge1 and learning of its hidden treasure about as much as might be measured with a finger-nail1 have boldly asserted that there is no ,god1 no ,supreme ,intelligent ,force back of the universe1--no future life1--nothing but death and destruction for the aspiring1 fighting1 working human soul1--and that1 therefore1 having been created out of caprice1 a 8sport0 of chance and the elements1 and having nothing to exist for but to make chance and the elements as agreeable as possible during his brief conscious experience of them1 the best thing for man to do is to 8eat1 drink1 and be merry all the days of his life10 though even this1 according to ,solomon1 is 8also vanity40 ,for of eating comes indigestion1 of drink stupefaction1 and of merriment satiety4 ,strange it is that if there is no higher destiny for man than this world and its uses1 he should always be thrown back upon himself dissatisfied6 ,give him millions of money1 and when he has them1 he cares little for what they can bring2 grant him unlimited power and a few years suffice to weary him of its use4 ,and stranger still it is to realize1 that while those who do not admit ,god's existence1 strut forth like bantams on a dunghill1 crowing their little opinions about the sun-rise1 we are all held fast and guided1 not only in our physical1 but in our moral lives by immutable laws1 invisible in their working1 but sooner or later made openly manifest4 ,crime meets with punishment as surely as night follows day4 ,if the retribution is not of man's making1--if human law1 often so vicious and one-sided in itself1 fails to give justice to the innocent1 then ,something or ,someone steps in to supply man's lack of truth and courage1 and executes a judgment from which there is no appeal4 ,what it is or ,who it is1 we may not presume to declare1--the ,romans called it ,jove or ,jupiter2--we call it ,god1 while denying1 with precisely the same easy flippancy as the ,romans did just before their downfall1 that such a ,force exists4 ,it is convenient and satisfying to ,mammonites and sensualists generally1 to believe in nothing but themselves1 and the present day4 ,it would be very unpleasant for them to have to contemplate with any certainty a future life where neither ,money nor ,sex prevail4 ,and because it would be unpleasant1 they naturally do not admit its possibility4 ,nevertheless1 without belief in the ,creator and ,ruler of all things1--without faith in the higher spiritual destiny of man as an immortal and individual soul1 capable of progressing ever onwards to wider and grander spheres of action1 life in this world appears but a poor and farcical futility4 ,yet it is precisely the poor1 farcical and futile view of life that is taken by thousands of ,european and ,american people in our present period4 ,both press and pulpit reflect it2 it is openly shown in the decadence of the drama1 of art1 of literature1 of politics1 and of social conduct4 ,the 8blight0 is over all4 ,the blight of atheism1 infidelity1 callousness and indifference to honourable principle1--the blight of moral cowardice1 self-indulgence1 vanity and want of heart4 ,without mincing matters1 it can be fairly stated that the aristocratic ,jezebel is the fashionable woman of the hour1 while the men vie with one another as to who shall best screen her from her amours with themselves4 ,and so far as the sterner sex are personally concerned1 the moneyed man is the one most sought after1 most tolerated1 most appreciated and flattered in that swarm of drones called 8society0 where each buzzing insect tries to sting the other1 or crawl over it in such wise as to be the first to steal whatever honey may be within reach4 ,and worst of all things is the selfish apathy which pervades the majority of the well-to-do classes4 ,as little sympathy is shown among them for the living1 as regret for the dead4 ,the misfortunes of friends are far more often made subject for ill-natured mockery than for compassion1--the deaths of parents and relations are accepted with a kind of dull pleasure1 as making way for the inheritance of money or estates4 ,no real delight is shown in the arts which foster peace1 progress and wisdom2 and equally little enthusiasm is stirred for such considerations of diplomacy or government which help to keep nations secure4 ,a great man dies one day1 and is forgotten the next1--unless some clumsy and scandalous 8biography0 which rakes up all his faults and mistakes in life1 and publishes private letters of the most intimate and sacred character1 can be hawked to the front by certain literary vultures who get their living by tearing out the heart of a corpse4 ,say that a dire tragedy is enacted1--such as the assassination of the ,empress ,elizabeth of ,austria1 or the atrocious murder of the late ,king and ,queen of ,servia1--or1 what is to many minds almost as bad1--the heartless and un-,christian conduct of ,leopold1 ,king of the ,belgians1 to his unhappy daughter ,stphanie1--and though each event may be as painful and terrible as any that ever occupied the attention of the historian1 they appear to excite no more human emotion than a few cold expressions of civil surprise or indifference4 ,feeling1--warm1 honest1 active1 passionate feeling for any cause1 is more difficult to rouse than the ,sloth from its slumbers4 ,it would1 in truth1 seem to be dead4 ,the ,church cannot move it4 ,the ,drama fails to stir it4 ,patriotism1--,national ,honour1--have no power to lift it from the quagmire of inertia4 ,but let there be a sudden panic on the ,stock ,exchange1--let the ,paris ,bourse be shaken1--let ,wall ,street be ablaze with sinister rumour--and then hey and halloo for a reckless1 degrading1 humiliating1 miserable human stampede6 ,like infuriated maniacs men shriek and stamp and wrestle2--with brains on fire1 they forget that they were born to be reasoning creatures capable of self-control2--their much boasted-of 8education0 avails them nothing1--and they offer to the gods a spectacle of frantic fear and ignominy of which even an untaught savage might well be ashamed4 ,but perhaps the most noxious sign of the blight in the social atmosphere is the openly increasing laxity of morals1 and the frankly disgraceful disregard of the marriage tie4 ,herein the ,british aristocracy take the lead as the choicest examples of the age4 ,whatever ,europe or ,america may show in the way of godless and dissolute living1 we are unhappily forced to realize that there are men in ,great ,britain1 renowned for their historic names and exclusive positions1 who are content to stand by1 the tame witnesses of their own marital dishonour1 accepting1 with a cowardice too contemptible for horsewhipping1 other men's children as their own1 all the time knowing them to be bastards4 ,we have heard of a certain 8nobleman0 who1--to quote ,holy ,writ1--8neighed after0 another man's wife to such an extent1 that to stop the noise1 the obliging husband accepted #fj1jjj1 a trifling sum1 which was duly handed over4 ,whether the gentleman who neighed1 or the gentleman who paid1 was the worst rascal1 must be left to others to determine4 ,it was all hushed up quite nicely1--and both parties are received 8in the best society10 with even more attention than would be shown to them if they were clean and honest1 instead of being soiled and disreputable4 ,the portrait of the lady whose damaged virtue was plastered up for #fj1jjj is often seen in pictorials1 with appended letterpress suitably describing her as a lily-white dove of sweet purity and peace4 ,one blames the sinners in this sordid comedy less than the 8fashionable0 folk who tolerate and excuse their conduct4 ,sinners there are1 and sinners there always will be1--modern ,davids will always exist who seek after ,bathsheba1 and do their level best to get ,uriah the ,hittite comfortably out of the way1--but that they should be encouraged in their sins and commended for them1 is quite another story4 ,apart from the pernicious influence they exercise on their own particular 8set10 the example of conduct they give to the nation at large1 not only arouses national contempt1 but in some cases1 where certain notable politicians are concerned1 may breed national disaster4 ,with looseness of morals naturally comes looseness of conversation4 ,the conversation of many of the ,upper ,ten1 in ,england at least1 shows a remarkable tendency towards repulsive subjects and objectionable details4 ,it is becoming quite a common thing to hear men and women talking about their 8,little ,marys10 a phrase which1 though invented by ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,barrie1 is not without considerable vulgarity and offence4 ,before the brilliant ,scottish novelist chose this title for a play dealing with the digestive apparatus1 it would have done him no harm to pause and reflect that with a very large portion of the ,christian world1 namely the ,roman ,catholic1 the name of ,mary is held to be the most sacred of all names1 second to none save that of the ,divine ,founder of the ,faith4 ,i am told on good authority that ,americans1--especially the best of the ,american women1--have been amazed and more or less scandalized at the idea that any portion of the 8cultured0 ,british public should be found willing to attend a dramatic representation dealing with matters pertaining to the human stomach4 ,i hope this report is true4 ,my admiration for some ,american women is considerable1 but it would go up several points higher if ,i were made quite sure that their objection to this form of theatrical enterprise was genuine1 permanent1 and unconquerable4 ,i like ,mr4 ,barrie very much1 and his ,scottish stories delight me as they delight everybody1 but ,i want him to draw the line at the unbeautiful details of dyspepsia4 ,people are already too fond of talking about the various diseases afflicting various parts of their bodies to need any spur in that way from the romantic drama4 ,one of the most notorious women of the day has attained her doubtful celebrity partially by conversing about her own inner mechanism and other people's inner mechanisms in a style which is not only 8free10 but frankly disgusting4 ,but1--8she is so amusing60 say the ,smart ,set1--8,one cannot repeat her stories1 of course--they go rather far6--but--but--you really ought to hear her tell them60 ,this kind of thing is on a par with certain lewd fiction lately advertised by certain enterprising publishers who announce--8,you must have this book6 ,the booksellers will not show it on their bookstalls4 ,they say you ought ,,not to read it4 ,,get ,,it60 ,all homage to the booksellers who draw the line at printed garbage6 ,one must needs admire and respect them for refusing to take percentages on the sale of corrupt matter4 ,for business is always business1--and when business men see that the tendency of a certain portion of the reading public is towards prurient literature1 they might1 were they less honourable and conscientious than they are1 avail themselves financially of this morbid and depraved taste4 ,especially as there are a large number of self-called 8stylists0 who can always be relied upon to praise the indecent in literature4 ,they call it 8strong10 or 8virile10 and reck nothing of the fact that the 8strong0 stench of it may poison previously healthy minds1 and corrupt otherwise innocent souls4 ,prurient literature is always a never-failing accompaniment of social 8blight40 ,the fancy for it arises when wholesome literary fare has become too simple for the diseased and capricious mental appetite1 and when the ideal conceptions of great imaginative minds1 such as the romances of ,scott and ,dickens1 are voted 8too long and boresome6--there's really no time to read such stories nowadays60 ,no1--there is no time6 ,there's plenty of time to play ,bridge though6 ,poetry--the greatest of the arts--is neglected at the present day1 because nobody will read it4 ,among the most highly 8educated0 persons1 many can be met with who prattle glibly about ,shakespeare1 but who neither know the names of his plays nor have read a line of his work4 ,with the decline of ,poesy comes as a matter of course the decline of ,sculpture1 ,painting1 ,architecture and ,music4 ,for ,poesy is the parent stem from which all these arts have sprung4 ,the proofs of their decline are visible enough amongst us to-day4 ,neither ,great ,britain1 nor ,europe1 nor ,america1 can show a really great ,poet4 ,england's last great poet was ,tennyson1--since his death we have had no other4 ,similarly there is no great sculptor1 no great painter1 no great novelist1 no great architect1 no great musician4 ,i use the word 8great10 of course1 in its largest sense1 in the sense wherein we speak of ,michael ,angelo1 ,raffaelle1 or ,beethoven4 ,there are plenty of clever 8sketchy0 artists1--8impressionist0 painters and fictionists1 8rococo0 sculptors1 and melodious drawing-room song-writers1--but we wait in vain for a new 8grand0 opera1 a nobly-inspired statue1 a novel like 8,guy ,mannering10 or a ,cathedral1 such as the devout old monks designed in the intervals between prayer and praise4 ,the beautiful and poetic ideals that made such work possible are1 if not quite dead1 slowly dying1 under the influence of the 8blight0 which infects the social atmosphere1--the blight which is thick with ,self and ,sensuality1--which looms between man and his ,maker1 shutting out every hopeful glimpse of the sun of faith1 whose life-giving rays invigorate the soul4 ,and those who see it slowly darkening--those who have been and are students of history1 and are thereby able to recognize its appearance1 its meaning1 and its mission1 and who know the mischief wrought by the poison it exhales1 will pray for a ,storm6 8,come but the direst storm and stress that ,fate ,can bring upon us in its darkest hour1 ,then will the realm awake1 however late1 ,from the warm sloth in which we yawn and cower1 ,and pass our sordid lives in greed1 or mate ,with animal delights in luxury's bower2 ,then will the ancient virtues bloom anew1 ,and love of country quench the love of gold2 ,then will the mocking spirits that imbue ,our daily converse fade like misty cold ,when the clear sunshine permeates the blue2 ,men will be manly as in days of old1 ,and scorn the base delights that sink them down ,into the languid waters where they drown60 ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,hospitality ,there is an old song1 a very old song1 the refrain of which runs thus3 8',twas merry in the hall1 when the beards wagged all1 ,we shall never see the like again1 again6--,we shall never see the like again60 ,whether there was anything particularly hilarious in the wagging of beards we may not feel able to determine1 but there is unquestionably a vague sense of something festive and social conveyed in the quaint lines4 ,we feel1 without knowing why1 that it was1 it must have been1 8merry in the hall10 at the distant period alluded to1--while at the present time we are daily and hourly made painfully aware that whether it be in hall1 drawing-room or extensive 8reception gallery10 the merriment formerly so well sung and spoken of exists no longer4 ,the ,harp that once through ,tara's ,halls--no6--,i mean the ,beards that once wagged in the ,hall1 wag no more4 ,honest laughter has given place to the nanny-goat sniggering bleat now common to polite society1 and understood to be the elegantly trained and 8cultured0 expression of mirth4 ,the warm hand-shake has1 in a very great measure1 degenerated into the timorous offer of two or three clammy fingers extended dubiously1 as with a fear of microbes4 ,and ,hospitality1 large-hearted1 smiling1 gracious ,hospitality1 is dead and wrapped in its grave-clothes1 waiting in stiff corpse-like state for its final burial4 ,public dinners1 public functions of all kinds1--in ,england at any rate1--are merely so many funeral feasts in memory of the great defunct virtue4 ,its spirit has fled1--and there is no calling it back again4 ,the art of entertaining is lost1--together with the art of conversation4 ,and when our so-called 8friends0 are 8at home10 we are often more anxious to find reasons for declining rather than for accepting their invitations1 simply because we know that there is no real 8at home0 in it1 but merely an 8out-of-home0 arrangement1 in which a mixed crowd of people are asked to stand and swelter in an uneasy crush on staircases and in drawing-rooms1 pretending to listen to music which they can scarcely hear1 and scrambling for tea which is generally too badly made to drink4 ,indeed1 it may be doubted whether1 of all the various ludicrous social observances in which our progressive day takes part1 there is anything quite so sublimely idiotic as a smart 8,at ,home0 in ,london during the height of the season4 ,nothing certainly presents men and women in such a singularly unintelligent aspect4 ,their faces all wear more or less the same expression of forced amiability1--the same civil grin distorts their poor mouths--the same wondering and weary stare afflicts their tired straining eyeballs--and the same automatic arm-movement and hand-jerk works every unit1 as each approaches the hostess in the conventional manner enjoined by the usages of that 8cultured0 hypocrisy which covers a multitude of lies4 ,sheep1 herding in a field and cropping the herbage in the comfortable unconsciousness that they are eating merely to be eaten1 are often stated to be the silliest of animals1--but whether they are sillier than the human beings who consent to be squashed together in stuffy rooms where they can scarcely move1 under the sham impression that they are 8at home0 with a friend1 is a matter open to question4 ,of course to some minds it may be1 and no doubt is1 extremely edifying to learn by the society papers that ,mrs4 ,so-and-,so1 or ,lord and ,lady ,thingummy will 8entertain a great deal this season40 ,people who have no idea what this kind of 8entertaining0 means1 may have glittering visions thereof4 ,they may picture to themselves scenes of brilliancy where 8a thousand hearts beat happily1 and when1 ,music arose with its voluptuous swell1 ,soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again1 ,and all went merry as a marriage-bell60 ,only these things do not happen4 ,anything but love is 8looked0 from soft eyes and hard eyes equally2--derision1 contempt1 indifference1 dejection1 malice1 and 7so far as champagne1 ices and general messy feeding are concerned7 greed1 light up these 8windows of the soul0 from time to time during the progress of such festivities2 but love1 never6 ,the women are far too busy finding standing-room wherein to show themselves and their newest frocks off to advantage1 to waste any moment in mere sentiment1 and it is a ,christianly beautiful sight to see how the dear things who wear the dressmaker's latest 8creations0 elbow and push and hustle and tread on the toes of their sisters who are less highly favoured than themselves in the matter of mere clothes4 ,as for the men1--if they have1 by dint of hard exertion1 managed to get in at the 8crush10 and near enough to the hostess to bow and touch her hand1 their sole attention henceforward becomes concentrated on the business of getting out again as rapidly as possible4 ,for let it be said to the praise1 honour and glory of the sterner sex1 that taken in the rough majority1 they detest the fashionable 8,at ,home10 with vigorous and honest intensity1--and unless they are of that degenerate class who like to be seen hanging round some notoriously press-puffed 8professional beauty10 or some equally notoriously known leader of the ,smart ,set1 they are seldom seen at such gatherings4 ,they feel themselves to be incongruous and out of place1--and so they are4 8,at ,homes0 are curious sort of social poultry-yards1 where the hens have it all their own way1 and do most distinctly crow4 ,but if 8,at ,homes0 are bad enough1 the smart1 the very smart dinner-party is perhaps a little worse in its entire lack of the true hospitality which1 united to grace and tact and ready conversation1 should make every guest feel that his or her presence is valuable and welcome4 ,a small private dinner1 at which the company are some six or eight persons at most1 is sometimes 7though not by any means always7 quite a pleasant affair1 but a 8big0 dinner in the 8big0 sense of the word1 is generally the most painful and dismal of functions1 except to those for whom silent gorging and after repletion are the essence of all mental and physical joy4 ,i remember--and of a truth it would be impossible to forget--one of these dinners which took place one season in a very 8swagger0 house--the house of a member of that old ,british nobility whose ancestors and titles always excite a gentle flow of saliva in the mouths of snobs4 ,the tables--there were two1--were1 to use the formal phrase1 8laid for forty covers0--that is to say that each table accommodated twenty guests4 ,the loveliest flowers1 the most priceless silver1 the daintiest glass1 adorned the festive boards1--everything that taste could suggest or wealth supply1 had its share in the general effect of design and colour1--the host was at the head of one table1--the hostess at the other--and between-whiles a fine string band discoursed the sweetest music4 ,but with it all there was no real hospitality4 ,we might as well have been seated at some extra-luxurious table-d'hte in one of the 8,kur0 houses of ,austria or ,germany1 paying so much per day for our entertainment4 ,any touch of warm and kindly feeling was altogether lacking2 and to make matters worse1 a heavy demon brooded over the brave outward show of the feast1--a demon with sodden grey wings that refused to rise and soar1--the demon of a hopeless1 irremediable ,stupidity6 ,out and alas6--here was the core of the mischief6 ,for sad as it is to lack ,heart in the entertaining of our friends1 it doubles the calamity to lack ,brain as well6 ,our host was stupid2--dull to a degree unimaginable by those who do not know what some lordly ,british aristocrats can be at their own tables1--our hostess1 a beautiful woman1 was equally stupid1 being entirely engrossed in herself and her own bodily charms1 to the utter oblivion of the ease and well-being of her guests4 ,what a meal it was6 ,how interminably it dragged its slow length along6 ,what small hydraulic bursts of meaningless talk spurted out between the entres and the game6--talk to be either checked by waiters proffering more food1 or drowned in the musical growling of the band6 ,i believe one man hazarded a joke1--but it was not heard1--and ,i know that a witty old ,irish peer told an anecdote which was promptly 8quashed0 by a dish of asparagus being thrust before him1 just as he was1 in the richest brogue1 arriving at the 8point40 ,but as nobody listened to him1 it did not matter4 ,nobody does listen to anybody or anything nowadays at social functions4 ,everybody talks with insane1 babbling eagerness1 apparently indifferent as to whether they are heard or not4 ,any amount of people ask questions and never think of waiting for the answers4 ,should any matters1 small or great1 require explanation1 scarce a soul has the patience or courtesy to attend to such explanation or to follow it with any lucidity or comprehension4 ,it is all hurry-skurry1 helter-skelter1 and bad1 shockingly bad1 manners4 ,i am given to understand that ,americans1 and ,americans alone1 retain and cherish the old-fashioned grace of ,hospitality1 which is so rapidly becoming extinct in ,great ,britain4 ,i would fain believe this1 but of myself ,i do not know4 ,i have had no experience of social ,america1 save such as has been freely and cordially taught me by ,americans in ,london4 ,some of these have indeed proved that they possess the art of entertaining friends with real friendly delight in the grace and charm and mutual help of social intercourse1--others again1 by an inordinate display of wealth1 and a feverish yearning for the ,paragraph-,man 7or ,woman71 have plainly shown that ,hospitality is1 with them1 a far less concern than ,notoriety4 ,however this may be1 no sane person will allow that it is 8hospitality0 to ask a number of friends into your house and there keep them all standing because you have managed that there shall be no room to sit down1 while strong1 half-cold tea and stale confectionery are hastily dispensed among them4 ,it is not 8hospitality0 to ask people to dinner1 and never speak a word to them all the evening1 because you1 if a man1 are engaged upon your own little 8business affair10 or1 if a woman1 are anxious not to lose hold of your special male flatterer4 ,if friends are invited1 they should surely be welcomed in the manner friendly1 and made to feel at home by the personal attention of both host and hostess4 ,it is not 8hospitality0 to turn them loose in bewildered droves through grounds or gardens1 to listen to a band which they have no doubt heard many times before1--or to pack them all into a stuffy room to be 8entertained0 by a professional musician whom they could hear to much more comfortable and independent advantage by paying for stalls at the legitimate concert hall4 ,what do we really mean by ,hospitality8 ,surely we mean friendship1 kindness1 personal interest1 and warm-hearted openness of look and conduct1--and all of these are deplorably missing from the 8smart0 functions of up-to-date society in ,london1 whatever the state of things may be concerning this antique virtue in ,new ,york and ,boston4 ,it would appear that the chief ingredients of ,hospitality are manners1--for as ,emerson says3 8,manners are the happy way of doing things40 ,this 8happy way0 is becoming very rare4 ,society1 particularly the 8,upper ,ten0 society1--is becoming1 quite noticeably1 very rude4 ,some of the so-called 8smartest0 women are notoriously very vulgar4 ,honesty1 simplicity1 sympathy1 and delicacy of feeling are1 or seem to be1 as much out of date as the dainty poems of ,robert ,herrick1 and the love-sonnets of ,sir ,philip ,sidney4 ,time goes on1 say the iconoclasts--and we must go with it--we must1 if our hurrying civilization requires it1 pass friends by with a cool nod1 mock at the vices of the young1 and sneer at the failings of the old2--we are all too busy to be courteous1--too much in a hurry grabbing gold to be kind1 and much too occupied with ourselves to be thoughtful of others4 ,so let us bury ,hospitality decently once and for all1 and talk no more about it6 ,it was a grand old ,virtue6--let us inter it with honour1--and cease to hold our funeral feasts and entertainments in its name4 ,for1 being dead1 'tis dead and done with1--and amid all our twentieth-century shams1 let us at least drop1 for shame1 our base imitations of the great-souled splendid ,grace that was meant to link our lives more sweetly together1 to engender love1 and to make home more home-like4 ,for nowadays1 few of us are simple and truthful enough in our lines of conduct even to understand ,hospitality in its real meaning4 8,between simple and noble persons10--says a great philosopher--8there is always a quick intelligence2 they recognize at sight2 and meet on a better ground than the talents and skills they may chance to possess1 namely1 on sincerity and uprightness40 ,sincerity and uprightness are the very fibre and life-blood of true ,hospitality4 ,but the chief canon of modern society is hypocrisy1 to begin with4 ,insincerity and lack of principle naturally follow1 with their usual accompaniment1 moral cowardice1--and so men and women sneak and crawl1 and flatter base persons for what they can get1 and reject all chances of faithful friendship for mere ephemeral show4 ,under such conditions as these1 what can good old ,hospitality do but draw its last breath with a gentle sigh of expiring sorrow for the mistaken world which prefers a lie to a truth1 and still to this day crucifies all its loving would-be redeemers on miserable ,calvarys of desolation6 ,no happiness does it gain thereby1 but only increased bitterness and weariness1--and the fact that all our social customs have greatly changed since the old time when households were wisely ruled and very simply ordered1 is no advantage to the general social community4 ,we may1 if we choose1--7and we very often do so choose17 fly from one desire to another and thence to satiety1 and back again from satiety to desire1 but we shall never1 in such pursuit1 find the peace engendered by simplicity of life1 or the love and lasting joy inspired by that honourable confidence in one another's best and noblest attributes1 which should frankly and openly set the seal on friendship1 and make ,hospitality a glad duty as well as a delight4 8,old-fashioned0 as it may be1 no new fashion can ever replace it4 ,,the ,,vulgarity ,,of ,,wealth ,there are certain periods in the lives of nations when the balance of things in general would seem to be faultily adjusted2 when one side of the scale almost breaks and falls to the ground through excess of weight1 and the other tips crazily upward1 well-nigh to overturning1 through an equally undue excess of lightness4 ,the inequality can be traced with mathematical precision as occurring at regular intervals throughout the world's history4 ,it is as though the clock of human affairs had been set correctly for a certain limited time only1 and was then foredoomed to fall out of gear in such a manner as to need cleansing and winding up afresh4 ,a good many people1 including some of the wisest of our few wise men1 have openly expressed the opinion that we1 of the proudest and greatest ,empire at present under the sun1 have almost reached that particularly fatal figure on the ,eternal ,dial1 ,when all the wheels run down1 and when the scales of ,justice are becoming so dangerously worn out and uneven1 as to suggest an incapacity for holding social and political weights and measures much longer4 ,one of the symptoms of this overstrained condition of our latter-day civilization is precisely the same danger-signal which has in all ages accompanied national disaster--a pernicious influence1 like that of the planet 8,algol10 which1 when in the ascendant1 is said to betoken mischief and ruin to all who see it rise on the horizon4 ,our evil ,star1 the evil star of all ,empires1 has long ago soared above the eastern edge2 fully declared1 it floods our heaven with such lurid brilliancy that we can scarce perceive any other luminary4 ,and its name is ,mammon4 ,the present era in which we are permitted by ,divine law to run through our brief existence and make our mark or miss it1 as we choose1 is principally distinguished by an insane worship of ,wealth4 ,wealth in excess--wealth in chunks--wealth in great awkward1 unbecoming dabs1 is plastered1 as it were1 by the merest hap-hazard toss of fortune's dice1 on the backs of uncultured and illiterate persons1 who1 bowed down like asses beneath the golden burden1 are asininely ignorant of its highest uses4 ,the making of millions would seem to be like a malignant fever1 which must run its course1 ending in either the death or the mental and physical wreck of the patient4 ,he who has much money seems always to find it insufficient1 and straightway proceeds to make more2 while he who has not only much1 but superabundance of the dross1 scatters it in every direction broadcast1 wherever it can best serve as an aid to his own self-advertisement1 vanity and ostentation4 ,once upon a time wealth could not purchase an entrance into society2 now it is the only pass-key4 ,men of high repute for learning1 bravery1 and distinctive merit1 are 8shunted0 as it were off the line to make way for the motor-car traffic of plutocrats1 who1 by dint of 8push10 effrontery1 and brazen impudence1 manage to shout their income figures persistently in the ears of those whose high privilege it is to 8give the lead0 in social affairs4 ,and to the shame of such exalted individuals be it said1 that they listen1 with ears stretched wide1 to the yell of the huckster in stocks and shares2 and setting aside every thought for the future of ,great ,britain and the highest honour of her sons and daughters1 they sell their good word1 their influence1 and their favour easily1 for so much cash down4 ,men and women who have the privilege of personally knowing1 and frequently associating with the ,royal ,family1 are known to accept payment for bringing such and such otherwise obscure persons under the immediate notice of the ,king2 and it is a most unfortunate and regrettable fact that throughout the realm the word goes that no such obscure persons ever dine with their ,sovereign without having paid the 8middle man0 for the privilege4 ,it would be an easy matter for the present writer to name at least a dozen well-known society women1 assuming to be 8loyal10 who make a very good thing out of their 8loyalty0 by accepting huge payments in exchange for their recommendation or introduction to ,royal personages1 and who add considerably to their incomes by such means1 bringing the names of the ,king and ,queen down to their own sordid level of bargain and sale1 with a reckless disregard of the damaging results of such contemptible conduct4 ,these are some of the very ladies who are most frequently favoured by notice at ,court1 and who occupy the position of being in the 8swagger set40 ,whereas1 the men and women who are faithful1 who hold the honour of their ,king dearer than their own lives1 who refuse to truckle to the spirit of money-worship1 and who presume to denounce the sickening hypocrisy of modern society life and its shameless prostitution of high ideals1 are 8hounded0 by those portions of the ,press which are governed by ,jew syndicates1 and slandered by every dirty cad that makes his cheap living by putting his hand secretly in his neighbour's pocket4 ,never1 in all the ages of the world1 have truth-tellers been welcome2 from ,socrates to ,christ the same persecution has followed every human being who has had enough of ,god in him or her to denounce shams2 and the ,christian religion itself is founded on the crucifixion of ,honesty by the priests of ,hypocrisy4 ,it is a lesson that can hardly be too deeply dwelt upon at the present notable time of day1 which seems1 for many students of national affairs1 the crucial point of a coming complete change in ,british history4 ,on every side1 look where we may1 we see an almost brutal dominance of wealth4 ,we see the ,yankee ,trade-octopus1 stretching out greedy tentacles in every direction1 striving to grasp ,british shipping1 ,british industries1 and ,british interests everywhere1 in that devouring and deadly grip1 which1 if permitted to hold1 would mean mischief and loss of prestige to our country1 though1 no doubt1 it might create rejoicing in ,america4 ,for ,america is by no means so fond of us as certain interested parties would have us suppose4 ,she would dearly like to 8patronise0 us1 but she does not love us1 though at present she hides her hand4 ,in a case of struggle1 she would not support the 8old country0 for mere sentimental love of it4 ,she would naturally serve only her own best interests4 ,as a nation of bombast and swagger1 she is a kind of 8raree-show0 in the world's progress2 but her strength is chiefly centred in dollars1 and her influence on the social world teaches that 8dollars are the only wear40 ,english society has been sadly vulgarized by this ,american taint4 ,nevertheless1 it is1 as it has always been1 a fatal mistake for any nation to rely on the extent of its cash power alone4 ,without the real spirit which makes for greatness--without truth1 without honour1 without sincere patriotism and regard for the real well-being and honest government of the majority--any national system1 whether monarchical or republican1 must inevitably decay and perish from the face of the earth4 ,unblemished honesty is the best policy for statesmen2 but that such has been their rule of conduct in these latter years may perhaps be open to question4 ,the late ,mr4 ,w4 ,e4 ,h4 ,lecky1 whose broad-minded1 impartial views of life1 commend themselves forcibly to every literary student1 writing of ,cecil ,rhodes1 whose funeral service was celebrated with such almost royal pomp in ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral1 gives us a sketch which should make the most casual 8man in the street0 pause and reflect as to whether those solemn public rites and tributary honours from both the ,king and ,queen were not somewhat out of place on such an occasion4 8,what ,mr4 ,rhodes did10 wrote ,mr4 ,lecky1 in his strong1 trenchant way1 8has been very clearly established4 ,when holding the highly confidential position of ,prime ,minister of the ,cape ,colony1 and being at the same time a ,privy ,councillor of the ,queen1 he engaged in a conspiracy for the overthrow of the ,government of a neighbouring and friendly ,state4 ,in order to carry out this design1 he deceived the ,high ,commissioner whose ,prime ,minister he was4 ,he deceived his own colleagues in the ,ministry4 ,he collected under false pretences a force which was intended to co-operate with an insurrection in ,johannesburg4 ,being a ,director of the ,chartered ,company1 he made use of that position without the knowledge of his colleagues to further the conspiracy4 ,he took an active and secret part in smuggling great quantities of arms into the ,transvaal1 which were intended to be used in the rebellion2 and at a time when his organs in the ,press were representing ,johannesburg as seething with spontaneous indignation against an oppressive ,government1 he1 with another millionaire1 was secretly expending many thousands of pounds in that town in stimulating and subsidizing the rising4 ,he was also directly connected with the shabbiest incident in the whole affair1 the concoction of a letter from the ,johannesburg conspirators absurdly representing ,english women and children at ,johannesburg as in danger of being shot down by the ,boers1 and urging the ,british to come at once and save them4 ,it was a letter drawn up with the sanction of ,mr4 ,rhodes many weeks before the raid1 and before any disturbance had arisen2 and kept in reserve to be dated and used in the last moment for the purpose of inducing the young soldiers in ,south ,africa to join in the raid1 and of subsequently justifying their conduct before the ,war ,office1 and also for the purpose of being published in the ,english ,press at the same time as the first news of the raid in order to work upon ,english opinion1 and persuade the ,english people that the raid1 though technically wrong was morally justifiable4444 ,no reasonable judge can question that in these transactions he was more blamable than those who were actually punished by the law for taking part in the raid1 far more blamable than those young officers who were1 in truth1 the most severely punished and who had been induced to take part in it under false representation of the wishes of the ,government at home1 and a grossly false representation of the state of things at ,johannesburg4 ,the failure of the raid1 and his undoubted complicity with its design1 obliged ,mr4 ,rhodes to resign the post of ,prime ,minister1 and his directorship of the ,chartered ,company4444 ,but what can be thought of the language of a ,minister who volunteered to assure the ,house of ,commons that in all the transactions ,i have described1 ,mr4 ,rhodes1 though he had made #8a gigantic mistake1' a mistake perhaps as great as a statesman could make1 had done nothing affecting his personal honour80 ,what has been thought1 and what is thought of the matter1 has been largely suppressed by party politicians4 ,the ,war ,enquiry was conducted with secrecy2 ,cabinet ,ministers held their ,councils1 as it were1 with locked doors4 ,an eager desire to conceal the real state of affairs in the country1 and an unfortunate tendency to 8hush up0 such matters as are the plain right of ratepayers to know1 are the betraying signs of many of our statesmen's inward disquiet4 ,because1 as many people instinctively feel1 the trail of finance is likely to be openly traced to an unlawful1 and in some cases1 dishonourable extent1 over much recent political work4 ,honour1 however1 is due to those ,ministers who valiantly endeavour to screen greater names than their own behind their skilful diplomacy2 and one naturally admires the zeal and courage with which they fight for this cause1 even as ,m4 ,maurepas and ,m4 ,necker fought a similar campaign long ago in the dark days of ,france1 when1 as ,carlyle writes1 it was 8clearly a difficult point for ,government1 that of the dealing with the masses--if indeed it be not rather the sole point and problem of ,government1 and all other points were incidental crotchets1 superficialities1 and beatings of the wind6 ,for let ,charter-chests1 ,use and ,wont1 ,law1 common and special1 say what they will1 the masses count to so many millions of units1 made to all appearance by ,god1 whose earth this is declared to be4 ,besides1 the people are not without ferocity2 they have sinews and indignation40 ,at the immediate moment1 the masses in our country are1 rightly or wrongly1 vaguely conscious of two things which they view as forms of injustice1 namely1 that they are asked to pay rates for an educational system which a large bulk of them do not approve1 and that they are taxed for the expenses of a war1 the conduct of which was discussed 8secretly10 as though its methods implied some dishonour to those concerned in it4 ,moreover1 they understand1 with more or less bewilderment1 that though the ,king is now 8,supreme ,lord of the ,transvaal0 there is no chance whatever for ,british subjects to make fortune there1 the trades being swamped by ,germans1 and the mines controlled by ,jews4 ,therefore1 in their inability to follow the devious paths of reasoning by which politicians explain away what they term 8ignorant and illiterate0 conclusions1 some of them begin to think that the blood of their sons has been shed in hard battle1 not so much for the glory and good of the many1 as for the private greed of the few4 ,they are no doubt wrong2 but it will take something more than 8secret0 enquiries to set them right4 ,meanwhile1 the passing of the social pageant interests them more deeply than is apparent on the frothy surface of social things4 ,their contempt is aroused and kept sullenly alive by daily contemplation of the flagrant assertion of money-dominance over every other good4 ,they hear of one ,andrew ,carnegie strewing ,free ,libraries over the surface of the country1 as if these institutions were so many lollipops thrown out of a schoolboy's satchel2 they follow the accounts of his doings with a mingling of wonder and derision1 some of them up in ,scotland openly and forcibly regretting the mischief done to the famed 8grit and grip0 of ,scottish students1 who are not now1 as of yore1 forced by hard necessity to work for their ,university education themselves1 and win it1 as it were1 by the very skin of their teeth4 ,hard necessity is a fine taskmaster1 and turns out splendid scholars and useful men4 ,but when educational advantages are thrown headlong at aspiring students1 and ,universities are opened freely1 as though they were a species of pauper-refuge1 the delights of learning are apt to be proportionately cheapened and lessened4 ,lads with real ability naturally and invariably seek to do something that shall prove their own capabilities of pluck and endurance2 and a truly independent spirit not only chafes at1 but absolutely resents1 assistance4 ,thus it has come to pass that ,mr4 ,carnegie's ,free ,libraries are looked upon by hosts of people as so many brick and mortar advertisements of his own great wealth and unfailing liberality4 ,a labour leader of some repute among his own class1 remarked the other day that 8the ,carnegie libraries were like #8,so-and-,so's ,pills1' posted up everywhere lest the inventor's name should be forgotten60 ,this was an unkind1 and perhaps an ungrateful observation1 but we have to recollect that a ,people1 taken as a ,people1 do not want to be grateful for anything4 ,they want to work for all they get1 and to feel that they have honestly deserved their earnings4 ,it is only the drones of the hive that seek to be taken care of4 ,the able citizen strenuously objects to be helped in obtaining sustenance for either his soul or his body4 ,what is necessary for him1 that he will fight for1 and1 having won the battle1 he enjoys the victory4 ,there is no pleasure in conquering an enemy1 if a policeman has helped you to knock him down4 ,thus1 with many of the more independently-thinking class1 millionaire ,carnegie's money1 pitched at the public1 savours of 8patronage0 which they resent1 and ostentation which they curtly call 8swagger40 ,free ,libraries are by no means essential to perfect happiness1 while they may be called extremely detrimental to the prosperity of authors4 ,a popular author would have good reason to rejoice if his works were excluded from ,free ,libraries1 inasmuch as his sales would be twice1 perhaps three times as large4 ,if a ,free ,library takes a dozen copies of a book1 that dozen copies has probably to serve for five or six hundred people1 who get it in turn individually4 ,but if the book could not possibly be obtained for gratuitous reading in this fashion1 and could only be secured by purchase1 then it follows that five or six hundred copies would be sold instead of twelve4 ,this applies only to authors whose works the public clamour for1 and insist on reading2 with the more select 8unpopular0 geniuses the plan1 of course1 would not meet with approval4 ,in any case1 a ,free ,library is neither to an author1 nor to the reading public1 an unmitigated boon4 ,one has to wait for months sometimes for the book specially wanted2 sometimes one's name is #a1jjj on the list1 though certain volumes known as 8heavy stock0 can always be obtained immediately on application1 but are seldom applied for4 ,real book-lovers buy their books and keep them4 ,reading which is merely haphazard and casual is purely pernicious1 and does far more harm than good4 ,however1 ,carnegie1 being the possessor of millions1 probably does not know what else to do with the cash except in the way of ,libraries4 ,to burden a human biped with tons of gold1 and then set him adrift to get rid of it as best he may1 is one of the scurviest tricks of ,fortune4 ,inasmuch as ostentation is the trade mark of vulgarity1 and a rich man cannot spend his money without at least appearing ostentatious4 ,the revival of the spinning and silk-weaving industries in ,england would be a far nobler and more beneficial help to the country and to the many thousands of people1 than any number of ,free ,libraries1 yet no millionaire comes forward to offer the needful assistance towards this deserving end4 ,but perhaps a hundred looms set going1 with their workers all properly supported1 would not be so prominently noticed in the general landscape as a hundred ,free ,libraries4 ,apart from the manner in which certain rich men spend their wealth1 there is something in an overplus of riches which is distinctly 8out of drawing10 and lop-sided4 ,it is a false note in the musical scale4 ,just as a woman1 by wearing too great a number of jewels1 vulgarizes whatever personal beauty she may possess by the flagrant exhibition of valuables and bad taste together1 so does a man who has no other claim upon society than that of mere wealth1 appear as a kind of monstrosity and deformity in the general equality and equilibrium of ,nature4 ,when such a man's career is daily seen to be nothing more than a constant pursuit of his own selfish ends1 regardless of truth1 honour1 high principle1 and consideration for his fellow-men1 he becomes even more than a man-camel with a golden hump--he is an offence and a danger to the community4 ,if1 by mere dint of cash1 he is allowed to force his way everywhere--if no ruling sovereign on the face of the earth has sufficient wisdom or strength of character to draw a line against the entrance into society and politics of ,money1 for mere ,money's sake1 then the close of our circle of civilisation is nearly reached1 and the old story of ,tyre and ,sidon and ,babylon will be re-told again for us with the same fatal conclusion to which ,volney1 in his ,ruins of ,empires impressively calls attention1 in the following passage3 8,cupidity1 the daughter and companion of ignorance1 has produced all the mischiefs that have desolated the globe4 ,ignorance and the love of accumulation1 these are the two sources of all the plagues that infest the life of man4 ,they have inspired him with false ideas of his happiness1 and prompted him to misconstrue and infringe the laws of nature1 as they related to the connection between him and exterior objects4 ,through them his conduct has been injurious to his own existence1 and he has thus violated the duty he owes to himself2 they have fortified his heart against compassion1 and his mind against the dictates of justice1 and he has thus violated the duty he owes to others4 ,by ignorant and inordinate desire1 man has armed himself against man1 family against family1 tribe against tribe1 and the earth is converted into a bloody theatre of discord and robbery4 ,they have sown the seeds of secret war in the bosom of every state1 divided the citizens from each other1 and the same society is constituted of oppressors and oppressed1 of masters and slaves4 ,they have taught the heads of nations1 with audacious insolence1 to turn the arms of society against itself1 and to build upon mercenary avidity the fabric of political despotism1 or they have a more hypocritical and deep-laid project1 that imposes1 as the dictate of heaven1 lying sanctions and a sacrilegious yoke1 thus rendering avarice the source of credulity4 ,in fine1 they have corrupted every idea of good and evil1 just and unjust1 virtue and vice2 they have misled nations in a labyrinth of calamity and mistake4 ,ignorance and the love of accumulation6 ,these are the malevolent beings that have laid waste the earth2 these are the decrees of fate that have overturned empires2 these are the celestial maledictions that have struck these walls1 once so glorious1 and converted the splendour of populous cities into a sad spectacle of ruins60 ,laughable1 yet grievous1 is the childish conduct of many ,american plutocrats who are never tired of announcing in the daily ,press that they are spending ,three ,thousand ,pounds on roses for one afternoon's 8,at ,home10 or ,five ,thousand ,pounds on one single banquet6 ,after this1 why should we call the ,roman ,heliogabalus a sensualist and voluptuary8 ,his orgies were less ostentatious than many social functions of to-day4 ,it is not1 we believe1 recorded that he paid any 8fashion-papers0 7if there were any such in the ,roman ,empire7 to describe his 8,feasts of ,flowers10 though a lively ,american lady1 giving out her 8social experiences0 recently at an 8,afternoon tea0 said gaily3 8,i always send an account of my dinners1 my dresses1 and the dresses of my friends to #8,the ----' with a cheque4 ,otherwise1 you know1 ,i should never get myself or my parties mentioned at all60 ,one is bound to entertain the gravest doubts as to the truth of her assertion1 knowing1 of course1 that of all institutions in the world1 the ,press1 in ,great ,britain at any rate1 is the last to be swayed by financial considerations4 ,one has never heard 7in ,england at least7 of any 8,company0 paying several thousand pounds to the ,press for 8floating it40 ,though such things may be done in ,america1 they are never tolerated here4 ,but1 the ,press apart1 which in its unblemished rectitude 8shines like a good deed in a naughty world10 most things in modern politics and society are swayed by money considerations1 and the sudden acquisition of wealth does not in many cases improve the morality of the person so favoured1 or persuade him to discharge such debts as he may have incurred in his days of limited means4 ,on the contrary1 he frequently ignores these1 and proceeds to incur fresh liabilities1 as in the striking case of a lady 8leader of society0 at the present day1 who1 having owed large sums to certain harmless and confiding tradesmen for the past seven or eight years1 ignores these debts or 8shunts them10 and spends six thousand pounds recklessly on the adornment of rooms for the entertainment of ,royalty--which fact most notably proclaims her vulgarity1 singularly allied to her social distinction4 ,the payment of her debts first1 and the entertainment of great personages afterwards1 would seem to be a nobler and more becoming thing4 ,but show and vanity1 pride and 8bounce10 appear to have taken the place of such old-fashioned virtues as simplicity1 sincerity1 and that genuine hospitality which asserts nothing1 but gives all4 ,kind hearts are more than coronets1 ,and simple faith than ,norman blood4 ,in very few cases does immense wealth seem to go hand in hand with refinement1 reserve and dignity4 ,millionaires are for the most part ill-mannered and illiterate1 and singularly uninteresting in their conversation4 ,a certain millionaire1 occupying during some seasons one of the fine old ,scottish ,castles whose owners still take pride in the fact that its walls once sheltered 8bonnie ,prince ,charlie10 can find little to do with himself and his 8house-party10 but fill the grand old drawing-room with tobacco-smoke and whisky-fumes of an evening1 and play 8,bridge0 for ruinous stakes on ,sundays1 of all days in the week4 ,during other hours and days he goes out shooting1 or drives a motor-car4 ,intellectually speaking1 the man is less of a real personality than the great ,newfoundland dog he owns4 ,but measured by gold he is a person of enormous importance--a human ,el ,dorado4 ,and his banking-account is the latchkey with which he opens the houses of the great and intrudes his coarse presence through the doors of royal palaces2 whereas if by some capricious stroke of ill-luck he had not a penny left in the world1 those same doors would be shut in his face with a bang4 ,the vulgarity of wealth is daily and hourly so broadly evidenced and apparent1 that one can well credit a strange rumour prevalent in certain highly exclusive circles1 far removed from the 8swagger set10 to the effect that with one more turn of blind ,fortune's wheel1 the grace of ,poverty will become a rare social distinction4 ,the ,poor ,gentleman1 it is said1 will be eagerly sought after1 and to be seen in his company will entitle one to respect4 ,the man of money will stand outside the ring of this ,society1 which is in process of formation for the revival of the ,art of ,intelligent ,conversation and the ,cultivation of ,good ,manners4 ,ladies who dress with a becoming simplicity1 and who are not liable to the accusation of walking about with clothes unpaid for1 will be eligible for membership1--and young men who are not ashamed to emphatically decline playing cards on ,sunday will be equally welcome in the select coterie4 ,limited means will be considered more of a recommendation than a drawback1 and visits will be interchanged among the members on the lines of unaffected hospitality1 offered with unassuming friendship and sincerity4 ,kindness towards each other1 punctilious attention to the smallest courtesies of life1 unfailing chivalry towards women1 and honour to men1 will be the prevailing 8rules0 of the community1 and every attempt at 8show10 either in manners or entertainment1 will be rigorously forbidden and excluded4 ,the aim of the ,society will be to prove the truth of the adage that 8,manners makyth the man10 as opposed to the modern reading1 8,money makyth the nobleman40 ,bearing in mind that the greatest reformers and teachers of the world were seldom destitute of the grace of ,poverty1 it will be deemed good and necessary to make a stand for this ancient and becoming ,virtue1 which as a learned writer says1 8doth sit on a wise man more becomingly than royal robes on a king40 ,many who entertain this view are prepared to unite their forces in making well-born and well-bred ,poverty the fashion4 ,for in such a scheme1 singular as it may appear1 there is just a faint chance of putting up a barrier against boorish ,plutocracy 7which is a more unwieldy and offensive power than ,democracy71 and also of asserting the existence of grander national qualities than greed1 avarice1 and self-indulgence1 which humours1 if allowed to generate and grow in the minds of a people1 result in the ravaging sickness of such a pestilence of evil as cannot be easily stayed or remedied4 ,there has been enough1 and too much of the ,idolatry of ,money-bags--it is time the fever of such insanity should abate and cool down4 ,to conclude with another admirable quotation from ,mr4 ,lecky3 8,of colossal fortunes only a very small fraction can be truly said to minister to the personal enjoyment of the owner4 ,the disproportion in the world between pleasure and cost is indeed almost ludicrous4 ,the two or three shillings that gave us our first ,shakespeare would go but a small way towards providing one of the perhaps untasted dishes on the dessert table4 ,the choicest masterpieces of the human mind--the works of human genius that through the long course of centuries have done most to ennoble1 console1 brighten1 and direct the lives of men1 might all be purchased--,i do not say by the cost of a lady's necklace1 but by that of one or two of the little stones of which it is composed4 ,compare the relish with which the tired pedestrian eats his bread and cheese with the appetites with which men sit down to some stately banquet2 compare the level of spirits at the village dance with that of the great city ball whose lavish splendour fills the society papers with admiration2 compare the charms of conversation in the college common room with the weary faces that may be often seen around the millionaire's dinner table1 and we may gain a good lesson of the vanity of riches40 ,and1 we may add1 of the vulgarity of those who advertise their wealth by ostentation1 as well as of those who honour ,purses more than ,principles4 ,,american ,,women ,,in ,,england ,why is the ,american woman so popular in ,english society8 ,why is her charmingly assertive personality acknowledged everywhere8 ,why is she received by knights and earls and belted churls with such overpowering enthusiasm8 ,surely something subtle1 elusive and mysterious1 clings to her particular form1 nature and identity1 for more often than not1 the stolid ,britisher1 while falling at her feet and metaphorically kissing the hem of her garment1 wonders vaguely how it is that she manages to make such a fool of him6 ,to which1 she might reply1 on demand1 that if he were not a fool already1 she would not find her task so easy6 ,for the ,american woman is1 above all women in the world1 clever--or let us say 8brainy0 to an almost incredible height of brainyness4 ,she is 8all there40 ,she can take the measure of a man in about ten minutes and classify him as though he were a botanical specimen4 ,she realizes all his limitations1 his 8notions10 and his special and particular fads1--and she has the uncommonly good sense not to expect much of him4 ,she would not 8take any0 on the lily-maid of ,astolat1 the fair ,elaine1 who spent her time in polishing the shield of ,lancelot1 and who finally died of love for that most immoral but fascinating ,knight of the ,round ,table4 ,no1 she wouldn't polish a shield1 you bet6 ,she would make ,lancelot polish it himself for all he was worth1 and polish her own dear little boots and shoes for her into the bargain4 ,that is one of her secrets--masterfulness--or1 let us say queenliness1 which sounds better4 ,the ,lord of creation can do nothing in the way of ordering her about1--because1 as the ,lady of creation she expects to order him about1--and she does6 ,she expects to be worked for1 worshipped and generally attended to1--and she gets her way4 ,what she wants1 she will have1--though 8,companies0 smash1 and mighty ,combines split into infinite nothingness2 and more than any tamer of wild forest animals she makes all her male lions and bears dance at her bidding4 ,perhaps the chief note in the ever-ascending scale of her innumerable attractions is her intense vitality4 ,the mixed blood of many intelligent races courses through her delicate veins and gives a joyous lightness to the bounding of her heart and the swift grace of her step4 ,she is full of energy as well as charm4 ,if she sets out to enjoy herself1 she enjoys herself thoroughly4 ,she talks and laughs freely4 ,she is not a mere well-dressed automaton like the greater majority of upper-class ,british dames4 ,she is under the impression1--7a perfectly correct one7 that tongues were given to converse with1 and that lips1 especially pretty ones1 were made to smile with4 ,she is1 taken at her best1 eminently good-natured1 and refreshingly free from the jaundiced spite against others of her own sex which savours the afternoon chitter-chatter of nine out of every ten ,english spinsters and matrons taken together in conclave4 ,she would1 on the whole1 rather say a kind thing than a cruel one4 ,perhaps this is because she is herself always so triumphant in her social career1--because she is too certain of her own power to feel 8the pangs of unrequited love10 or to allow herself to be stung by the 8green-eyed monster10 jealousy4 ,her car is always rolling over roses1--there is always a ,british title going a-begging1--always some decayed or degenerate or semi-drunken peer1 whose fortunes are on the verge of black ruin1 ready and willing to devour1 monster-like1 the holocaust of an ,american virgin1 provided bags of bullion are flung1 with her1 into his capacious maw4 ,though certainly one should look upon the frequent marriages of ,american heiresses with effete ,british nobles1 as the carrying out of a wise and timely dispensation of ,providence4 ,new blood--fresh sap1 is sorely needed to invigorate the grand old tree of the ,british aristocracy1 which has of late been looking sadly as though dry rot were setting in1--as though the woodlice were at work in its heart1 and the rats burrowing at its root4 ,but1 by the importation of a few clean-minded1 sweet-souled ,american women1 some of the most decayed places in the venerable stem have been purged and purified1--the sap has risen1 and new boughs and buds of promise are sprouting4 ,and it is full time that this should be4 ,for we have had to look with shame and regret upon many of our ,english lords caught in gambling dens1--and shown up in dishonourable bankruptcies2--some of them have disported themselves upon the 8variety0 stage1 clad in women's petticoats and singing comic songs for a fee1--others have 8hired themselves out0 as dummy figures of attraction at evening parties1 accepting five guineas for each appearance1--and they have become painfully familiar objects in the ,divorce ,court1 where the stories of their most unsavoury manners and customs1 as detailed in the press1 have offered singular instruction and example to those 8lower0 classes whom they are supposed to more or less influence4 ,a return to the old motto of 8noblesse oblige0 would not be objectionable2 a re-adopting of old un-blemished scutcheons of honour would be appreciated1 even by the so-called 8vulgar10--and a great noble who is at the same time a great man1 would in this present day1 be accepted by all classes with an universal feeling of grateful surprise and admiration4 ,but1 revenons nos moutons1--the social popularity of the ,american woman in ,english society4 ,that she is popular is an admitted and incontestable fact4 ,she competes with the native ,british female product at every turn1--in her dress1 in her ways1 in her irresistible vivacity1 and above all in her intelligence4 ,when she knows things1 she lets people know that she knows things4 ,she cannot sit with her hands before her in stodgy silence1 allowing other folks to talk4 ,that is an ,english habit4 ,no doubt the ,english girl or woman knows quite as much as her ,american sister1 but she has an unhappy knack of assuming to be a fool4 ,she says little1 and that little not to much purpose1--she looks less1--it is dimly understood that she plays hockey1 tennis and golf1 and has large feet4 ,she is an athletic ,enigma4 ,i write this1 of course1 solely concerning those ,british women1 young1 middle-aged and elderly1 who make 8sport0 and out-door exercise the chief aim and end of existence4 ,but ,i yield to none in my love and admiration for the real1 genuine1 unmodernised ,english maiden1 at her gentlest and best1--she is the rosebud of the world4 ,and ,i tender devout reverence and affection to the un-fashionable1 single-hearted1 dear1 loving and ever-beloved ,english wife and mother--she is the rose in all its full-blown glory4 ,unfortunately1 however1 these ,english rosebuds and roses are seldom met with in the sweltering1 scrambling crowd called 8society40 ,they dwell in quiet country-places where the lovely influences of their modest and retiring lives are felt but never seen4 ,society likes to be seen rather than felt4 ,there is all the difference4 ,and in that particular section of it whose aim is seeing to be seen1 and seen to be seeing1 the ,american woman is as an oasis in the desert4 ,she also wants to be seen1--but she expresses that desire so navely1 and often so bewitchingly1 that it is a satisfaction to every one to grant her request4 ,she also would see1--and her eyes are so bright and roving and restless1 that ,mother ,britannia is perforce compelled to smile indulgently1 and to open all her social picture-books for the pleasure of the spoilt child of eternal ,mayflower pedigree4 ,it has to be said and frankly admitted too1 that much of the popularity attending an ,american girl when she first comes over to ,london for a 8season0 is due to an idea which the stolid ,britisher gets into his head1 namely1 that she has1 she must have1 ,money4 ,the ,american girl and ,money are twins1 according to the stolid ,britisher's belief4 ,and when the stolid ,britisher fixes something--anything--into the passively-resisting matter composing his brain1 it would take ,leviathan1 with1 not one1 but several hooks1 to unfix it4 ,and thus it often happens that the sight of a charmingly dressed1 graceful1 generally 8smart0 ,american girl attracts the stolid ,britisher in the first place because he says to himself--8,money60 ,he knows all the incomes of all the best families in his own country1--and none of them are big enough to suit him4 ,but the ,american girl arrives as more or less of a financial mystery4 ,she may have thousands1--she may have millions1--he can never be quite sure4 ,and he does all he can to ingratiate himself with her and give her a good time 8on spec40 to begin with1 while he makes cautious and diplomatic enquiries4 ,if his hopes rest on a firm basis1 his attentions are redoubled--if1 on the contrary1 they are built on shifting sand1 he gradually diminishes his ardour and like a 8wilting flower0 fades and 8fizzles0 away4 ,i am here reminded of a certain ,earl1 renowned in the political and social world1 who1 when he was a young man1 went over on a visit to ,america and there fell1 or feigned to fall1 deeply in love with a very sweet1 very beautiful1 very gentle and lovable ,american girl4 ,in a brief while he became engaged to her4 ,the engagement was made public--the wedding day was almost fixed4 ,the girl's father was extremely wealthy1 and she was the only child and sole heiress4 ,but an unfortunate failure1--a gigantic collapse in the money market1 made havoc of the father's fortunes1 and as soon as his ruin was declared beyond a doubt1 the noble ,earl1 without much hesitation or ado1 broke off his engagement1 and rapidly decamped from the ,states back to his own country1 where1 as all the world knows1 he did very well for himself4 ,strange to say1 however1 the girl whom he had thus brutally forsaken for no fault of her own1 had loved him with all the romantic and trusting tenderness of first love1 and the heartless blow inflicted upon her by his noble and honourable lordship was one from which she never recovered4 ,the ,noble and ,honourable has1 ,i repeat1 done very well for himself1 though it is rumoured that he sleeps badly1 and that he has occasionally been heard muttering after the fashion of ,hamlet1 ,prince of ,denmark1--8,oh ,god1 ,i could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space were it not that ,i have bad dreams60 ,marriage1 however1 is by no means the only1 or even the chief resource in life of the ,american woman4 ,she evidently looks with a certain favour on the holy estate of matrimony and is quite willing to become an excellent wife and mother if the lines of her destiny run that way1 but if they should happen to branch out in another direction1 she wastes no time in useless pining4 ,she is too vital1 too capable1 too intelligent and energetic altogether to play the rle of an interesting martyr to male neglect4 ,she will teach1 or she will lecture1--she will sing1 or she will act1--she will take her degrees in medicine and surgery1--she will practise for the ,bar1--she will write books1 and the days are fast approaching when she will become a high priestess of the ,church1 and will preach to the lost sheep of ,israel as well as to the equally lost ones of ,new ,york or ,chicago2--she will be a 8beauty doctor10 a 8physical culture0 woman1 a 8medium10 a stock-broker1 a palmist1 a florist1 a house-decorator1 a dealer in lace and old curiosities1--ay6 she will even become a tram-car conductor if necessity compels and the situation is open to her1--and she will manage a cattle ranch as easily as a household1 should opportunity arise4 ,marriage is but one link in the long chain of her general efficiency1 and like ,cleopatra1 8age cannot wither her1 nor custom stale ,her infinite variety40 ,a curious fact and one worth noting is1 that we seldom or never hear ,americans use the ill-bred expression 8old maid0 when alluding to such of their feminine relatives or friends who may happen to remain unmarried4 ,they know too well that these confirmed and settled spinsters are as capable and as well to the front in the rush of life as the wedded wives1 if not more so1--they know that among these unmarried feminine forces they have to reckon with some of the cleverest heads of the day1 to whom no opprobrious term of contempt dare be applied1--women who are editors and proprietors of great newspapers1--women who manage famous schools and colleges1--women who1 being left with large fortunes1 dispense the same in magnificently organized but unadvertised charities1--women who do so command by their unassisted influence certain social movements and events1 that if indeed they were to marry1 something like confusion and catastrophe might ensue among the circles they control by the introduction of a new and possibly undesirable element4 8,old maid10 may apply to the unfortunate female who has passed all the days of her youth in talking about men and in failing to catch so much as one of the wandering tribe1 and who1 on arriving at forty years1 meekly retires to the chimney corner with shawl over her shoulders and some useful knitting1--but it carries neither meaning nor application to the brisk1 brilliant ,american spinster who at fifty keeps her trim svelte figure1 dresses well1 goes here1 there and everywhere1 and sheds her beaming smile with good-natured tolerance1 and perchance something of gratitude as well1 on the men she has escaped from4 ,life does not run only in one channel for the ,american ,woman4 ,she does not 8make tracks0 solely from the cradle to the altar1 from the altar to the grave4 ,she realizes that there is more fun to be got out of being born than just this little old measure meted out to her by the barbaric males of earliest barbaric periods1 when women were yoked to the plough with cattle4 ,and it is the innate consciousness of her own power and intelligent ability that gives her the dominating charm1--the magnetic spell under which the stolid ,britisher falls more or less stricken1 stupefied and inert4 ,he is never a great talker2 she is4 ,her flow of conversation bewilders him4 ,she knows so much too--she chatters of ,shakespeare1 ,byron1 ,shelley1 ,keats--and he thinks he has heard of these people somewhere before4 ,he listens dumbly4 ,sometimes he scratches his head1--occasionally he feels his moustache1 if he has one4 ,when she laughs1 he smiles slowly and dubiously4 ,he hopes she is not laughing at him4 ,he feels--he feels--dontcherknow--that she is 8ripping40 ,he couldn't tell you what he means by 8ripping0 to save his life4 ,but painfully accustomed as he is to the dull and listless conversation of the ,british materfamilias1 and to the half-hoydenish conduct of the ,british tom-boy girl who will insist on playing golf and hockey with him in order not to lose him out of her sight1 he is altogether refreshed and relieved when the ,american ,woman dawns upon his cloudy horizon1 and instead of waiting upon him1 commands him to wait upon her1 with one dazzling look of her bright1 audacious eye4 ,the ,american ,woman is not such a fool as to go play hockey with him at all times and in all weathers1 thereby allowing him to take the unchecked measure of her ankles4 ,she is too clever to do anything that might possibly show her in an unlovely or ungraceful light4 ,she takes care to keep her hands soft and small and white1 that they may be duly caressable1--and makes the best and prettiest of herself on all and every occasion4 ,and that she has succeeded in taking ,english society by storm is no matter of surprise4 ,english society1 unmixed with any foreign element1 is frequently said to be the dullest in the world4 ,it is an entertainment where no one is entertained4 ,a civil apathy wraps each man and woman in its fibrous husk1 and sets them separately apart behind barricades of the most idiotic conventionality4 ,the ,american ,woman is the only being that can break down these barricades and tear the husk to shreds4 ,no wonder she is popular6 ,the secret of her success is in her own personal charm and vivacious intelligence1--in her light scorn of stupid ceremonies1--in the frank geniality of her disposition 7when she can manage to keep it unspoilt by contact with the reserved hypocrisy of the 8,smart ,set107 and the delightful spontaneity of her thoughts which find such ready expression in equally spontaneous speech4 ,altogether the ,american ,woman is a valuable importation into ,great ,britain4 ,she is an incarnation of the ,present1 and an embryo of the ,future4 ,she is a gifted daughter of the ,british race1 holding within her bright1 vital1 ambitious identity many of the greater possibilities of ,britain4 ,and to the question 8,why is she popular80 the answer is simple--8,because she deserves to be60 ,,the ,,american ,,bounder ,everything in ,america is colossal1 stupendous and pre-eminent1--it follows1 therefore1 that the ,american 8bounder0 is the most colossal1 stupendous and pre-eminent bounder in existence4 ,none of his tribe can match him in 8brass10--none of his ,european forbears or connections can equal him in brag4 ,he is an inflated bladder of man1 swollen out well-nigh to bursting with the wind of the ,yankee ,doodle ,eagle's wing4 ,his aim in life appears to be to disgrace his country by his manners1 his morals and his conversation4 ,he arrives in ,europe with the air of laying ,europe under a personal debt of obligation to ,providence for having kindly permitted him to be born4 ,as befits a son of the goddess ,liberty1 he sets his proud foot on the 8worn out0 soil of the ,old ,world and prances there1 even as the 8wild ass0 mentioned in ,holy ,writ4 ,as a citizen of the greatest ,republic over which any starred or striped flag ever flew1 he extends his gracious patronage to tottering monarchies1 and allows it to be understood that he tolerates with an amused compassion that poor1 drivelling1 aged and senile institution known as the ,aristocracy4 ,he alludes to 8my friend the ,duke10 casually1 as one might speak of a blind beggar4 ,he throws in a remark quite unexpectedly at times concerning 8,betty--you've heard of her surely8 ,countess ,betty--the ,countess of ,hockyfield--oh yes6--you ,english snobs rather #8kotow' to her1 but ,i call her ,betty6--she likes it60 ,he may frequently be found in residence on the fourth floor back of a swagger hotel1 occupying a 8bed-sitting room0 littered with guide books1 8yellow0 journalism1 and dubious ,french novels1 with an impressionist sketch of the newest ,paris 8danseuse0 in her most suggestive want of attire set conspicuously forward for inspection4 ,if chance visitors happen to notice flowers on his table1 he at once seethes into a simmering scum of self-adulation4 8,charming1 are they not60 he says--8,so sweet6 ,so dear of the ,duchess to send them6--she knows how fond ,i am of ,malmaisons6--did you notice that ,malmaison8--the ,duchess gathered it for me herself--it is from one of the ,sandringham stock4 ,of course you know the carnation houses at ,sandringham8 ,alex4 delights in ,malmaisons60 ,and when guileless strangers gasp and blink as they realize that it is ,england's gracious ,queen-,consort who is being spoken of as 8,alex40 in the company of the soiled literature and the portrait of the ,paris 8danseuse0 the ,bounder is delighted4 ,he feels he has made a point4 ,he chortles cheerfully on--8,what a rotten old country this is after all1 eh8 ,just crawling alive with snobs6 ,everyone's on their knees to a title1 and the sight of a lord seems to give the average ,britisher a fit4 ,now look at me6 ,i don't care a cent about your dukes and earls4 ,why should ,i8 ,i'm always with 'em--fact is1 they can't bear to have me out of their sight6 ,lady ,belinda ,boomall--second daughter of the ,duke of ,borrowdom1--she's just mad on me6 ,she thinks ,i've got money1 and ,i let her6 ,it's real fun6 ,and as to the ,marchioness ,golfhouse--she's up to some games ,i tell you6 ,she knows a thing or two6 ,my word60 ,here he gives vent to a sound suggestive of something between a sneeze and a snigger which is his own particular way of rendering the laugh satirical4 8,i always get on with your blue-blooded girls60--he proceeds2 8,i guess they're pretty tired of their own men hulking round6 ,they take to an ,amurrican as ducks take to water4 ,see all those cards80--pointing in a casual way to half a dozen or so of pasteboard slips littered on the mantelshelf1 among which the discerning observer might certainly see one or two tradesmen's advertisements--8,they just shower 'em on me6 ,i've got an #8at home' to-night and a ball afterwards--to-morrow ,i breakfast at ,marlborough ,house2--then lunch with ,lady ,adelaide ,sparkler1--she drives me in the ,park afterwards--and in the evening ,i dine at ,st4 ,james' ,palace and go to the ,opera with the ,rothschilds4 ,it's always like that with me6 ,i never have a moment to myself4 ,all these people want me4 ,lady ,adelaide ,sparkler declares she cannot possibly do without me6 ,i ought to have been at ,stafford ,house this afternoon--great show on there--but ,i can't be bothered6--the ,duchess is just too trying for words sometimes6 ,of course it's all a question of connection2--they know who ,i am and all about my ancestors1 and that makes 'em so anxious to have me4 ,you know who my ancestors were80 ,now when the ,american ,bounder puts this question1 he ought to receive a blunt answer4 ,perhaps if ,britishers were as rude as they are sometimes reported to be1 one of them would give such an answer straight4 ,he would say 8,no1 ,i do not2 but ,i expect you sprang from a convict root of humanity thrown out as bad rubbish from an over-populated prison and cast by chance into ,american soil beside an equally rank native ,indian weed--and that in your present bad form and general condition1 you are the expressive result of that disastrous combination40 ,but1 as a rule1 even the most truculent ,britisher's natural pluck is so paralysed by the ,american ,bounder's amazing capacity for lying1 that in nine cases out of ten1 he merely murmurs an inarticulate negative4 ,whereat the ,bounder at once proceeds to enlighten him--8,i am the direct descendant of the ,scroobys of ,scrooby in ,yorkshire10--he resumes--8,my name's not ,scrooby--no6--but that has nothing to do with it4 ,the families got mixed4 ,scrooby of ,scrooby went over to ,holland in #afjg and joined the ,pilgrim ,fathers4 ,he was quite a boy1 but ,elder ,brewster took care of him6 ,he held the ,bible when ,brewster first fell upon his knees and thanked ,god4 ,so you see ,i really come from ,yorkshire4 ,real old ,yorkshire ham #8cured' into an ,amurrican60 ,after this1 there is nothing more to be said4 ,questions of course might be asked as to how the 8,yorkshire ham0 not being 8,scrooby0 now1 ever started from 8,scrooby0 in the past1 only it is not worth while4 ,it never is worth while to try and certify an ,american ,bounder's claim to being sprung from a dead and gone family of ,english gentlemen4 ,regard for the dead and gone ,english gentlemen should save them from this affront to their honourable dust4 ,perhaps the most amazing thing about the ,american ,bounder after his free and easy familiarities with 8,bertie0 7the ,king7 8,alex40 7the ,queen7 and 8,georgie and ,may0 7the ,prince and ,princess of ,wales7 is his overweening1 self-satisfied1 complacent and arrogant ignorance4 ,the most blatant little local tradesman who1 through well-meaning ,parliamentary short-sightedness in educational schemes1 becomes a 8governor0 of a ,technical ,school in the provinces1 is never so blatantly ignorant as he4 ,he talks of everything and knows nothing4 ,he assumes to have the last word in science1 art and literature4 ,he will tell you he is 8great chums0 with ,marconi and ,edison1 and that these famous discoverers and inventors always lay their heads on his bosom and tell him their dearest confidences4 ,he knows just what is going to be done by everybody with everything4 ,he is friends with the ,drama too4 ,beerbohm ,tree rings him up on the telephone at all manner of strange hours1 thirsting for his advice on certain 8scenes0 and 8effects40 ,he is--to use his own words--8doing a great thing0 for ,tree6 ,sarah ,bernhardt is his very dearest of dear ones6 ,she has fallen into his arms1 coming off the stage at the side wings1 exhausted1 and exclaiming--8,toi1 mon cher6 ,enfin6 ,maintenant1 je respire60 ,madame ,rjane is always at home to him4 ,in fact all ,paris hails him with a joy too deep for tears4 ,he would not be a true 8,amurrican0 if he did not love ,paris1 and if ,paris did not love him4 ,but though he is completely 8at one10 according to his own statement1 with most of the celebrated personages of the day1 if not all1 he cannot tell you the most commonly known facts about them to save his life4 ,and though--again according to his own statement--he has read every book ever published1 visited every picture gallery1 8salon0 and theatre in ,europe1 he cannot pronounce the name of one single foreign author or artist correctly4 ,his ,english is bad enough1 but his ,french is worse4 ,he seldom makes excursions into the ,italian language--8,igh--talian0 as he calls it1 but it is quite enough for the merest beginner in the ,tuscan tongue to hear him say 8gondla0 to take the measure of his capacity4 8,gndola0 is a word so easily learned and so often used in ,italian1 that one might think any child could master its pronunciation from twice hearing it--but the ,american ,bounder makes the whole tour of ,italy without losing a scrap of his own special nasal lingo1 and returns in triumph to talk of the 8gondla0 and the 8bella rgg-azza0 7instead of ragzza7 till one's ears almost ache with the hideous infliction of his abominable accent4 ,in ,switzerland he is always alluding to 8,mount ,blank0--the 8,cantone ,gry-son0--8,noo-shatell0--and the 8,mountain ,vert0--and in ,great ,britain he has been heard to speak of ,loche ,kay-trine and ,ben ,neevis1 as well as of ,conisston and ,cornwll4 ,but it is quite 8correct0 he will tell you--it is only the ,english people who do not know how to talk ,english4 ,the actual1 true1 pure pronunciation of the ,english language went over to the ,states with the ,scroobys of ,scrooby1 and he their descendant and ,bounder1 has preserved it intact4 ,even ,shakespeare's river ,avon becomes metamorphosed under the roll of his atrocious tongue4 ,he will not pronounce it with the ,english ,a1 as in the word 8bay10--he calls it ,a'von1 as the 8a0 is sounded in the word avarice--so that the soft poetic name of the classic stream appears to have been bitten off by him and swallowed like a pop-corn4 ,but it would be of no use to argue with him on this or on any other point1 because he is always right4 ,no real ,american ,bounder was ever wrong4 ,one cannot but observe what a close acquaintance the ,bounder has with ,debrett and various 8,county0 ,directories4 ,his study of these volumes is almost as profound as that of ,mr4 ,balfour must have been when writing 8,the ,foundations of ,belief40 ,between ,debrett and ,baedeker he manages to elicit a certain useful stock of surface information which he imparts in a kind of cheap toy-cracker fashion to various persons1 who1 politely listening1 wonder why he appears to think that they are not aware of facts familiar to them from their childhood4 ,his modes of appearing 8to know1 you know60 are exceedingly simple4 ,for example1 suppose him to be asked to join a 8house-party0 in ,suffolk4 ,he straightway studies the 8,county ,directory0 of that quarter of ,england1 and looks up the principal persons mentioned therein in various other books of handy reference4 ,when1 in due course1 he arrives at the house to which he has been invited1 he manages to faintly surprise uninitiated persons by his 7apparently7 familiar acquaintance with the pedigree and history of this or that 8county0 magnate1 and his 7apparently7 intimate knowledge of such and such celebrated paintings and 8objets d'art0 as adorn the various historical mansions in the district--knowledge for which he is merely indebted to ,baedeker4 ,he is as loquacious as a village washerwoman4 ,he will relate any number of scandalous stories in connection with the several families of whose ways and doings he pretends to have such close and particular information--and should any listener interrupt him with a mild 8,pardon me6--but1 having resided in this neighbourhood all my life ,i venture to think you must be mistaken02--he merely smiles blandly at such a display of 8native0 ignorance4 8,lived here all your life and not know that60 he exclaims--8,my word6 ,it takes an ,amurrican to teach you what's going on in your own country60 ,offensive as is this more or less ordinary type of ,american ,bounder who makes his 8home in ,yew-rope0 on fourth floors of fashionable hotels1 a still worse and more offensive specimen is found in the ,starred-and-,striped ,bounding ,millionaire4 ,this individual--who has frequently attained to a plethora of cash through one of two reprehensible ways--either by 8sweating0 labour1 or by fooling shareholders in 8trust0 companies1--comes to ,great ,britain with the fixed impression that everything in the 8darned old place0 can be bought for money4 ,unfortunately he is often right4 ,the ,british--originally and by nature proud1 reserved1 and almost savagely tenacious of their freedom and independence--have been bitten by the ,transatlantic madness of mere ,greed1 and their blood has been temporarily poisoned by infection4 ,but one may hope and believe that it is only a passing malady1 and that the old healthy life will re-invest the veins of the nation all the more strongly for partial sickness and relapse4 ,in the meantime it occasionally happens that the 8free0 ,briton bows his head like a whipped mongrel cur to the bulging ,bank-,account of the ,american ,millionaire-,bounder4 ,and the ,american ,millionaire-,bounder plants his flat foot on the so foolishly bent pate and walks over it with a commercial chuckle4 8,you talk of your #8,noblesse oblige1' your honour1 your old historic tradition and aristocratic ,order60 he says1 sneeringly--8,why there isn't a man alive in ,britain that ,i couldn't buy1 principles and all1 for fifty thousand pounds60 ,this kind of vaunt at ,britain's expense is common to the ,american ,millionaire-,bounder--and whether it arises out of his conscious experience of the ,british1 or his braggart conceit1 must be left to others to query or determine4 ,certain it is that he does buy a good deal1 and that the owners of such things as he wants seem always ready to sell4 ,famous estates are knocked down to him--manuscripts and pictures which should be the preciously guarded property of the nation1 are easily purchased by him1--and1 laughing in his sleeve at the purblind apathy of the ,british ,government1 which calmly looks on while he pockets such relics of national greatness as unborn generations will vainly and indignantly ask for1--he congratulates himself on possessing1 as he says1 8the only few things the old country has got left worth having40 ,one can but look gloomily through the 8,calendar of ,shakespearean ,rarities10 collected by ,halliwell ,phillips1 which were offered to the wealthy city of ,birmingham for #g1jjj1 and reflect that this same wealthy city disgraced itself by refusing to purchase the collection and by allowing everything to be bought and carried away from ,england by 8an ,american0 in #ahig4 ,we do not say this ,american was a 8,bounder0--nevertheless1 if he had been a real lover of ,shakespeare's memory1 rather than of himself1 he would have bought these relics for ,shakespeare's native country and presented them for ,shakespeare's sake to ,shakespeare's native people1 who are not1 as a ,people1 to blame for the parsimony of their ,governments4 ,they pay taxes enough in all conscience1 and at least they deserve that what few relics remain of their ,greatest ,man should be saved and ensured to them4 ,but perhaps the ,american ,millionaire-,bounder is at his best when he has bought an ,english newspaper and is running it in ,london4 ,then he feels as if he were running the ,imperial ,government itself--nay1 almost the ,monarchy4 ,he imagines that he has his finger on the very pulse of ,time4 ,he hugs himself in the consciousness that the ,british people1--that large majority of them who are not behind the scenes--buy his paper1 believing it to be a ,british paper1 not a journal of 8,amurrican0 opinion1 that is1 opinion as ordered and paid for by one 8,amurrican40 ,he knows pretty well in his own mind that if they understood that such was the actual arrangement1 they would save their pence4 ,unfortunately the great drawback of the 8man in the street0 who buys newspapers1 is that he has no time to enquire as to the way in which the journals he confides in are 8run40 ,if he knew that the particular view taken of the political situation in a certain journal1 was merely the political view ordered to be taken by one 8,amurrican0--naturally he would not pin his simple faith upon it4 ,perhaps the ,man in the ,street will some day wake up to the realization that in many cases1 7though not all7 with respect to journalism1 he only exists to be 8gulled40 ,like all good and bad things1 the ,american ,bounder1 whether millionaire or only shabby-genteel1 has a certain height beyond which he can no further go--a point where he culminates in a blaze of ultra ,bounder-ism4 ,this brilliant apotheosis is triumphantly reached in the ,female of his species4 ,the ,american ,female ,bounder is the quintessence of vulgarity1 and in every way makes herself so objectionable even to her own people and country that ,americans themselves view her departure for 8,yew-rope0 with perfect equanimity1 and hope she will never come back4 ,once in what she calls 8the old country0 she talks all day long through her quivering nose of 8,lady ,this0 and 8,countess ,that40 ,one of this class ,i recall now as ,i write1 who spoke openly of a 8,mrs4 ,countess ,so-and-,so0--and utterly declined to be instructed in any other form of address4 ,she was not content to trace her lineage to such humble folk as the 8,scroobys of ,scrooby0--no indeed1 not she6 ,kings were her ancestors2 her 8family tree0 sprouted from ,richard the ,lion-,heart1 according to her own bombastic assertion1 and she1 with her loud twanging voice1 odious manners and insufferable impertinence1 was 8genuine stock0 of royallest origin4 ,of course it is quite possible that1 as in horticulture1 a once nobly cultivated human plant may1 if left without wholesome or fostering influences1 degenerate into a weed--but that so rank a weed as the ,american ,female ,bounder should be the dire result of the ,conqueror's blood is open to honest doubt4 ,she generally has a 8mission0 to reform something or somebody1--she is very often a 8,christian science0 woman1 or a theosophist4 ,sometimes she 8takes up0 ,art as though it were a dustpan1 and sweeps into it under her 8patronage0 certain dusty and doubtful literary and musical aspirants who want a 8hearing0 for their efforts4 ,fortunately for the world1 a 8hearing0 under the gracious auspices of the ,american ,female ,bounder means a silence everywhere else4 ,she is fond of 8frocks and frills0--and wears an enormous quantity of jewels1 8stones0 as she calls them4 ,she 8pushes0 herself in every possible social direction1 and wherever she sees she is not wanted1 there1 more particularly than elsewhere1 she contrives to force an entry4 ,she embraces the game of 8,bridge0 with passionate eagerness because she sees that by keeping open house1 with card-tables always ready1 she can attract the loafing 8great ones of the earth10 and possibly persuade a 8,mrs4 ,countess0 to befriend her4 ,if she is fairly wealthy1 she can generally manage to do this4 ,all ,mrs4 ,countesses have not 8that repose which stamps the caste of ,vere de ,vere40 ,some of them find the ,american ,female ,bounder useful--and precisely in the manner she offers herself1 even so they take her4 ,and thus it often happens that one frequently meets her where she has no business to be4 ,one is not surprised to find her at ,court1 or in the ,royal enclosure at ,ascot1 because so many of her ,british sisters in the ,bounder line are in these places1 ready to give her a helping hand--but one is occasionally startled and in a manner sorry to discover her making herself at home among certain 8exclusive0 people who are chiefly distinguished for their good-breeding1 culture and refinement4 ,in one thing1 however1 we can take much comfort1 and this is1 that whatever the ,american ,bounder1 ,male or ,female1 may purchase or otherwise insidiously obtain in the ,old ,world1 neither he nor she can ever secure respect4 ,driven to bay as the ,britisher may be by consummate and pertinacious lying1 he can and does withhold from the liars his honest esteem4 ,he may sell a valuable manuscript or picture to a 8bounding0 ,yankee1 out of sheer necessitous circumstance1 but he will never be 8friends0 with the purchaser4 ,he will call him 8bounder0 to the crack of doom1 and ,doomsday itself will not alter that impression of him4 ,it may be1 and it is ,i think1 taken for granted that ,america itself is very glad to get rid of its 8bounders40 ,it regards them with as much shame and distress as we feel when we see certain specimens of 8travelling ,english0 disporting themselves upon the ,continent in the ',arry and ,jemima way4 ,we always fervently hope that our ,continental neighbours will not take these extraordinary roughs as bona-fide examples of the ,british people1 and in the same way ,america trusts all the nations of ,europe not to accept their 8,bounders0 as examples of the real pith and power of the ,united ,states4 ,the ,american ,people are too great1 too broad-minded1 sane1 and thorough1 not to wish to shake off these aphides on their rose of life4 ,they watch them 8clearing out0 for 8,yew-rope0 with perfect satisfaction4 ,said a charming ,american woman to me the other day--8,what a pity it is that ,english people will keep on receiving ,americans here who would not be tolerated for a moment in ,new ,york or ,boston society6 ,it surprises us very greatly4 ,sometimes indeed we cannot help laughing to see the names of women figuring among your #8haute noblesse' who would never get inside a decent house anywhere in the ,states4 ,but more often we are sorry that your social #8leaders' are so easily taken in60 ,here indeed is the sum total of the matter4 ,if ,great ,britain--and other countries in ,europe--but ,great ,britain especially--did not 8receive0 and encourage the ,american ,bounder and ,bounderess1 these objectionable creatures would never be known or heard of4 ,therefore it is our fault that they exist4 ,were it not for our short-sighted foolishness1 and our proneness to believe that every 8,amurrican0 with money must be worth knowing1 we should be better able to sort the sheep from the goats4 ,we should add to the pleasures of our social life and intercourse an agreeable knowledge of the real ,american ladies1 the real ,american gentlemen2 and though these are seldom seen over here1 for the very good reason that they are valued and wanted in their own country1 they could at least be certain1 when they did come1 of being received at their proper valuation1 and not set to herd with the 8,bounders0 of their country1 whom their country rejects4 ,for one may presume that there is some cogent reason why an ,american citizen of the ,greatest ,republic in the world1 should elect to desert his native land and 8settle down0 under 8rotten old monarchies40 ,people do not leave the home of their birth for ever unless they find it impossible to live there for causes best known to themselves4 ,the poor are often compelled to emigrate1 we know1 in the hope to find employment and food in other countries--but when the rich 8slope off0 from the very centres where they have made their capital1 one may be permitted to doubt the purity of their intentions4 ,anyway1 surrounded as we are to-day socially by ,american ,bounders of every description1--,american ,bounders who think themselves as good as any one else 8and a darned sight better0--,american ,bounders who declare that they are the 8real old ,british race renewed10--,american ,bounders who 8run0 ,british journals of 8literary opinion0 and so forth1--,american ,bounders who thrust themselves into the company of unhappy kings and queens1--those crowned slaves who in such earthquaking days as these have to be more than common careful 8not to offend10--,american ,bounders who themselves claim kinship with the blood royal1--the one straight and simple fact remains--namely1 that all the best ,americans still live in ,america6 ,,coward ,,adam ,among the numerous fascinating and delightful members of the male sex whom ,i have the honour to count as friends1 there is one very handsome and devotedly attentive gentleman of four years old1 who is particularly fond of reciting to me in private the following striking poem on the ,fall of ,man4 ,when ,mister ,sarpint did deceive ,poor little silly ,missis ,eve1 ,the ,lord he spied an apple gone ,from off the branch it hanged upon2 ,that apple was a heavy loss1 ,and so the ,lord got very cross1 ,he searched the garden through and through1 ,and called 8,hi ,adam6 where are you80 ,but ,mister ,adam1 he1 ,clum up a tree4 ,there is something in this graphic narrative which appears to tickle my young cavalier's fancy immensely1 for whenever he says 8,mister ,adam1 he1 ,clum up a tree10 he opens his big blue eyes very widely1 claps his tiny hands very loudly1 and gives vent to ecstatic shrieks of laughter4 ,it is quite evident that he entirely understands and appreciates ,adam's position4 ,young as he is1 he has the instinctive knowledge within him that when the time comes1 he will likewise adopt the 8,clum up a tree0 policy4 ,for ,adam is the same ,adam still1 and nothing will ever change him4 ,and when things are getting rather 8mixed0 in his career1 and the forbidden fruit he has so readily devoured turns out to be rather more sour and tasteless than he had anticipated1--when his ,garden of ,eden is being searched through and through for the causes of the folly and disobedience which have devastated its original fairness1 the same old story may be said of him--8,mister ,adam1 he1 ,clum up a tree40 ,perhaps if he only climbed a tree one might excuse him1--but unfortunately he talks while climbing1--talks as though he were an old babbling grandam instead of a lord of creation1--and grandam-like puts the blame on somebody else4 ,he says--8,the woman whom thou gavest to be with me1 she gave me of the tree and ,i did eat40 ,coward ,adam6 ,observe how he at once transfers the fault of his own lack of will and purpose to the weaker1 more credulous1 more loving and trusting partner2--how he leaves her defenceless to brave the wrath which he himself dreads1--and how he never for one half second dreams of admitting himself to be the least in the wrong6 ,but there is always one great satisfaction to be derived from the perusal of the strange old ,eden story1 and this is that 8,mister ,sarpint0 was of the male gender4 ,scripture leaves no room for doubt on this point4 ,it says3 8,now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the ,lord ,god had made4 ,and he said unto the woman----0 ,so that a 8he0 tempted a woman1 before 8she0 ever tempted a 8he40 ,women should be duly thankful for the sex of 8,mister ,sarpint10 and should also bear in mind that this particular 8he0 was 8more subtil than any beast of the field which the ,lord ,god had made40 ,on many an occasion it will be found a salutary and useful fact to remember4 ,once upon a time1 so we are told1 there was an ,age of ,chivalry4 ,the word 8chivalry0 is stated in the dictionary to be derived from the ,french 8cheval0 a horse1 and 8chivalrous0 men were1 in the literal meaning of the term1 merely men who rode about on horseback4 ,but chivalry has somehow come to imply respect1 devotion1 and reverence for women4 ,the 8chivalrous0 knight is supposed to have gone all over the world1 wearing the glove or the ribbon of his 8ladye faire10 in his helmet1 and challenging to single combat every other knight that dared to question the supremacy of her beauty and virtue4 ,i confess at once that ,i do not believe in him4 ,if he ever existed he must have been a most unnatural and abnormal product of humanity1 as unlike his first progenitor ,adam as he could well be4 ,for even in the 8,round ,table0 romances one finds an entire lack of chivalry in the so-called chivalrous knights of ,king ,arthur4 ,their moral principles left much to be desired1 and the conduct of ,sir ,meliagraunce who betrayed the loves of ,lancelot and the ,queen was merely that of a common sneak4 ,coward ,adam spoke in him1 as in many of the ,arthurian heroes1--and that they were more 8chivalrous0 than the modern male gossips who jeer away a woman's name and honour in their smoking and gaming rooms1 is a legend which like that of the ,tree of ,good and ,evil itself1 requires stronger confirmation than history as yet witnesseth4 ,coward ,adam1 taking him as he appears in the present day1 has lately shown himself off in various odd phases and lamentable positions4 ,during the ,south ,african ,war he came out strong in some of our generals1 who put the blame of certain military mishaps on one another like quarrelsome children1 thereby losing dignity and offering a most humiliating spectacle to the amazed ,british public4 ,coward ,adam's policy1 after making a blunder1 is to adopt any lie1 rather than say frankly and boldly--8,i did it60 ,he will eat dirt by the bushel in preference to the nobler starvation act of singly facing his foes4 ,he is just now exhibiting himself to his usual advantage in the ,british ,parliament1 while the nation looks on1 waiting for the inevitable finale of his various hesitations and inefficiencies--the 8,mister ,adam1 he1 ,clum up a tree40 ,for in most matters of social1 political1 and moral progress1 the great difficulty is to obtain an upright1 downright1 honest and impartial opinion from any leading public man4 ,the nation may be drifting devilwards1 but statesmen are judged to be more statesmanlike1 if they hold their tongues and watch it go4 ,they must not speak the truth4 ,it would offend so many people4 ,it would upset so many interests4 ,it would create a panic on the ,stock ,exchange4 ,it would throw ,wall ,street into hysterics4 ,the world's vast public1 composed of thinking1 working1 and more or less educated and intelligent people1 may and do crave for a bold utterance1 a truth openly enunciated and bravely maintained1 but to the weavers of political intrigue and the self-seeking schemers in ,governmental departments1 the public is considered merely as a ,big ,child1 to be soothed with lollipop phrases and tickled by rattle promises4 ,if the ,big ,child cries and screams because it is hungry1 they chirp to it about ,fair ,trade1--if it complains that its ministers of religion are trying to make it say its prayers backwards1 they promise a full 8enquiry into recent abuses in the ,church40 ,but fine words butter no parsnips4 ,coward ,adam always climbs up a tree as quickly as he can when instead of fine words1 fine deeds are demanded4 ,physical feats of skill1 physical gymnastics of all kinds he excels in1 but a moral difficulty always places him as it did in the ,garden of ,eden1 in what he would conventionally term 8an awkward position40 8,never kiss and tell0 is ,i believe an 8unwritten law of chivalry40 ,this law1 so ,i understand1 ,coward ,adam does sometimes manage to obey1 albeit reluctantly4 ,because he would like to tell1--he would very much like to tell1--if--if the story of the kiss did not involve himself in the telling6 ,but at this juncture 8the unwritten laws of chivalry0 step in and he is saved4 ,and chivalry is the tree up which he climbs1 chattering to himself the usual formula--8,the woman whom thou gavest to be with me10--etcetera1 etcetera4 ,alas1 poor woman6 ,she has heard him saying this ever since she1 in an unselfish desire to share her food with him1 gave him the forbidden apple4 ,no doubt she offered him its rosiest and ripest side6 ,she always does1--at first4 ,not afterwards6 ,as soon as he turns traitor and runs up a tree1 she takes to pelting him1 metaphorically speaking1 with cocoa-nuts4 ,this is quite natural on her part4 ,she had thought him a man1--and when he suddenly changes into a monkey1 she doesn't understand it4 ,to this cause may possibly be attributed some of the ructions which occasionally jar the harmonious estate of matrimony4 ,coward ,adam does very well in ,america4 ,he sees his position there quite plainly4 ,he knows that if he climbs his tree too often1 hundreds of feminine hands will pull him down4 ,so he resigns himself to the inevitable4 ,he is not slow to repeat the customary whine--8,the woman whom thou gavest me0--but he says it quietly to himself between whiles4 ,because he knows that she knows all his share in the mischief6 ,so he digs and delves1 and finds gold and silver and limitless oil wherewith to turn into millions of dollars for her pleasure2 he packs pork1 lays railway tracks1 starts companies1 organizes 8combines0--and strains every nerve and sinew to 8do0 every other ,adam save himself in his own particular line of business1 so that 8the woman0 7or may we say the women87 8whom thou gavest0 may be clothed in ,paris model gowns1 and wear jewels out-rivalling in size and lustre those of all the kings and queens that ever made their sad and stately progress through history4 ,indeed1 ,coward ,adam1 in the position he occupies as a free citizen of that mighty ,republic over which the wild eagle screams exultingly1 looks a little bit like a beaten animal4 ,but he bears his beating well1 and is quite pleasant about it4 ,in regard to 8the woman whom thou gavest me0 he is nearer the imaginary code of 8chivalry0 than his ,european brother4 ,if the original ,adam had learned the ways of a modern ,american gentleman of good education and fine manners1 one can quite imagine him saying--8,the woman whom thou gavest to be with me generously offered me a share of the apple1 and ,i did eat4 ,but the ,serpent whom thou didst permit to tell lies to my amiable partner concerning this special kind of fruit1 was chiefly to blame40 ,coward ,adam1 as he is seen and known among the lower classes1 crops up every day in newspapers1 which duly chronicle his various acts1 such as promising marriage to poor working girls and robbing them of all their little savings1 as well as of their good names1--kicking his wife1 starving his children1 and spending every penny he earns in the public-house4 ,but he is just as frequently met with in the houses of the ,upper ,ten4 ,he will wear the garb of a lord with ease1 and1 entering the house of another lord1 will cozen his host's wife away from loyalty to her husband in quite the manner 8friendly40 ,he is likewise to be found occasionally in the walks of literature1 and where a woman is concerned in matters artistic will 8down0 her if he can4 ,he has always done his best to hinder woman from receiving any acknowledgment for superior intellectual ability4 ,notably one may quote the case of ,madame ,curie1 the discoverer of radium4 ,coward ,adam says she discovered it by 8a fluke0--that is to say1 by chance4 ,most great discoveries occur1 even to men1 in the same way4 ,in the present instance the 8chance0 came to a woman4 ,why should she not therefore have all the honour due to her8--the same honour precisely as would fall to the lot of a man in her place8 ,columns upon columns of praise would be bestowed upon her were she of ,adam's sex1 and all the academies of science would contend with each other as to which should offer her the best and most distinctive award4 ,but ,coward ,adam cannot abide the thought that 8the woman whom thou gavest0 should take an occasionally higher rank than his own among the geniuses of his age4 ,he must have everything or nothing4 ,he tries to ignore the fact that woman is winning equal honours with himself in ,university degrees2 he would fain forget that the two greatest monarchs ,great ,britain ever had were women--,elizabeth and ,victoria4 ,there is a brave ,adam1 of course--a civilized creature who owns and admits the brilliant achievements of woman with pride and tenderness1--,i am only just now speaking of the coward specimen4 ,the brave ,adam does not turn tail or climb trees1 and he appears to have had nothing to do with the ,garden of ,eden4 ,very likely he was born somewhere else4 ,for he says--8,the woman whom thou gavest to be with me is the joy of my life1--the companion of my thoughts4 ,to her my soul turns1--for her my heart beats--in her ,i rejoice1--her triumphs are my pride1--her success is my delight6 ,if danger threatens her1 ,i will be her defender1 not her accuser1--should she be blamed for aught1 ,i will take her fault upon myself1 and will serve as a strong shield between her and calumny4 ,this is the least ,i can do to prove my love towards her--for without her ,i should be the worst of creatures1--a lonely soul in an empty world60 ,so says1 or may say brave ,adam6 ,but his coward brother does not understand such high-flown sentiments4 ,coward ,adam's main object in life is to 8avoid a scene0 with either the ,lord ,almighty1 ,mister ,sarpint or ,missis ,eve4 ,he likes to wriggle out of difficulties1 both public and private1 in a quiet way4 ,he does not understand the 8methods0 of plain blunt people who tell him frankly what a sneak he is4 ,he is very ubiquitous1 and much more frequently to be met with than his braver twin4 ,and if he should chance to read what ,i have here set down concerning him1 he will probably say as usual3 8,the woman whom thou gavest0 in various forms of anonymous vituperation4 ,but his active policy will remain the same as it ever was--8,mister ,adam1 he1 ,clum up a tree60 ,,accurs,d ,,eve ,when the masculine ,serpent1 8who was more subtil than any beast of the field which the ,lord had made10 tempted the mother of mankind to eat of the forbidden fruit1 the ,voice in the ,garden said to her--8,i will greatly multiply thy sorrow60 ,it can scarcely be denied that this curse has been fulfilled4 ,so manifold and incessant have been the sorrows of ,woman since the legendary account of the creation of the world1 that one cannot help thinking the whole business somewhat unfair1 if1--for merely being 8beguiled0 by a beast of the field who was known to be more 8subtil0 than any other1 and afterwards being 8given away0 by ,coward ,adam1--,eve and all the descendants of her sex should be compelled to suffer centuries of torture4 ,the injustice is manifestly cruel and arbitrary1--yet it would seem to have followed poor ,accursd ,eve from then till now4 8,i will greatly multiply thy sorrow60 ,and sorrow has been multiplied to such an aggravated and barbarous extent upon her unfortunate head1 that in the ,jewish ritual to this very day there is a part of the service wherein the men1 standing in the presence of women1 individually say3 8,blessed art thou1 ,o ,lord our ,god1 ,king of the universe1 who hast not made me a woman60 thus deliberately insulting1 in their very house of worship1 the sex of their mothers6 ,but from the earliest times1 if we are to accept historical testimony1 the ,jews of the ancient world appear to have treated women in the majority as 8,something worser than their dog1 a little lower than their horse40 ,save and except those rare cases where the ,jewish woman suddenly found out her latent powers and employed them to advantage1 the ,jewish man made her fetch and carry for him like a veritable beast of burden4 ,he yoked her to his plough with oxen1--he sold and exchanged her with his friends as freely as any other article of commerce1--his 8base uses0 of her were various1 and seldom to his credit1--while1 such as they were1 they only lasted so long as they satisfied his immediate humour4 ,when done with1 she was 8cast out40 ,the kind of 8casting out0 to which she was subjected is not always explained4 ,but it may be taken for granted that in many instances she was either killed immediately1 or turned adrift to die of starvation and weariness4 ,the ,jews in their ,biblical days were evidently not much affected by her griefs4 ,they were ,god's 8chosen0 people1--and the fact that women were the mothers of the whole 8chosen0 race1 appeared to call for no claim on their chivalrous tenderness or consideration4 ,looking back through the vista of time to that fabled ,eden1 when she listened to the tempting of the 8subtil0 one1 the wrongs and injustices endured by ,accursd ,eve at the hand of ,coward ,adam make up a calendar of appalling1 almost superhuman crime4 ,man has taken the full licence allowed him by the old ,genesis story 7which1 by the way1 was evidently invented by man himself for his own convenience74 8,thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee40 ,and among all tribes1 and in all nations he has ruled with a rod of iron6 ,the ,christian dispensation has interfered somewhat with his former reign of tyranny1 for with the birth of ,christ came1 to a certain extent1 the idealization and beatification of womanhood4 ,the ,greeks and ,romans1 however1 had a latent glimmering idea of what ,woman in all her glory should be1 and of what she might possibly attain to in the future1--for all their grandest symbols of life1 such as ,truth1 ,beauty1 ,justice1 ,fortune1 ,fame1 ,wisdom1 are always represented by their sculptors clothed in the female form divine4 ,it is a curious fact1 that in those early periods of civilization1 when ,literature and ,art were just dawning upon the world1 man1 though aggregating to his own ,ego nearly everything in the universe1 paused before representing himself as a figure of ,justice1 ,mercy or ,wisdom4 ,he evidently realized his unfitness to stand1 even in marble1 before the world as a symbol of moral virtue4 ,he therefore1 with a grace which well became him in those 8pagan0 days1 bent the knee to all noble attributes of humanity as represented in ,woman4 ,her fair face1 her beauteous figure1 greeted him in all his temples of worship2--as ,venus and ,diana she smiled upon him2 as the goddess of ,fortune or ,chance1 she accepted his votive wreaths1--as ,fame or ,victory1 she gave him blessing whenever he went to war1 or returned in triumph from the field2--and all this was but the embryo or shadowing-forth of woman's higher future and better possibilities1 when the days of her long and cruel probation should be accomplished1 and her 8curse0 in part be lifted4 ,there are signs and tokens that this happy end is in sight4 ,accursd ,eve is beginning to have a good time4 ,and the only fear now is1 lest she should overstep the mark of her well-deserved liberty and run headlong into licence4 ,for ,eve1--with or without curse1--is naturally impulsive and credulous2 and being too often forgetful of the little incident which occurred to her in the matter of the ,tree of ,good and ,evil1 is still far too prone to listen to the beguiling of 8subtil0 personages worse 8than any beast of the field which the ,lord hath made40 ,accursd ,eve1 having broken several of her old-time fetters1 and beginning to feel her feet as well as her wings1 just now wants a word in politics4 ,as one of her cursd daughters1 ,i confess ,i wonder that she should wish to put herself to so much unnecessary trouble1 seeing that she has the whole game in her hands4 ,politics are generally hustled along by ,coward ,adam1--unless1 by rarest chance1 ,brave ,adam1 his twin brother1 suddenly steps forth unexpectedly1 when there ensues what is called a 8collapse of the ,government40 ,in any question1 small or great1 ,accursd ,eve has only to offer ,coward ,adam the apple1 and he will eat it4 ,which metaphor implies that even in politics1 if she only moves him round gradually to her own views in that essentially womanly way which1 while persuading1 seems not to persuade1 he is bound to yield4 ,personally speaking1 ,i do not know any man who is not absolutely under the thumb of at least one woman4 ,and ,i will not believe that there is any woman so feeble1 so stupid1 so lost to the power and charm of her own individuality1 as not to be able to influence quite half a dozen men4 ,this being the case1 what does ,accursd ,eve want with a vote8 ,if she is so unhappy1 so ugly1 so repulsive1 so deformed in mind and manners as to have no influence at all on any creature of the male sex whatever1 neither father1 nor brother1 nor uncle1 nor cousin1 nor lover1 nor husband1 nor friend1--would the opinion of such an one be of any consequence1 or her vote of any value8 ,i assert nothing1--,i only ask the question4 ,speaking personally as a woman1 ,i have no politics1 and want none4 ,i only want the ,british ,empire to be first and foremost in everything1 and ,i tender my sincerest homage to all the men of every party who will honestly work towards that end4 ,these being my sentiments1 ,i deprecate any strong separate parliamentary attitude on the part of ,accursd ,eve4 ,i say that she has much better1 wider work to do than take part in tow-rows with the rather undignified personages who often make somewhat of a bear-garden of the ,british ,house of ,commons4 ,that she would prove a good ,m4,p4 were she a man1 ,i am quite sure2 but as a woman ,i know she 8goes one better10 in becoming the wife of an ,m4,p4 ,accursd ,eve6 ,mother of the world6 ,what higher thing does she seek8 ,mother of ,christianity itself1 she stands before us1 a figure symbolic of all good1 her ,holy ,child in her arms1 her sweet1 musing1 prayerful face bending over it in gravely tender devotion4 ,from her soft breast humanity springs renewed1--she represents the youth1 the hope1 the love of all mankind4 ,wronged as she has been1 and as she still is1 her patience never fails4 ,deceived1 she 8mends her broken shell with pearl10 and still trusts on4 ,her sweet credulousness is the same as ever it was2--the 8subtil0 one can always over-reach her through her too ready confidence in the idea that 8all things work together for good40 ,her 8curse0 is the crime of loving too well1--believing too much4 ,should a 8subtil0 one say he loves her1 she honestly thinks he does4 ,when he turns out1 as often happens1 to be looking after her money rather than herself1 she can scarcely force her mind to realize that he is not so much hero as cad4 ,when she has to earn her own living in any of the artistic professions1 she will frequently tell all her plans1 hopes and ambitions to 8subtil0 ones with the most engaging frankness4 ,the 8subtil0 ones naturally take every advantage of her1 and some of them put a stopgap on her efforts if they can4 ,how many times men have tried to steal away the honour of a woman's name and fame in literature need not here be chronicled4 ,of how many books1 bearing a woman's name on the title-page it is said--8,her husband helped her10--or 8,she got ,mr4 ,so-and-,so to write the descriptive part60 8,george ,eliot0 has often been accused of being assisted in her novels by ,mr4 ,lewes4 ,a little incident1--touching enough to my mind1--is related in the memoirs of ,charlotte ,bront4 ,after her marriage1 and when she was expecting the birth of her child1 she was reading some of the first chapters of an intended new novel to her husband1--who1 as he listened1 said in that peculiarly encouraging way which is common to men who have gifted women to deal with--8,you seem to be repeating yourself4 ,you must take care not to repeat yourself40 ,poor little soul6 ,she never 8repeated0 herself1--she just died4 ,no one can tell how her husband's thoughtless phrase may have teazed or perplexed her sensitive mind in a critical condition of health1 and helped to hasten the fatal end4 ,edward ,fitzgerald's celebrity as a scholar is not1 and never will be wide enough to blot out from remembrance his brutal phrase on hearing of the death of ,elizabeth ,barrett ,browning-- 8,mrs4 ,browning is dead4 ,thank ,god we shall have no more ,aurora ,leighs60 ,while1 far more creditable to ,algernon ,charles ,swinburne than his own praise of himself now unfortunately affixed to the newly collected edition of his works1 is the praise he bestows on this noble woman-genius in his preface to her great poem4 ,i quote one line of it here-- 8,no ,english contemporary poet by profession has left us work so full of living fire40 ,for once1 and in this particular instance1 ,accursd ,eve in literature has1 in such a verdict1 won her merited literary honours4 ,but as a rule honours are withheld from her1 and the laurel is filched from her brows by ,coward ,adam ere she has time to wear it4 ,one flagrant case is well known1 of a man who having lived entirely on a woman's literary earnings for years1 went about in the clothes her pen had paid for1 among the persons to whom1 through her influence1 he had been introduced1 boasting that he assisted her to write the greater part of her books4 ,to their shame be it said1 a great many people believed him2 and not till he was dead1 and the woman went on writing her books as before1 did they even begin to see the wrong they had done her4 ,they would not have dared to calumniate the false boaster as they calumniated the innocent hard worker4 ,the boaster was a man1--the worker was a woman2--therefore the dishonour of passing off literary work not one's own1 must1 so they imagined1 naturally belong to ,accursd ,eve1--not to ,coward ,adam6 ,of their humiliation when the real truth was known1 history sayeth nothing4 ,yet with all the weight of her curse more or less upon her1 and with all her sorrows1 shattered ideals1 wrecked hopes1 and lost loves1 ,accursd ,eve is still the most beautiful1 the most perfect figure in creation4 ,her failings1 her vanities1 her weaknesses1 her sins1 arise in the first place from love--even if afterwards1 through ,coward ,adam's ready encouragement1 they degenerate into vice and animalism4 ,her first impulse in earliest youth is a desire to please ,adam1--the same impulse precisely which led her to offer him the forbidden apple in the first days of their mutual acquaintance4 ,she wishes to charm him1--to win his heart1--to endear herself to him in a thousand tender ways1--to wind herself irretrievably round his life4 ,if she succeeds in this aim1 she is invariably happy and virtuous4 ,but if she is made to feel that she cannot hold him on whom her thoughts are centred1--if his professed love for her only proves weak and false when put to trial1--if he finds it easy to forget both sentiment and courtesy1 and is quick to add insult to injury1 then all the finer and more delicate emotions of her nature become warped and unstrung1--and though she endures her suffering because she must1 she resents it and takes vengeance when she can4 ,of resentfulness against wrong and revenge for injustice1 come what are called 8bad women40 ,yet ,i would humbly venture to maintain that even these 8bad0 were not bad in the first instance4 ,they were born in the usual way1 with the usual ,eve impulse1--the desire to please1 not themselves1 but the opposite sex4 ,if their instinctive efforts have been met with cruelty1 oppression1 neglect1 desertion and sometimes the most heartless and cowardly betrayal1 they can scarcely be blamed if they play the same tricks on the unloving1 disloyal churls for whom they have perhaps sacrificed the best part of their lives4 ,for innocent faith and trusting love are the best part of every woman's life2 and when these are destroyed by the brutalizing touch of some ,coward ,adam1 the woman may well claim compensation for her soul's murder4 ,accursd ,eve6 ,still she loves1--to find herself fooled and cheated2 still she hopes1 even while hope eludes her1--still she waits1 for what she may never win1--still she prays prayers that may never be answered1--still she bears and rears the men of the future1 wondering perchance whether any of them will ever help to do her justice1--will ever place her where she should be1 as the acknowledged queenly 8help-meet0 of her stronger1 but less enduring partner6 ,beautiful1 frail1 trusting1 loving1 ,accursd ,eve6 ,she bends beneath the curse1--but the clouds are lifting6--there is light in the sky of her future dawn6 ,and it may be that a worse malediction than the one pronounced in ,eden1 will fall on those who make her burden of life heavier to bear6 8,,imaginary0 ,,love ,my love ,is as the very centre of the earth ,drawing all things to it4 --,troilus and ,cressida4 ,there is perhaps no emotion more elevating or more deceptive than that sudden uplifting of the heart and yearning of the senses which may be called 8imaginary0 ,love4 ,it resembles the stirring of the sap in the roots of flowers1 thrilling the very ground with hints and promises of spring1--it is the unspeakable outcoming of human emotion and sympathy too great to be contained within itself1--the tremulous desire1--half vague and wholly innocent1--of the human soul for its mate4 ,the lower grades of passion have not as yet ruffled the quivering white wings of this divinely sweet emotion1 and the being who is happy enough to experience it in all its intensity1 is1 for the time1 the most enviable on earth4 ,youth or maiden1 whichever it be1 the world is a fairyland for this chosen dreamer4 ,nothing appears base or mean1--,god's smile is reflected in every ray of sunshine1 and ,nature offers no prospect that is not pleasing4 ,it is the season of glamour and grammarye1--a look over the distant hills is sufficient to engage the mind of the dreaming girl with brilliant fancies of gallant knights riding from far-off countries1 with their lady's colours pinned to their breasts 8to do or die0 for the sake of love and glory1--and the young boy1 half in love with a pretty face he has seen on his way home from school or college1 begins to think with all the poets1 of eyes blue as skies1 of loves and doves1 and hearts and darts1 in happy unconsciousness that his thoughts are not in the least original4 ,yet with all its ethereal beauty and gossamer-sense of pleasure1 this 8imaginary0 love is often the most pathetic experience we have or ever shall have in life4 ,it is answerable for numberless griefs1--for bitter disillusions1--occasionally1 too1 for broken hearts4 ,it glitters before us1 a brilliant chimera1 during our very young days1--and on our entrance into society it vanishes1 leaving us to pursue it through many phases of existence1 and always in vain4 ,the poet is perhaps the happiest of all who join in this persistent chase after the impossible1--for he frequently continues to imagine 8imaginary0 love with ecstasy and fervour to the very end of his days4 ,next in order comes the musician1 who in the composition of a melancholy nocturne or tender ballad1 or in the still greater work of a romantic opera1 imagines 8imaginary0 love in strains of perfect sound1 which waken in the hearts of his hearers all the old feverish longings1 all the dear youthful dreams1 all the delicious romances which accompanied the lovely white-winged ,sentiment in days past and dead for ever4 ,strange to say1 it often happens that the musician1 while thus appeasing his own insatiable thirst for 8imaginary0 love1 is frequently aware that he is arousing it in others2 and could he probe to the very fibres of his thinking soul1 he would confess to a certain keen satisfaction in the fact of his being able to revivify the old restless yearning of a pain which is sweeter to the lonely soul than pleasure4 ,now this expression of the 8lonely soul0 is used advisedly1 because1 in sad truth1 every human soul is lonely4 ,lonely at birth1--still more lonely at death4 ,during its progress through life it gathers around it what it can in the way of crumbs of love1 grains of affection1 taking them tenderly and with tears of gratefulness4 ,but it is always conscious of solitude1--an awful yet ,divine solitude over which the ,infinite broods1 watchful yet silent4 ,why it is brought into conscious being1 to live within a material frame and there perform certain duties and labours1 and from thence depart again1 it cannot tell4 ,all is a mystery1--a strange ,necessity1 in which it cannot truly recognize its part or place4 ,yet it is1--and one of the strongest proofs of its separate identity from the body is this 8imaginary0 love for which it yearns1 and which it never obtains4 8,imaginary0 love is not earthly1--neither is it heavenly1--it is something between both1 a vague and inchoate feeling1 which1 though incapable of being reduced to any sort of reason or logic1 is the foundation of perhaps all the greatest art1 music and poetry in the world4 ,if we had to do merely with men as they are1 and women as they are1 ,art would perish utterly from the face of the earth4 ,it is because we make for ourselves 8ideal0 men1 8ideal0 women1 and endow these fair creations with the sentiment of 8imaginary0 love1 that we still are able to communicate with the gods4 ,not yet have we lowered ourselves to the level of the beasts1--nor shall we do so1 though things sometimes seem tending that way4 ,realism and ,atheism have darkened the world1 as they darken it now1 long before the present time1 and as defacements on the grandeur of the ,universe they have not been permitted to remain4 ,nor will they be permitted now1--the reaction will1 and must inevitably set in4 ,the repulsive materialism of ,zola1 and others of his school1--the loose theories of the 8smart0 set1 and the moral degradation of those who have no greater ,god than self1--these things are the merest ephemera1 destined to leave no more mark on human history than the trail of a slug on one leaf of an oak4 ,the ,ideal must always be triumphant1--the soul can only hope to make way by climbing towards it4 ,thus it is with 8imaginary0 ,love1--it must hold fast to its ideal1 or be content to perish on the plane of sensual passion1 which exhausts itself rapidly1 and once dead1 is dead for ever and aye4 ,with all its folly1 sweetness1 piteousness and pathos1 8imaginary0 love is the keynote of ,art1--its fool-musings take shape in exquisite verse1 in tales of romance and adventure1 in pictures that bring the nations together to stand and marvel1 in music that makes the strong man weep4 ,it is the most supersensual of all delicate sensations1--as fine as a hair1 as easily destroyed as a gnat's wing6--a rough touch will wound it1--a coarse word will kill it1--the sneer of the ,realist shuts it in a coffin of lead and sinks it fathoms deep in the waters of despair4 ,strange and cruel as the fact may seem1 ,marriage appears to put an end to it altogether4 ,think you1 if ,laura had been ,petrarch's wife ,he would have written sonnets to her all his life8 inquires ,byron4 ,he certainly would not4 ,the 8imaginary0 love of ,petrarch was the source of his poetic inspiration2 if he had ever dragged it down to the level of the commonplace ,actual1 he would have killed his ,muse4 ,in a similar way the love of ,dante for ,beatrice was of the 8imaginary0 quality4 ,those who read the 8,vita ,nuova0 will scarcely fail to see how the great poet hugs his love-fancies and feeds himself with delicious extravagances in the way of idealized and sublimated soul-passion4 ,he dissects every fine hair of a stray emotion1 and writes a sonnet on every passing heart-beat4 ,dante's wife never became so transfigured in her husband's love4 ,why8 ,alas1 who can say6 ,no reason can be given save that perchance 8familiarity breeds contempt10 and that the ,unattainable seems always more beautiful than the ,attained4 ,the delight of possession would appear to be as brief as the flowering of a rose4 ,lovers are in haste to wed1--but when the knot is once irrevocably tied1 in nine cases out of ten they wish it could be untied again4 ,they no longer imagine 8imaginary0 love6 ,the glamour is gone4 ,illusions are all over4 ,the woman is no longer the removed1 the fair1 the chaste1 the unreachable1--the man ceases to be the proud1 the strong hero endowed with the attributes of the gods4 8,imaginary0 love then resolves itself into one of two things1--a firm1 every-day1 close and tender friendship1 or else a sick disappointment1 often ending in utter disgust4 ,but the divine emotion of 8imaginary0 love has died1--the ,soul is no longer enamoured of its ,ideal--and the delicate psychic passion which inspires the poet1 the painter1 the musician1 turns at once to fresh objects of admiration and pursuit4 ,for it is never exhausted1--unlike any purely earthly sense it knows no satiety4 ,deceived in one direction1 it dies in another4 ,dissatisfied with worldly things1 it extends its longing heavenwards1--there at least it shall find what it seeks1--not now1 but hereafter6 ,age does not blunt this fine emotion1 for1 as may often be remarked with some beautiful souls in the decline of bodily life1 the resigning of earthly enjoyments gives them no pain1--and the sweet placidity of expectation1 rather than the dull apathy of regret1 is their chief characteristic4 8,imaginary0 love still beckons them on2--what has not been found ,here will be found ,there6 ,happy1 and always to be envied1 are those who treasure this aerial sentiment of the spiritual brain6 ,it is the dearest possession of every true artist4 ,in every thought1 in every creative work or plan1 8imaginary0 love goes before1 pointing out wonders unseen by less enlightened eyes1--hiding things unsightly1 disclosing things lovely1 and making the world fair to the mind in all seasons1 whether of storm or calm4 ,intensifying every enjoyment1 adding a double thrill to the notes of a sweet song1 lending an extra glow to the sunshine1 an added radiance to the witchery of the moonlight1 a more varied and exquisite colouring to the trees and flowers1 a charm to every book1 a delight to every new scene1 8imaginary0 love1 a very sprite of enchantment1 helps us to believe persistently in good1 when those who love not at all1 neither in reality nor in idealization1 are drowning in the black waters of suicidal despair4 ,so it is well for us--those who can--to imagine 8imaginary0 love6 ,we shall never grasp the ,dream in this world--nevertheless let us fly after it as though it were a ,reality6 ,its path is one of sweetness more than pain1--its ways are devious1 yet even in sadness still entrancing4 ,better than rank1 better than wealth is this talisman1 which with a touch brings us into close communication with the ,higher worlds4 ,let us 8imagine0 our friends are true2 let us 8imagine0 we are loved for our own sakes alone1--let us 8imagine10 as we welcome our acquaintances into our homes1 that their smiles and greetings are sincere--let us imagine 8imaginary0 love as the poets do1--a passion tender1 strong and changeless--and pursue it always1 even if the objects1 which for a moment its passing wings have brushed1 crumble into dust beneath that touch of fire6 ,so shall our lives retain the charm of constant ,youth and ,hope1--so shall the world seem always beautiful to us1--so shall the ,unimaginable glory of the future ,real-in-,love shine nearer every day in our faithful1 fond pursuit of its flying ,shadow6 ,,the ,,advance ,,of ,,woman ,follow ,light and do the ,right--for man can half control his doom-- ,till you find the deathless ,angel seated in the vacant tomb6 --,,tennyson1 ,locksley ,hall1 ,sixty ,years ,after4 ,sixty years ago6 ,to us of the present day it seems a very long time--a kind of 8dark ages0 period wherein we peer backward dubiously1 wondering what everybody was like then4 ,history1 taking us by the hand1 shows us1 as in a magic glass1 the ,coronation of ,victoria1 one of the best ,queens that the world has ever known1 and tells us of the great men and masterly intellects of that past time1 whose immortal works we still have with us1 but whose mere mortal place knows them no more4 ,much may be seen in the backward glimpse that some of us may possibly regret and wish that we possessed again4 ,men of power and dominance1 for example--great writers1 great thinkers1 great reformers--surely we lack these6 ,surely we need them sorely6 ,but it seems to be a rule of ,nature that if we gain in one direction we must lose in another1 and whatever we have lost in that far-gone period1 we have certainly gained much in the forward direction4 ,one of the most remarkable changes1 perhaps1 that has taken place in the passing of the years is the different position assigned to ,woman from that which she occupied when ,dickens and ,thackeray wrote their wonderful novels1 and when ,charlotte ,bront astonished the world by her woman's genius1 to be followed by the still more powerful and ,scott-like display of brainpower in ,mary ,ann ,evans 78,george ,eliot074 ,at that time men were still chivalrous4 ,woman was so rarely brilliant--or1 shall we put it1 she so rarely had the chance of asserting the brilliant qualities that are her natural endowment--that man was content to acknowledge any unusual talent on her part as an abnormal quality1 infrequent enough to be safely admired4 ,in this spirit1 more or less1 ,sir ,walter ,scott paid tribute to ,jane ,austen1 and ,thackeray to ,charlotte ,bront2 but as time has progressed1 and women have arisen one after another in the various departments of ,art and ,literature1 men have begun to fall back and look askance1 and somewhat threateningly1 on the fair trespassers in their hitherto guarded domains4 ,and the falling back and the looking askance continue in exact proportion to the swift and steady onward march of the white-robed ,amazons into the ,battle of ,life4 ,braced with the golden shield of ,courage1 helmeted with ,patience1 and armed with the sword of ,faith1 the women-warriors are taking the field1 and are to be seen now in massed ranks1 daily marshalling themselves in more compact order1 firm-footed and fearless1 prepared to fight for intellectual freedom1 and die rather than yield4 ,they1 too1 will earn the right to live2 they1 too1 will be something greater than the mere vessels of man's desire--whether maids1 wives1 or mothers1 they will prove themselves worthy to be all these three1 and more than these1 to the very utmost extent of their moral and intellectual being6 ,perhaps there is nothing more entertaining to the wit of a cultured and intelligent woman than the recurrent piping wail of man's assertion that 8woman has no creative power40 ,her place1 says the didactic male1 is the kitchen1 the nursery1 and beside the cradle4 ,certes1 she can manage these three departments infinitely better than he can1 especially the cradle part of it1 wherein his fractious disposition is generally well displayed the moment he starts in life4 ,but1 as a matter of fact1 there is hardly any vocation in which she cannot1 if she puts her mind to it1 distinguish herself just as easily and successfully as he can if he will only kindly stand out of her way4 ,he makes himself ludicrous by persistently 8crying her down0 when all the world en masse beholds her taking the highest ,university honours over his head1 and beating him intellectually on his own ground4 ,in physical force he certainly outstrips her4 ,item1--he can kick her as heartily and skilfully as he can kick a football1 vide the daily police reports4 ,item1--he can eat and drink much more than she can1 because he devotes a great deal more time and attention to the study of gastronomy4 ,item1--he can smoke more4 ,item1--he can indulge freely in unbridled licentiousness1 and amply prove his original savage right to be considered a polygamous animal1 without being banned from 8good society10 or anything being said against his moral character4 ,this a woman cannot do4 ,if she has many lovers1 her conduct is severely criticized4 ,but if she has none1 she is still more bitterly condemned1 especially if she happens to be in the least good-looking4 ,and why8 ,simply because her indifference 8reflects0 on the male sex generally4 ,the ugliest of masculine creatures experiences a vague sense of offence when he meets a charming woman who neither seeks his advice nor his company4 ,and here we have the gist of the whole matter3 man is a vain animal and wants to be admired4 ,like the peacock1 he struts forward and spreads out his glittering tail4 ,the central feature of the landscape1 as he considers himself1 he waits for the pea-hen to worship him4 ,if1 instead of the humble pea-hen1 he finds another sort of bird entirely--with not only a tail as brilliant as his own1 but wings which will carry it over his head1 he is mightily incensed1 and his shrill cry of rage echoes through that particular part of the universe where he is no longer 8monarch of all he surveys40 ,his 8other world0 must be pea-hens or none6 ,and yet ,man's delightful and utter want of the commonest logic is never more flagrantly exhibited than in this vital matter of his estimate of ,woman1 taking it all round in a broad sense4 ,daily1 hourly1 in the household and in the market-place1 he may be heard cheapening her abilities1 sneering at such triumphs as she attains1 cracking stale jests at her 8love of gossip10 8love of dress0 7for he is seldom original even in a joke71 and her 8incessant tongue10 blissfully ignoring the fact that his own is wagging all the time2 and yet no one can twist him so limply and helplessly round the littlest of her little fingers as she can4 ,moreover1 throughout all the ages1 so far as the keenest explorer or historical student can discover1 his highest ideals of life have been depicted in the ,feminine form4 ,fortune1 ,fame1 ,justice1 the ,arts and ,sciences1 are all represented by female figures lovingly designed by male hands4 ,evidently conscious in himself that a woman's purity1 honesty1 fidelity1 and courage are nobler types of these virtues than his own1 ,man apparently is never weary of idealizing them as ,woman womanly4 ,thoroughly aware of the supreme sovereignty ,woman can exercise whenever he gives her the chance1 he1 while endeavouring to bind and hold her intellectual forces by his various edicts and customs1 takes ever an incongruous satisfaction in doing her full justice by the magnitude of his feminine ideals4 ,the divine spirit of ,nature itself1 called 8,egeria10 is always depicted by man as a woman4 ,faith1 ,hope and ,charity1 are represented as female spirits1 as are the ,three ,graces4 ,the ,muses are women2 so are the ,fates4 ,hence1 as all the virtues1 morals1 arts1 and sciences are shown by the highest masculine skill as wearing woman's form and possessing woman's attributes1 it is easy to see that man has always been perfectly aware in his inward intelligence of ,woman's true worth and right place in creation1 though1 by such laws as he has made for his own better convenience1 he has put up whatever barriers he can in the way of the too swift advancement of so superior and victorious a creature4 ,now that she is beginning to take an important share in the world's work and progress1 he is becoming vaguely alarmed4 ,in each art1 in each profession he sees her gaining step by step to higher intellectual dominance4 ,he watches her move from plane to plane of study1 learning1 as she goes1 that the mere animalism of unthinking subservience to his passions is not her only heritage4 ,and straightway the long-spoilt child begins to whimper4 8,a woman has no creative power60 he cries4 8,no imagination6--no originality6--no force of character6 ,what she does in the ,arts is so very little----60 ,stop1 oh ,man6 ,you have had a very long1 long innings1 remember6 ,from the time of ,abraham1 and ages before that worthy patriarch ever turned ,hagar out into the wilderness1 you have been setting ,woman alongside your cattle1 and curling your whip with a magnificent carelessness round both at your pleasure1 yea6 even offering both with indifferent readiness for sale and barter4 ,you have enjoyed centuries of liberty2 it is now woman's turn to taste the sweets of freedom4 ,she does very little in the ,arts1 you say8 ,i grant you that in the first of them1 ,poetry1 she does little indeed4 ,i do not think we shall ever have a female ,shakespeare1 for instance4 ,but1 at the same time1 ,i equally do not think we shall ever again have a male one6 ,yet it is to be admitted that none of the leading women poets can compare for an instant with the leading men in that most divine and primval of ,arts4 ,but ,i should not like to assert that the great woman-,dante or woman-,shelley may not yet arise1 for it is to be borne in mind that woman's education and woman's chances have only just begun4 ,in ,music1 again1 she is deemed deficient4 ,yet we are confronted at the present day by the fact that many of the most successful and charming of song writers are women4 ,and the following appears in the ,dresden ,neueste ,nachricten 7,october #ah1 #aijb73-- 8,up to the present date we have always entertained the opinion that the composition of music was a gift denied to the female sex1 elegant trifles 7as exceptions7 only confirming our doubts4 ,and now an ,english lady appears on the scene1 amazing the musical world of ,dresden4 ,she was as a young girl already a distinguished artist1 a virtuoso on the piano1 and played--as #8,miss ,bright1'--under the direction of ,dr4 ,wullner1 a piano concerto of her own composition1 with extraordinary success4 ,then marriage separated her from her art for several years4 ,now 7after the death of her husband71 the young widow1 ,mrs4 ,knatchbull1 has composed an opera--text1 music1 and instrumentation all being her own work--and has brought it with her to ,dresden4 ,the music is so captivating1 and above all1 holds one so strongly that one exclaims in astonishment1 #8,can this be the work of a woman8' ,it is more than probable that the opera will be produced at the ,dresden ,opera ,house40 ,here followeth an instructive story3--,a recent opera performed with considerable success at ,monte ,carlo and other ,continental resorts is the work of a woman1 stolen by a man4 ,the facts are well known1 as are the names of the hero and heroine of the sordid tragedy4 ,a little love-making on the part of the male composer1 who could show nothing of ability save the composition of a few amorous drawing-room songs--a confiding trust on the part of the woman-genius1 whose brain was full of ,god-given melody--these were the motives of the drama4 ,she played the score of her opera through to him--he listened with admiration--with words of tender flattery1 precious to her who was weak enough to care for such a rascal2 and then he took it away to be 8transcribed10 as he said1 and set out for the orchestra4 ,he loved her1 so the poor credulous soul thought6--and she trusted him--such an old story6 ,he copied her opera in his own manuscript--stole it1 in short1 and left for the ,continent1 where he had it produced as his own composition4 ,had she complained1 the law would have gone against her4 ,she had no proof save that of her love4 ,before a grinning1 jesting court of law she would have had to publish the secret of her heart4 ,people would have shaken their heads and said1 8,poor thing6 ,a case of self-delusion and hysteria60 ,he himself would have shaken his dirty pate and said1 8,poor soul6 ,mad--quite mad6 ,many women have had their heads turned likewise for love of me60 ,so it chances that only those 8in the know0 are aware of the story1 and the man-,fraud is left unmolested2 but it is a curious and suggestive fact that he produces no more operas4 ,there is one thing that women generally1 in the struggle for intellectual free life1 should always remember--one that they are too often apt to forget--namely1 that the ,laws1 as they at present exist1 are made by men1 for men4 ,there are no really stringent laws for the protection of women's interests except the ,married ,woman's ,property ,act1 which is a great and needful boon4 ,but take the following instances of the eccentricities of ,english law1 both of which have come under my own knowledge as having occurred to personal friends4 ,a certain foreign nobleman residing in ,england made a will leaving all his fortune to his mistress4 ,his legitimate children were advised to dispute the will1 as under the law of his native country he could not dispossess his lawful heirs of their inheritance4 ,he had not naturalized himself at any time as a ,british subject1 and the plain proof of this was1 that but a year before his death1 he had applied to the ,government of his own country for permission to wear a certain decoration1 which permission was accorded him4 ,the nature of his application proved that he still considered himself a subject of his own native land4 ,the case came before an ,english judge1 who had apparently eaten some very indigestible matter for his luncheon4 ,with an apoplectic countenance and an injured demeanour1 the learned gentleman declined to go into any of the details of the case1 and administered 8justice0 by deciding the whole thing on 8a question of domicile0--namely1 that as the man had lived in ,england twenty-five years1 he was1 naturalized or unnaturalized1 a ,british subject and could make his will as he liked4 ,the fortune was1 therefore1 handed over to his mistress1 and the legal wife and legitimately-born children were left out in the cold6 ,another case is that of a lady1 well-born and well-educated1 who married a man with a fortune of some twenty thousand a year4 ,after the expiration of about fifteen years1 when she had borne her husband three children1 he suddenly took a fantastic dislike to her1 and an equally fantastic liking for a chorus girl4 ,he promptly sought a divorce4 ,as there was no ground for divorce1 he failed to obtain it4 ,he1 therefore1 adopted a course of action emanating entirely from his own brilliant brain4 ,starting for a cruise on board his yacht1 in company with the bewildering chorus girl1 he left orders with his solicitor to have the whole of his house dismantled of its furniture and 8cleared40 ,this was promptly done1 the wife and children being left without so much as a bed to lie upon1 or a chair to sit upon4 ,the unfortunate lady told her story to a court1 and applied for 8maintenance40 ,this1 of course1 the recalcitrant husband was forced to pay1 but the sum was cut down to the smallest possible amount1 under the supervision of the blandly approving court1 with the result that this man's wife1 accustomed from her girlhood to every home comfort and care1 now lives with her children in a condition of genteel penury more degrading than absolute poverty4 ,there is no remedy for these things4 ,one welcomes heartily the idea of women lawyers1 in the hope that when their keen1 quick brains learn to grasp the huge1 unwieldy1 and complex machinery of the muddle called ,legal ,justice1 they may1 perhaps1 be able to effect some reforms on behalf of their own sex4 ,as matters at present stand1 the unbridled and extravagant licentiousness of men1 and the consequent degradation of women1 are protected by law4 ,even a fraudulent financial concern is so guarded by 8legal0 advice that it would take the lifetime's earning of an honest man to bring about any exposure4 ,we want women-lawyers--,portias1 with quick brains1 to see the way out of a difficulty into which men plunge only to flounder more hopelessly4 8,can the blind lead the blind8 ,shall they not both fall into the ditch80 ,in ,medicine1 women have made more than a decided mark of triumph4 ,it is almost impossible to over-estimate the priceless value of the work done by women doctors and women surgeons in the harems of ,india and ,turkey1 where the selfishness and jealousy of the ,eastern sybarite would give his women over to cruel agonies of disease and death1 rather than suffer them to be so much as looked upon by another of his own sex4 ,yet1 though perfectly conscious that ,woman's work in this branch of science is day by day becoming more and more precious to suffering humanity1 we have quite recently been confronted by the spectacle of a number of men deciding to resign their appointments at a certain hospital1 rather than suffer a woman to be nominated house-surgeon4 ,her skill and efficiency were as great as theirs1 and she had all the qualifications necessary for the post2 but no6 sooner than honour a woman's ability1 they preferred to resign4 ,comment on this incident is needless1 but it is one of the straws that show which way the wind blows4 ,much excellent work is done1 and remains yet to be done by women1 as inspectors of schools4 ,they alone are really fitted for the task of ascertaining the conditions under which children are made to study1 and they are not likely1 while examining infant classes1 to make such ponderous statements as that passed by a certain male inspector1 who1 according to an amusing story told me by ,sir ,john ,gorst1 found the babies 7not above five years old7 8deplorably deficient in mental arithmetic60 ,it takes a man to deplore 8lack of mental arithmetic0 in a baby4 ,a woman would never be capable of such weighty stupidity4 ,perhaps it will be just as well to glance casually at the state of things in this country respecting the education of mere infants1 as arranged by certain laws drawn up by men1 laws in which women1 who are the mothers of the race1 are not allowed to have a voice4 #a4 ,the law allows them to enter at three years old1 and compels them to enter at five years old4 #b4 ,men inspectors constantly examine children of four years old in arithmetic1 and the 8mental arithmetic of the baby class10 is constantly mentioned in reports4 #c4 ,needlework is taught before five years old2 two to three hours form the staple instruction4 ,needlework injures the eyesight at such a tender age1 and two or three hours are a cruelty and a waste of time for tiny children4 #d4 ,desks1 blackboards1 slates and books are everywhere in excess of 8,kindergarten0 occupations1 and the 8development of the spontaneous activity in the child0 is twisted into the development of uniformity4 ,to differ from the usual is to be naughty2 every one must do the same thing at the same time4 ,every one must build a like house1 a like table1 a like chair2 each brick must be on the table at the same minute4 #e4 ,despite male inspectors1 the babies sleep4 ,they fall off their seats and bump their foreheads against the desks1 and their spines are twisted and crooked as they lie on their arms1 heads forward1 upon the hard supports4 ,curvature must be produced in many cases1 solely from these causes4 #f4 ,to maintain order1 corporal punishment is habitual1 and 8fear0 the chief motive for right-doing4 ,to quote from a letter of ,sir ,john ,gorst's3-- 8,the reform of this system is not a matter of sentiment4 ,these babies are the future scholars of our improved schools that the ,education ,act is intended to produce1 and the future citizens by whom our ,imperial position is to be maintained4 ,if we prematurely addle their intellects by schooling--for which their tender years are unfit2 if we cripple their bodies by cooping them up in deforming desks2 if we destroy their sight by premature needlework1 and confuse their senses by over-study of subjects which they are too young to understand1 we shall neither have fit scholars for our future schools1 nor fit citizens to uphold the ,empire40 ,starting on these premises it will surely be acknowledged that women have an indisputable right to be inspectors of schools4 ,they have the natural instinct to know what is best for the health and well-being of children1 and they are also capable of correctly judging by that maternal sympathy which is their inherited gift1 how a child's mental abilities should best be encouraged and trained4 ,i have often been asked if ,i would like to see women in ,parliament4 ,i may say frankly1 and at once1 that ,i should detest it4 ,i should not like to see the sex1 pre-eminent for grace and beauty1 degraded by having to witness or to take part in such 8scenes0 of heated and undignified disputation as have frequently lowered the prestige of the ,house of ,commons4 ,on the same lines ,i may say that ,i do not care to see women playing 8hockey0 or indulging in any purely 8tom-boy0 sports and pastimes4 ,they lose 8caste0 and individuality4 ,one of the many brilliant and original remarks of mankind concerning the female sex is that women should be cooks and housekeepers4 ,so they should4 ,no woman is a good housekeeper unless she understands cooking1 nor can she be a good cook unless she be a good housekeeper4 ,the two things are inseparable1 and combine to make comfort with economy4 ,a woman should know how to cook and keep house for herself1 not only for man4 ,man says to her3 8,be a cook10--because of all things in the world he loves a good dinner2 loves it better than his wife1 inasmuch as he will often 8bully0 the wife if the dinner fails4 ,but a woman must also eat1 and she should learn to cook for her own comfort1 quite apart from his4 ,in the same way she should study housekeeping4 ,if she lives a single life1 she will find such knowledge eminently useful4 ,but to devote all her energy and attention to cooking and housekeeping1 as most men would have her do1 would be a waste of power and intelligence4 ,as well ask a great military hero to devote his entire time to the canteen4 ,in breaking her rusty fetters1 and stepping out into the glorious liberty of the free1 ,woman has one great thing to remember and to strive for1--a thing that she is at present1 in her newly emancipated condition1 somewhat prone to forget4 ,in claiming and securing intellectual equality with ,man1 she should ever bear in mind that such a position is only to be held by always maintaining and preserving as great an ,unlikeness to him as possible in her life and surroundings4 ,let her imitate him in nothing but independence and individuality4 ,let her eschew his fashions in dress1 his talk and his manners4 ,a woman who wears 8mannish0 clothes1 smokes cigars1 rattles out slang1 gambles at cards1 and drinks brandy and soda on the slightest provocation1 is lost altogether1 both as woman and man1 and becomes sexless4 ,but the woman whose dress is always becoming and graceful1 whose voice is equable and tender1 who enhances whatever beauty she possesses by exquisite manner1 unblemished reputation1 and intellectual capacity combined1 raises herself not only to an equality with man1 but goes so far above him that she straightway becomes the ,goddess and he the ,worshipper4 ,this is as it should be4 ,men adore what they cannot imitate4 ,therefore when men are drunken1 let women be sober2 when men are licentious1 let women be chaste2 when men are turf-hunters and card-players1 let women absent themselves from both the race-course and the gambling-table2 and while placing a gentle yet firm ban on laxity in morals and disregard of the binding sanctity of family life1 let them silently work on and make progress in every art1 every profession1 every useful handicraft1 that they may not be dependent for home or livelihood on man's merely casual fancy or idle whim4 ,the mistake of ,woman's progress up to the present1 has been her slavish imitation of ,man's often unadmirable tastes1 and a pathetic 8going down0 under his lofty disdain4 ,once grasp the fact that his disdain is not 8lofty0 but merely comic1 and that his case is only that of the ,distressful ,peacock1 hurt by indifference to his tail1 things will right themselves4 ,nature has already endowed ,woman with the contrasting elements of beauty1 delicacy1 and soft charm1 as opposed to man's frequent ugliness and roughness2 let ,woman herself continue to emphasize the difference by bringing out her original and individual qualities in all she does or attempts to do4 ,of course for a long time yet1 ,man will declare 8feminine individuality0 to be non-existent2 but as we know the quality is as plain and patent as 8masculine individuality10 we have only to insist upon it and assert it1 and in due course it will be fully admitted and acknowledged4 ,meantime1 while pressing on towards the desired goal1 ,woman must learn the chief lesson of successful progress1 which is1 not to copy ,man1 but to carefully preserve her beautiful ,unlikeness to him in every possible way1 so that1 while asserting and gaining intellectual equality with him1 she shall gradually arrive at such ascendancy as to prove herself ever the finer and the nobler ,creature4 ,,the ,,palm ,,of ,,beauty ,it would seem1 according to the society press1 that beauty is a very common article4 ,indeed1 if we are to accept the innocent ebullitions of the callow youths who drink beer and play skittles in the ,social-,paragraph line of journalism1 and who in their soft guilelessness are taken in and 8used0 by certain ladies of a type resembling ,miss ,skeggs and ,lady ,blarney in the ,vicar of ,wakefield1 we are bound to believe that beautiful women are as common as blackberries1 only more so4 ,in the columns devoted by newspaper editors to the meanderings of those intelligent persons1 male and female1 who sign themselves as ,onlookers1 ,observers1 ,butterflies1 ,little ,tomtits1 and what may be called 8,i ,spys60 generally1 one hardly ever sees the name of a lady without the epithet 8beautiful0 tacked on to it1 especially if the lady happens to have money4 ,this is curious1 but true4 ,and supposing the so-called ,beautiful ,one has not only money1 commonly speaking1 but heaps of money1 mines of money1 she is always stated to be 8young0 as well4 ,the heavier the bullion1 the more assured the youthfulness4 ,if unkind ,time shows her to be the mother of a family where the eldest sprout is some twenty odd years of age1 the complaisant 8,i ,spy0 is equal to the occasion and writes of her thus--8,the beautiful ,mrs4 ,juno-,athene brought her eldest girl1 looking more like her sister than her mother40 ,whereat ,mrs4 ,juno-,athene is satisfied1--everybody smiles1 and all things are cosy and comfortable4 ,if any one should dare to say1 especially in print1 that ,mrs4 ,juno-,athene is not 8beautiful0 at all1 nor 8youthful0 in either looks or bearing1 there would be ructions4 ,somebody would get into trouble4 ,the 8,i ,spy0 might even be dismissed from his or her post of social paragraphist to the ,daily ,error4 ,heaven forbid that such a catastrophe should happen through the indiscretion of a mere miserable truth-monger6 ,let ,mrs4 ,juno-,athene be beautifully and eternally young1 by all means1 so long as she can afford to pay for it4 ,the humbug of it is at any rate kindly and chivalrous1 and does nobody any harm1 while it puts money in the purse of the hardworking penster1 who is compelled to deal delicately with these little social matters sometimes1 or else ruminate on a dinner instead of eating it4 ,nevertheless1 despite the 8,i ,spys10 and the perennial charms of ,mrs4 ,juno-,athene1 beauty is as rare and choice a thing as ever it was in the days of old when men went mad for it1 and ,greeks and ,trojans fought for ,helen1 who1 so some historians say1 was past forty when her bewitching fairness set the soul of ,troy on fire4 ,a really beautiful woman is scarcely ever seen1 not even in ,great ,britain1 where average good looks are pleasantly paramount4 ,prettiness1--the prettiness which is made up of a good skin1 bright eyes1 soft and abundant hair1 and a supple figure1--is quite ordinary4 ,it can be seen every day among barmaids1 shop girls1 and milliners' mannequins4 ,but ,beauty--the divine and subtle charm which enraptures all beholders1--the perfect form1 united to the perfect face in which pure and noble thought is expressed in every feature1 in every glance of eye1 in every smile that makes a sweet mouth sweeter1--this is what we may search for through all the ,isles of ,britain1 ay1 and through ,europe and ,america and the whole world besides1 and seldom or never find it4 ,nine-tenths of the women who are styled 8beautiful0 by the society paragraphist1 possess merely the average good looks2--the rest are generally more particularly distinguished by some single and special trait which may perchance be natural1 and may equally be artificial1 such as uncommon-coloured hair 7which may be dyed71 a brilliant complexion 7which may be put on71 or a marvellously 8svelte0 figure 7which may be the happy result of carefully designed corsets1 well pulled in74 ,most of the eulogized 8beauties0 of the ,upper ,ten to-day1 have1 or are able to get1 sufficient money or credit supplied to them for dressing well1--and not only well1 but elaborately and extravagantly1 and dress is often the 8beauty0 instead of the woman4 ,to judge whether the woman herself is really beautiful without the modiste's assistance1 it would be necessary to see her deprived of all her fashionable clothes4 ,her bought hair should be taken off and only the natural remainder left4 ,she should be content to stand sans paint1 sans powder1 sans back coil1 sans corsets1 in a plain white gown1 falling from her neck and shoulders to her feet1 and thus cheaply1 yet decently clad1 submit herself to the gaze of her male flatterers in full daylight4 ,how many of the 8beautiful0 ,mrs4 ,juno-,athenes or the 8lovely0 ,lady ,spendthrifts could stand such a test unflinchingly8 ,yet the simplest draperies clothe the ,greek marbles when they are clothed at all1 and jewels and fripperies on the goddess ,diana would make her grace seem vulgar and her perfection common4 ,beauty1 real beauty1 needs no 8creator of costume0 to define it1 but is1 as the poets say1 when unadorned1 adorned the most4 ,now it is absolutely impossible to meet with any 8unadorned0 sort of beauty in those circles of rank and fashion where the society paragraphist basks at his or her pleasure4 ,on the contrary1 there is so much over-adornment in vogue that it is sometimes difficult to find the actual true colour and personality of certain ladies whose charms are daily eulogized by an obliging press4 ,layers of pearl enamel picked out with rouge1 entirely conceal their human identity4 ,it is doubtful whether there was ever more face-painting and 8faking up0 of beauty than there is now1--never did beauty specialists and beauty doctors drive such a roaring trade4 ,the profits of beauty-faking are enormous4 ,some idea of it may be gained by the fact that there is a certain shrewd and highly intelligent 8doctor0 in ,paris1 who1 seeing which way the wind of fashion blows1 brews a harmless little mixture of rose-water1 eau-de-cologne1 tincture of benzoin and cochineal1 which materials are quite the reverse of costly1 and calling it by a pretty sobriquet1 sells the same at twenty-five shillings a bottle6 ,he is making a fortune out of women's stupidity1 is this good 8doctor10 and who shall blame him8 ,fools exist merely that the wise may use them4 ,one has only to read the ladies' papers1 especially the advertisements therein1 to grasp a faint notion of what is being done to spur on the 8beauty0 craze4 ,yet beauty remains as rare and remote as ever1 and often when we see some of the ladies whose 8exquisite loveliness0 has been praised for years in nearly every newspaper on this1 or the other side of the ,atlantic1 we fall back dismayed1 with a sense of the deepest disappointment and aggravation1 and wonder what we have done to be so deceived8 ,taken in the majority1 the women of ,great ,britain are supposed to hold the palm of beauty against all other women of the nations of the world1 and if the word 8beauty0 be changed to prettiness1 the supposition is no doubt correct4 ,it is somewhat unfortunate1 however1 that either through the advice of their dressmakers or their own erroneous conceptions of ,form1 they should appear to resent the soft outlines and gracious curves of nature1 for either by the over-excess of their outdoor sports1 or the undue compression of corsets1 they are gradually doing away with their originally intended shapes and becoming as flat-chested as jockeys under training4 ,no flat-chested woman is pretty4 ,no woman with large hands1 large feet1 and the coarse muscular throat and jaw developed by constant bicycle-riding1 can be called fascinating4 ,the bony and resolute lady whose lines of figure run straight down without a curve anywhere from head to heel1 may possibly be a good athlete1 but her looks are by no means to her advantage4 ,men's hearts are not enthralled or captured by a ,something appearing to be neither man nor woman4 ,and there are a great many of these ,somethings about just now4 ,i am ignorant as to whether ,american women go in for mannish sports as frequently and ardently as their ,british sisters1 but ,i notice that they have daintier hands and feet1 and less pronounced 8muscle40 ,at the same time ,american women on an average1 are not so pretty as ,british women on the same average4 ,the ,american complexion is unfortunate4 ,often radiant and delicate in earliest youth1 it fades with maturity like a brilliant flower scorched by too hot a sun1 and once departed returns no more4 ,the clear complexion of ,british women is their best feature4 ,the natural rose and white skin of an ,english1 ,irish or ,scottish girl1--especially a girl born and bred in the country1 is wonderfully fresh and lovely and lasting1 and often accompanies her right through her life to old age4 ,that is1 of course1 if she leaves it alone1 and is satisfied merely to keep it clean1 without any 8adornment0 from the beauty doctor4 ,and1 though steadily withholding the divine word 8beauty0 from the greater portion of the 8beauties0 at the ,court of ,king ,edward ,,vii4 it is unquestionably the fact that the prettiest women in the world are the ,british4 ,americans are likely to contest this4 ,they will1 as indeed in true chivalry they must1 declare that their own 8beauties0 are best4 ,but one can only speak from personal experience1 and ,i am bound to say that ,i have never seen a pretty ,american woman pretty enough to beat a pretty ,british woman4 ,this1 with every possible admission made for the hard-working society paragraphist1 compelled to write of numerous 8beautiful0 ,ladies ,so-and-,so1 and 8charming0 ,mrs4 ,cashboxes1 who1 when one comes to look at them are neither 8beautiful0 nor 8charming0 at all4 ,but ,british feminine prettiness would be infinitely more captivating than it is1 if it were associated with a little extra additional touch of vivacity and intelligence4 ,when it is put in the shade1 7as frequently happens17 by the sparkling allurements of the ,viennese coquette1 the graceful savoir faire of the ,french mondaine1 or the enticing charm of lustrous-eyed sirens from southern ,italy1 it is merely because of its lack of wit4 ,it is a good thing to have a pretty face2 but if the face be only like a wax mask1 moveless and expressionless1 it soon ceases to attract4 ,the loveliest picture would bore us if we had to stare at it dumbly all day4 ,and there is undeniably a stiffness1 a formality1 and often a most repellent and unsympathetic coldness about the ,british fair sex1 which re-acts upon the men and women of other more warm-hearted and impulsive nations1 in a manner highly disadvantageous to the ladies of our ,fortunate ,isles4 ,for it is not real stiffness1 or real formality after all1--nor is it the snowy chill of a touch-me-not chastity1 by any means1--it is merely a most painful1 and in many cases1 most absurd self-consciousness4 ,british women are always more or less wondering what their sister women are thinking about them4 ,they can manage their men all right2 but they put on curious and unbecoming airs directly other feminine influences than their own come into play4 ,they invite the comment of the opposite sex1 but they dread the criticism of their own4 ,the awkward girl who sits on the edge of a chair with her feet scraping the carpet and her hands twiddling uneasily in her lap1 is awkward simply because she has1 by some means or other1 been made self-conscious1--and because1 in the excess of this self-consciousness she stupidly imagines every one in the room must be staring at her4 ,the average ,london woman1 dressed like a fashion-plate1 who rustles in at afternoon tea1 with her card-case well in evidence1 and her face carefully set in proper 8visiting lines10 offers herself up in this way as a subject for the satirist1 out of the same disfiguring self-consciousness1 which robs her entirely of the indifferent ease and careless grace which should1--to quote the greatest of ,american philosophers1 ,emerson1--cause her to 8repel interference by a decided and proud choice of influences10 and to 8inspire every beholder with something of her own nobleness40 ,she is probably not naturally formal1--she is no doubt exceedingly constrained and uncomfortable in her fashionable attire1--and one may take it for granted that she would rather be herself than try to be a ,something which is a ,nothing4 ,but ,custom and ,convention are her bogie men1 always guarding her on either side1 and investing her too often with such deplorable self-consciousness that her eye becomes furtive1 her mouth hard and secretive1 her conversation inane1 and her whole personality an uncomfortable exhalation of stupidity and dullness4 ,nevertheless1 setting ,custom and ,convention apart for the nonce1 and bidding them descend into the shadows of hypocrisy which are their native atmosphere1 the ,british woman remains the prettiest in the world4 ,what a galaxy of feminine charms can be gathered under the word 8,british06 ,england1 ,ireland1 ,wales and ,scotland offer all together such countless examples of woman's loveliness1 that it would be difficult1 if not impossible1 to give the prize for good looks to one portion of ,britain more than to the other4 ,america1 so far as her samples have been1 and are1 seen in ,europe1 cannot outrival the 8,old ,country0 in the prettiness of its women4 ,but it is prettiness only2 not ,beauty4 ,beauty remains intrinsically where it was first born and first admitted into the annals of ,art and ,literature4 ,its home is still in 8the ,isles of ,greece1 where burning ,sappho loved and sung40 ,nothing that was ever created in the way of female loveliness can surpass the beauty of a beautiful ,greek woman4 ,true1 she is as rare as a butterfly in a snow storm4 ,true1 the women of ,athens and of ,greece generally1 taken in the rough majority1 are not on an average1 even pretty4 ,nevertheless the palm of beauty remains with them--because there are always two1--or may be three of them1 who dawn year by year upon the world in all the old perfection of the classic models1 and who may truly be taken for newly-descended goddesses1 so faultlessly formed1 so exquisitely featured are they4 ,they are not famed by the paragraphist1 and they probably will never get the chance of moving in the circles of the ,british 8,upper ,ten0 or the ,american 8,four ,hundred40 ,but they are the daughters of ,aphrodite still1 and hold fast their heavenly mother's attributes4 ,it is easy to find a hundred or more pretty ,british and ,american women for one beautiful ,greek--but when found1 the beautiful ,greek eclipses them all4 ,she is still the wonder of the world1--the crown of womanly beauty at its best4 ,she shows the heritage of her race in her regal step and freedom of movement1--in the lovely curves of her figure1 in the classic perfection of her face with its broad brows1 lustrous eyes1 arched sweet lips and delicate contour of chin and throat1 and perhaps more than all in the queenly indifference she bears towards her own loveliness4 ,so1 ,fill high the bowl with ,samian wine1 ,on ,suli's bank and ,parga's shore1 ,exists the remnant of a line ,such as the ,doric mothers bore2 ,and there perhaps some seed is sown ,the ,heracleidan blood might own6 ,and there still1 may be found the perfection of womanhood--the one rare ,greek lily1 which blossoming at few and far intervals shows in its exquisite form and colouring what ,woman should be at her fairest4 ,to her1 therefore1 must be given the ,palm of ,beauty4 ,but after the lily1 then the rose6--or rather the roses1 multitudinous1 varied1 and always sweet--of the ,fortunate ,isles of ,britain4 ,,the ,,madness ,,of ,,clothes ,to dress well is a social duty4 ,every educated self-respecting woman is bound to clothe her person as neatly1 as tastefully and becomingly as she can4 ,but just as a virtue when carried to excess develops into a vice1 so the art of dressing well1 when allowed to overstep its legitimate uses and expenditure1 easily runs into folly and madness4 ,the reckless extravagance of women's dress at the present day is little short of criminal insanity4 ,a feverish desire to outvie one another in the manner and make of their garments appears to possess every feminine creature whose lot in life places her outside positive penury4 ,the inordinately wealthy1 the normally rich1 the well-to-do middle class and the shabby genteel are all equally infected by the same hysterical frenzy4 ,and it is a frenzy which is humoured and encouraged on all sides by those who should have the sense1 the intelligence and the foresight to realize the danger of such a tendency1 and the misery to which in many cases it is surely bound to lead4 ,latterly there have been certain growlings and mutterings of discontent from husbands who have had to pay certain unexpectedly long bills for their wives' 8creations in costume0--but1 as a matter of fact1 it is really the men who are chiefly to blame for the wicked waste of money they afterwards resent and deplore4 ,they are the principal instigators of the mischief1--the aiders and abettors of the destruction of their own credit and good name4 ,for they openly show their admiration for women's clothes more than for the women clothed1--that is to say1 they are more easily captured by art than by nature4 ,no group of male flatterers is ever seen round a woman whose dress is un-stylish or otherwise 8out-of-date40 ,she may have the sweetest face in the world1 the purest nature and the truest heart1 but the 8dressed0 woman1 the dyed1 the artistically 8faked0 woman will nearly always score a triumph over her so far as masculine appreciation and attention are concerned4 ,the 8faked0 woman has everything on her side4 ,the ,drama supports her4 ,the ,press encourages her4 ,whole columns in seemingly sane journals are devoted to the description of her attire4 ,very little space is given to the actual criticism of a new play as a play1 but any amount of room is awarded to glorified 8gushers0 concerning the actresses' gowns4 ,of course it has to be borne in mind that the 8writing up0 of actresses' gowns serves a double purpose4 ,first1 the 8creators0 of the gowns are advertised1 and may in their turn advertise1--which in these days of multitudinous rival newspapers1 is a point not to be lost sight of4 ,secondly1 the actresses themselves are advertised and certain gentlemen with big noses who move 8behind the scenes10 and are the lineal descendants of ,moses and ,aaron1 may thereby be encouraged to speculate in theatrical 8shares40 ,whereas criticism of the play itself does no good to anybody nowadays1 not even to the dramatic author4 ,for if such criticism be unfavourable1 the public say it is written by a spiteful enemy1--if eulogistic1 by a 8friend at court10 and they accept neither verdict4 ,they go to see the thing for themselves1 and if they like it they keep on going4 ,if not1 they stay away1 and there's an end4 ,but to the gowns there is no end4 ,the gowns1 even in an un-successful play1 are continuously talked of1 continuously written about1 continuously sketched in every sort of pictorial1 small and great1 fashionable or merely provincial4 ,and the florid language1--or shall we say the #8fine writing'8--used to describe clothes generally1 on and off the stage1 is so ravingly sentimental1 so bewilderingly turgid1 that it can only compare with the fervid verbosity of the early eighteenth century romancists1 or the biting sarcasm of ,thackeray's ,book of ,snobs1 from which the following passage1 descriptive of #8,miss ,snobky's' presentation gown1 may be aptly quoted3-- 8,habit de ,cour composed of a yellow nankeen illusion dress1 over a slip of rich pea-green corduroy1 trimmed en tablier with bouquets of ,brussels sprouts1 the body and sleeves handsomely trimmed with calimanco1 and festooned with a pink train and white radishes4 ,head-dress1 carrots and lappets40 ,by way of a modern pendant to the above grotesque suggestion1 one extract from a lengthy 8clothes0 article recently published in a daily paper will suffice3 8,among the numerous evening and dinner gowns that the young lady has in her corbeille1 one1 a l',impratrice ,eugnie1 is very lovely4 ,the foundation is of white ,liberty1 with a tulle overdress on which are four flounces of ,chantilly lace arranged in zig-zags1 connected together with shaded pink gloria ribbons arranged in waves and wreaths4 ,this is repeated on the low corsage and on the long drooping sleeves of the high bodice4 8,a richer toilette is of white ,liberty silk1 with a flounce of magnificent ,brussels lace festooned by leaves of the chestnut1 formed of white satin wrought in iris beads and silver on white tulle4 ,the whole gown is strewn with like leaves of graduating sizes1 and the low corsage has a berthe of ,brussels lace ornamented with smaller chestnut leaves as are also the sleeves40 ,and so on1 in unlimited bursts of enthusiasm4 ,i cannot say ,i am in the least sorry when 8modistes0 who #8create' costumes at forty1 fifty and even one hundred and two hundred guineas per gown1 are mulcted of some of their unlawful profits by defaulting creditors4 ,in nine cases out of ten they richly deserve it4 ,they are rightly punished1 when they accept1 with fulsome flattery and servile obsequiousness a 8title0 as sufficient guarantee for credit1 and in the end find out that ,her ,grace the ,duchess1 or ,miladi the ,countess is perhaps more wickedly reckless and unprincipled than any plain ,miss1 or ,mrs4 ever born1 and that these grandes dames frequently make use of both rank and position to cheat their tradespeople systematically4 ,the tradespeople are entirely to blame for trusting them1 and this is daily and continuously proved4 ,but the touching crook-knee'd worship of mere social rank still remains an ingredient of the mercantile nature1--it is inborn and racial1--a kind of microbe in the blood generated there in old feudal times1 when1 all over the world1 pedlars humbly sought the patronage and favour of robber chieftains1 and unloaded their packs in the #8,castle hall' for the pleasure of the fair ladies who were kept at home in 8durance vile0 by their rough1 unwashen lords4 ,and so perhaps it has chanced through long custom and heritage1 that at this present day there is nothing quite so servile in all creation as the spectacle of the #8modiste' in attendance on a ,duchess1 or a #8ladies' tailor' bending himself double while deferentially presuming to measure the hips of a ,princess4 ,it is quaint1--it is pitiful1--it is intensely1 deliciously comic4 ,and when the price of the garment is never clearly stated1 and the bill never sent in for years lest offence is given to #8,her ,grace' or #8,her ,highness'--by firms that will1 nevertheless1 have no scruple in sending dunning letters and legal threats to un-titled ladies1 who may possibly keep them waiting a little for their money1 but whose position and credit are more firmly established than those of any #8great' personages with handles to their names1 it is not without a certain secret satisfaction that one hears of such fawning flunkeys of trade getting well burnt in the fires of loss and disaster4 ,for in any case1 it may be taken for granted that they always charge a double1 sometimes treble price for a garment or costume1 over and above what that garment or costume is really worth1 and one may safely presume they base all their calculations on possible loss4 ,it is no uncommon thing to be told that such and such an evening blouse or bodice copied #8from the ,paris model' will cost ,forty ,guineas--8,we might possibly do it for ,thirty ,five10--says the costumier meditatively1 studying with well-assumed gravity the small1 flimsy object he is thus pricing1 a trifle made up of chiffon1 ribbon1 and tinsel gew-gaws1 knowing all the while that everything of which it is composed could be purchased for much less than ten pounds4 ,twenty-five guineas1 forty-five guineas1 sixty-five guineas are quite common prices for gowns at any of the fashionable shops to-day4 ,one cannot1 of course1 blame the modistes and outfitting firms for asking these absurd fancy prices if they can get them4 ,if women are mad1 it is perhaps wise1 just1 and reasonable to take financial advantage of their madness while it lasts4 ,certainly no woman of well-balanced brain would give unlimited prices for gowns without most careful inquiry as to the correct value of the material and trimming used for them1--and the feminine creature who runs into the elaborate show-rooms of ,madame ,zo or ,berenice1 or ,faustina1 and orders frocks by the dozen1 saying chirpingly3 8,oh1 yes6 ,you know how they ought to be made6 ,your taste is always perfect6 ,make them very pretty1 won't you8--much prettier than those you made for ,lady ,claribel6 ,yes6--thanks6 ,i'll leave it all in your hands60 this woman1 ,i say1 is a mere lunatic1 gibbering nonsense1 who could not1 if she were asked1 tell where twice two making four might possibly lead her in the sum-total of a banking account4 ,not very long ago there was held a wonderful 8symposium0 of dress at the establishment of a certain modiste4 ,it was intensely diverting1 entertaining and instructive4 ,a stage was erected at one end of a long room1 and on that stage1 with effective flashes of lime-light played from the 8wings0 at intervals1 and the accompaniment of a ,hungarian band1 young ladies wearing 8creations0 in costume1 stood1 sat1 turned1 twisted and twirled1 and finally walked down the room between rows of spectators to show themselves and the gowns they carried1 off to the best possible advantage4 ,the whole thing was much better than a stage comedy4 ,nothing could surpass the quaint peacock-like vanity of the girl mannequins who strutted up and down1 moving their arms about to exhibit their sleeves and swaying their hips to accentuate the fall and flow of flounces and draperies4 ,it was a marvellous sight to behold1 and it irresistibly reminded one of a party of impudent children trying on for fun all their mother's and elder sisters' best 8long dresses0 while the unsuspecting owners were out of the way4 ,there was a 8programme0 of the performance fearfully and wonderfully worded1 the composition1 so we were afterwards 8with bated breath0 informed1 of ,madame la ,modiste's sister1 a lady1 who by virtue of having written two small skits on the manners1 customs and modes of society1 is1 in some obliging quarters of the ,press called a 8novelist40 ,this programme instructed us as to the proper views we were expected to take of the costumes paraded before us1 as follows3 ,,for ,,the ,,dinner ,,party ,topas ,elusive ,joy ,pleasure's ,thrall ,red ,mouth of a ,venomous ,flower ,the 8,red ,mouth of a ,venomous ,flower0 was a harmless-looking girl in a bright scarlet toilette1--neither the toilette nor the sensational title suited her4 ,but perhaps the 8,cult of ,chiffon0 presented the most varied and startling phases to a properly receptive mind4 ,thus it ran3 ,,the ,,cult ,,of ,,chiffon ,the ,dirge ,o'er the ,death of ,pleasure ,the ,fire ,motif ,the ,meaning of ,life is ,clear ,moss and ,starlight ,incessant ,soft ,desire ,a ,frenzied ,song of ,amorous ,things ,a ,summer ,night ,has a ,thousand ,powers ,faint gigglings shook the bosoms of the profane as the 8,incessant ,soft ,desire0 glided into view1 followed by 8,a ,frenzied ,song of ,amorous ,things10--indeed it would have been positively unnatural and inhuman had no one laughed4 ,curious to relate1 there were quite a large number of 8gentlemen0 at this remarkable exhibition of feminine clothes1 many of them well known and easily recognizable4 ,certain flaneurs of ,bond ,street1 various loafers familiar to the ,carlton 8lounge10 and celebrated ,piccadilly-trotters1 formed nearly one half of the audience1 and stared with easy insolence at the 8,red ,mouth of a ,venomous ,flower0 or smiled suggestively at 8,incessant ,soft ,desire40 ,they were invited to stare and smile1 and they did it4 ,but there was something remarkably offensive in their way of doing it1 and perhaps if a few thick boots worn on the feet of rough but honest workmen had come into contact with their smooth personalities on their way out of ,madame ,modiste's establishment1 it might have done them good and taught them a useful lesson4 ,needless to say that the prices of the ,madame ,modiste who could set forth such an exhibition of melodramatically designated feminine apparel as 8,the ,night has a ,thousand ,eyes10 or 8,spring's ,delirium10 were in suitable proportion to a 8frenzied song of amorous things40 ,such amorous things as are 8created0 in her establishment are likely to make husbands and fathers know exactly what 8a frenzied song0 means4 ,when the payment of the bills is concerned1 they will probably sing that 8frenzied song0 themselves4 ,it is quite easy to dress well and tastefully without spending a very great deal of money4 ,it certainly requires brain--thought--foresight--taste--and comprehension of the harmony of colours4 ,but the blind following of a fashion because ,madame ,this or ,that says it is 8chic0 or 8le dernier cri10 or some parrot-like recommendation of the sort1 is mere stupidity on the part of the followers4 ,to run up long credit for dresses1 without the least idea how the account is ever going to be paid1 is nothing less than a criminal act4 ,it is simply fraud4 ,and such fraud re-acts on the whole community4 ,extravagant taste in dress is infectious4 ,most of us are impressed by the ,king's sensible and earnest desire that the ,press should use its influence for good in fostering amity between ourselves and foreign countries4 ,if the ,press would equally use its efforts to discourage florid descriptions of dress in their columns1 much of the wild and wilful extravagance which is frequently the ruin of otherwise happy homes1 might be avoided4 ,when ,lady ,a sees her loathd rival ,lady ,b's dress described in half a column of newspaper 8gush0 she straightway yearns and schemes for a whole column of the same kind4 ,when simple country girls read the amazing items of the 8toilettes0 worn by some notorious 8demi-mondaine10 they begin to wonder how it is she has such things1 and to speculate as to whether they will ever be able to obtain similar glorified apparel for themselves4 ,and so the evil grows1 till by and by it becomes a pernicious disease1 and women look superciliously at one another1 not for what they are1 but merely to estimate the quality and style of what they put on their backs4 ,virtue goes to the wall if it does not wear a fashionable frock4 ,vice is welcomed everywhere if it is clothed in a ,paris 8creation40 ,nevertheless1 ,ben ,jonson's lines still hold good3 ,still to be neat1 still to be drest1 ,as you were going to a feast2 ,still to be powder'd1 still perfumed3 ,lady1 it is to be presumed1 ,though art's hid causes are not found ,all is not sweet1 all is not sound4 8,all is not sweet1 all is not sound10 when women think little or nothing of ordering extravagant costumes which they well know they will never be able to pay for1 unless through some dishonourable means1 such as gambling at ,bridge for example4 ,madame ,modiste is quite prepared for such an exigency1 for she does not forget to show 8creations0 in clothes which1 she softly purrs1 are 8suitable for ,bridge parties40 ,they may possibly be called--8,the ,tricky ,trump0--or 8,the ,dazzling of a ,glance too long0 or 8,the ,deft ,impress of a ,finger nail06 ,one never knows6 ,any amount of fashion papers find their way into the average ,british household1 containing rabid nonsense such as the following3 8,there were wonderful stories afloat about ,miss ,b's dresses4 ,rumour has it that a dressmaker came over specially from ,new ,york to requisition the services of the most important artistes in ,paris1 and gold lace and hand embroidery were used with no frugal hand2 yet1 despite this and the warm welcome accorded her by an ,english audience1 ,miss ,b does not seem to have made up her mind to stay with us long1 for it is said the end of ,june will see the end of her season4 ,we have sketched her in her pink chiffon wrap1 which is made in the ,empire shape covered with chiffon and decorated with bunches of chiffon flowers and green leaves held with bows of pink satin--a most dainty affair1 full of delicate detail and pre-eminently becoming40 8,despite this10--is rich indeed6 ,despite the fact that 8gold lace and hand-embroidery0 were used 8with no frugal hand10 ,miss ,b is determined to leave 8the gay1 the gay and glittering scene10 and deprive us of her 8pink chiffon wrap in the ,empire shape06 ,a positively disastrous conclusion6 ,nay1 but hearken to the maudlin murmurs of the crazed worshippers of ,mumbo-,jumbo 8,fashion0-- 8,do you yearn for a grey muslin dress8 ,half my #8smart girl' acquaintances are buying grey muslins as though their lives depended on it4 ,i fell in love with one of them that was in bouillon gathers all round the skirt to within eight inches of the hem1 while the yoke had similar but smaller bouillons run through1 well below the shoulder-line1 with a wide chin ribbon knotted low in front4 ,beneath this encircling ribbon the bodice pouched in blouse fashion over a chin waist-ribbon to match1 with long pendant ends one side2 the sleeves were a distinct novelty1 being set in a number of small puffs below one big one1 a chin ribbon being knotted around the arm between each puff40 8,do you #8yearn' for a grey muslin dress80 ,o ye gods6 ,one is reminded of a comic passage in the 8,artemus ,ward0 papers1 where it is related how a lady of the 8,free ,love0 persuasion rushed at the ,american humorist1 brandishing a cotton umbrella and crying out3 8,dost thou not yearn for me80 to which adjuration ,artemus replied1 while he 8dodged0 the umbrella--8,not a yearn60 8,i should like10--says one of the poor imbecile 8dress0 devotees1 8the skirt finished off with a wadded hem1 or perhaps a few folds of satin1 but otherwise it should be left severely plain4 ,these satin1 brocade1 or velvet dresses should stand or fall by their own merits1 and never be over-elaborated40 ,true6 ,and is it 8a wadded hem0 or a padded room that should 8finish off0 these people who spread the madness of clothes far and wide till it becomes a positively dangerous and immoral infection8 ,one wonders6 ,for there is no more mischievous wickedness in society to-day than the flamboyant1 exuberant1 wilful extravagance of women's dress4 ,it has far exceeded the natural and pretty vanity of permissible charm1 good taste and elegance4 ,it has become a riotous waste1--an ugly disease of moral principle1 ending at last in the disgrace and death of many a woman's good name4 ,,the ,,decay ,,of ,,home ,,life ,,in ,,england ,when people tell the truth they are generally disliked4 ,from ,socrates1 to the latest of his modern philosophic imitators1 the bowl of death-dealing hemlock has always been mixed by the world and held to the lips of those who dare to say uncomfortably plain things4 ,when the late ,w4 ,e4 ,h4 ,lecky set down the truth of ,cecil ,rhodes1 in his book entitled ,the ,map of ,life1 and ,i1 the present writer1 ventured to quote the passage in 8,the ,vulgarity of ,wealth10 when that article was first published1 a number of uninformed individuals rashly accused me of 8abusing ,cecil ,rhodes40 ,they were naturally afraid to attack the greater writer4 ,inasmuch1 said they3 8,if ,mr4 ,lecky had really suggested that ,cecil ,rhodes was not1 like ,brutus1 #8an honourable man1' he1 ,mr4 ,lecky1 would never have received the ,king's new #8,order of ,merit1' nor would ,mr4 ,rhodes have been the subject of so much eulogy4 ,for1 of course1 the ,king has read ,the ,map of ,life1 and is aware of the assertions contained in it40 ,now ,i wish1 dear gossips all1 you would read ,the ,map of ,life for yourselves6 ,you will find1 if you do1 not only plain facts concerning ,rhodes1 and the vulgarity1 i4e4 the ostentation of wealth1 but much useful information on sundry other matters closely concerning various manners and customs of the present day4 ,for one example1 consider the following3 8,the amount of pure and almost spontaneous malevolence in the world is probably far greater than we at first imagine4444 ,no one1 for example1 can study the anonymous press1 without perceiving how large a part of it is employed systematically1 persistently and deliberately in fostering class1 or individual or international hatreds1 and often in circulating falsehoods to attain this end4 ,many newspapers notoriously depend for their existence on such appeals1 and more than any other instruments1 they inflame and perpetuate those permanent animosities which most endanger the peace of mankind4 ,the fact that such newspapers are becoming in many countries the main and almost exclusive reading of the million1 forms the most serious deduction from the value of modern education40 ,let it be noted1 once and for all1 that it is not the present writer who thus speaks of 8the anonymous press10 but the experienced1 brilliant and unprejudiced scholar who was among the first to hold the ,king's 8,order of ,merit40 ,and so once again to our muttons3-- 8,some of the very worst acts of which man can be guilty are acts which are commonly untouched by law1 and only faintly censured by opinion4 ,political crimes1 which a false and sickly sentiment so readily condones1 are conspicuous among them4 ,men who have been gambling for wealth and power with the lives and fortunes of multitudes2 men who for their own personal ambition are prepared to sacrifice the most vital interests of their country2 men1 who in time of great national danger and excitement deliberately launch falsehood after falsehood in the public press1 in the well-founded conviction that they will do their evil work before they can be contradicted1 may be met shameless and almost uncensured in ,parliaments and drawing-rooms4 ,the amount of false statements in the world which cannot be attributed to mere carelessness1 inaccuracy or exaggeration1 but which is plainly both deliberate and malevolent1 can hardly be overrated4 ,sometimes it is due to a mere desire to create a lucrative sensation1 or to gratify a personal dislike1 or even to an unprovoked malevolence which takes pleasure in inflicting pain4 99 99 99 ,very often it 7i4e4 the false statement in the press7 is intended for purposes of stock-jobbing4 ,the financial world is percolated with it4 ,it is the common method of raising or depreciating securities1 attracting investors1 preying upon the ignorant and credulous1 and enabling dishonest men to rise rapidly to fortune4 ,when the prospect of speedy wealth is in sight1 there are always numbers who are perfectly prepared to pursue courses involving the utter ruin of multitudes1 endangering the most serious international interests1 perhaps bringing down upon the world all the calamities of war4444 ,it is much to be questioned whether the greatest criminals are to be found within the walls of prisons4 ,dishonesty on a small scale nearly always finds its punishment4 ,dishonesty on a gigantic scale continually escapes4444 ,in the management of companies1 in the great fields of industrial enterprise and speculation1 gigantic fortunes are acquired by the ruin of multitudes2 and by methods which though they avoid legal penalties are essentially fraudulent4 ,in the majority of cases these crimes are perpetrated by educated men who are in possession of all the necessaries1 of most comforts1 and of many luxuries of life1 and some of the worst of them are powerfully favoured by the conditions of modern civilization4 ,there is no greater scandal or moral evil in our time than the readiness with which public opinion excuses them1 and the influence and social position it accords to mere wealth1 even when it has been acquired by notorious dishonesty1 or when it is expended with absolute selfishness or in ways that are absolutely demoralising4 ,in many respects the moral progress of mankind seems to me incontestable1 but it is extremely doubtful whether in this respect1 social morality1 especially in ,england and ,america1 has not seriously retrograded40 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,now had ,i written the foregoing lines1 some hundred or so of pleasant newspaper friends would have accused me of 8screaming0 out a denunciation of wealth1 or of 8railing0 against society4 ,but as ,lecky1--with the ,king's 8,order of ,merit10 appended to his distinguished name1--was the real author of the quotation1 ,i am not without hope that his views may be judged worthy of consideration1 even though his works may not be as thoughtfully studied as their excellence merits4 ,it is not ,i--it was ,mr4 ,lecky1 who doubted whether 8social morality both in ,england and ,america1 had not seriously retrograded40 ,but1 if it has so retrograded1 there need be very little difficulty in tracing the retrogression to its direct source1--namely1 to the carelessness1 vanity1 extravagance1 lack of high principle1 and entire lapse of dignity in the women who constitute and lead what is called the ,smart ,set4 ,these women cannot be termed as of the ,aristocracy1 for the ,aristocracy1 7by which term ,i mean those who are lineally entitled to be considered the actual ,british nobility1 and not the mushroom creations of yesterday71 will1 more often than not1 decline to have anything to do with them4 ,true1 there are some 8great0 ladies1 who have deliberately and voluntarily fallen from their high estate in the sight of a scandalised public1 and who1 by birth and breeding1 should assuredly have possessed more pride and self-respect1 than to wilfully descend into the mire4 ,but the very fact that these few have so lamentably failed to support the responsibilities of their position1 makes it all the sadder for the many good and true women of noble family who endeavour1 as best they may1 to stem the tide of harmful circumstance1 and to show by the retired simplicity and intellectual charm of their own lives1 that though society is fast becoming a disordered wilderness of ,american and ,south ,african 8scrub10 there yet remains within it a flourishing scion of the brave old ,english ,oak of ,honour1 guarded by the plain device 8,noblesse ,oblige40 ,the influence of women bears perhaps more strongly than any other power on the position and supremacy of a country4 ,corrupt women make a corrupt ,state1--noble1 ,god-fearing women make a noble1 ,god-fearing people4 ,it is not too much to say that the prosperity or adversity of a nation rests in the hands of its women4 ,they are the mothers of the men1--they make and mould the characters of their sons4 ,and the centre of their influence should be1 as ,nature intended it to be1 the ,home4 ,home is the pivot round which the wheel of a country's highest statesmanship should revolve1--the preservation of ,home1 its interests1 its duties and principles1 should be the aim of every good citizen4 ,but with the 8retrogression of social morality10 as ,mr4 ,lecky phrased it1 and as part and parcel of that backward action and movement1 has gone the gradual decay of home life1 and a growing indifference to home as a centre of attraction and influence1 together with the undermining of family ties and affections1 which1 rightly used and considered1 should form the strongest bulwark to our national strength4 ,the love of home1--the desire to make a home1--is far stronger in the poorer classes nowadays than in the wealthy or even the moderately rich of the general community4 ,women of the 8upper ten0 are no longer pre-eminent as rulers of the home1 but are to be seen daily and nightly as noisy and pushing frequenters of public restaurants4 ,the great lady is seldom or never to be found 8at home0 on her own domain1--but she may be easily met at the ,carlton1 ,prince's1 or the ,berkeley 7on ,sundays74 ,the old-world chtelaine of a great house who took pride in looking after the comfort of all her retainers1--who displayed an active interest in every detail of management1--surrounding herself with choice furniture1 fine pictures1 sweet linen1 beautiful flowers1 and home delicates of her own personal make or supervision1 is becoming well-nigh obsolete4 8,it is such a bore being at home60 is quite an ordinary phrase with the gawk-girl of the present day1 who has no idea of the value of rest as an aid to beauty1 or of the healthful and strengthening influences of a quiet and well-cultivated mind1 and who has made herself what is sometimes casually termed a 8sight0 by her skill at hockey1 her speed in cycling1 and her general 8rushing about10 in order to get anywhere away from the detested 8home40 ,the mother of a family now aspires to seem as young as her daughters1 and among the vanishing graces of society may be noted the grace of old age4 ,nobody is old nowadays4 ,men of sixty wed girls of sixteen1 women of fifty lead boys of twenty to the sacrificial altar4 ,such things are repulsive1 abominable and unnatural1 but they are done every day1 and a certain 8social set10 smirk the usual conventional hypocritical approval1 few having the courage to protest against what they must inwardly recognize as both outrageous and indecent4 ,the real 8old0 lady1 the real 8old0 gentleman will soon be counted among the 8rare and curious0 specimens of the race4 ,the mother who was not 8married at sixteen10 will ere long be a remarkable prodigy1 and the paterfamilias who never explains that he 8made an unfortunate marriage when quite a boy10 will rank beside her as a companion phenomenon4 ,we have only to scan the pages of those periodicals which cater specially for fashionable folk1 to see what a frantic dread of age pervades all classes of pleasure-loving society4 ,the innumerable nostrums for removing wrinkles1 massaging or 8steaming0 the complexion1 the 8coverings0 for thin hair1 the 8rays10 of gold or copper or auburn1 which are cunningly contrived for grey1 or to use the more polite word1 8faded10 tresses1 the great army of manicurists1 masseurs and 8beauty-specialists10 who1 in the most clever way1 manage to make comfortable incomes out of the general panic which apparently prevails among their patrons at the inflexible1 unstoppable march of ,time1--all these things are striking proofs of the constant desperate fight kept up by a large and foolish majority against the laws of ,god and of ,nature4 ,nor is the category confined to persons of admittedly weak intellect1 as might readily be imagined1 for just as the sapient ,mr4 ,andrew ,lang has almost been convicted of a hesitating faith in magic crystals1 7,god save him67 so are the names of many men1 eminent in scholarship and politics1 8down on the list0 of the dyer1 the steamer1 the padder1 the muscle-improver1 the nail-polisher1 the wrinkle-remover1 and the eye-embellisher4 ,which facts1 though apparently trivial1 are so many brief hints of a 8giving0 in the masculine stamina4 8,it is but foolery2 but it is such a kind of gain-giving as would perhaps trouble a woman40 ,vide ,hamlet4 ,such it may be1--let us hope that such it is4 ,no doubt much of this fantastic dread of 8looking old10 arises from the fact that nowadays age1 instead of receiving the honour it merits1 is frequently made the butt of ignorant and vulgar ridicule4 ,one exception alone is allowed in the case of our gracious ,queen ,alexandra1 who supports her years with so much ease and scarcely diminished beauty4 ,but there are hosts of other women beside the ,queen whom it would seem that 8age cannot wither10--,sarah ,bernhardt1 for example1 whose brilliant vitality is the envy of all her feminine compeers2 while many leading 8beauties0 who never scored a success in their teens1 are now trampling triumphantly over men's hearts in their forties4 ,nevertheless the boorish sections of the ,press and of society take a special delight1 7,mr4 ,lecky calls it 8pure malevolence107 in making the advance of age a subject for coarse jesting1 whereas if rightly viewed1 the decline of the body is merely the natural withering of that chrysalis which contains the ever young and immortal ,soul4 ,forced asunder by the strength of unfolding wings1 the chrysalis must break2 and its breaking should not cause regret1 but joy4 ,of course if faith in ,god is a mere dead letter1 and poor humanity is taught to consider this brief life as our sole beginning and end1 ,i can quite imagine that the advance of years may be looked upon with dislike and fear1--though scarcely with ridicule4 ,but for the happy beings who are conscious that while the body grows weaker1 the ,soul grows stronger1--who feel that behind this mere passing 8reflection0 of ,life1 the real ,life awaits them1 age has no drawbacks and no forebodings of evil4 ,the prevailing dread of it1 and the universal fighting against it1 betoken an insecure and wholly materialistic mental attitude4 ,of the feminine indulgence in complexion cures1 combined with the deplorable lack of common sense1 which shows itself in the constant consultation of palmists and clairvoyants1 while home and family duties are completely neglected or forgotten1 the less said the better4 ,by such conduct women appear to be voluntarily straying back to the dark ages when people believed in witches and soothsayers1 and would pay five shillings or more to see the faces of their future husbands in the village well4 ,happy the man who1 at the crucial moment1 looked over the shoulder of the enquiring maiden6 ,he was sure to be accepted on the value of his own mirrored reflection1 apart altogether from his possible personal merits4 ,to this day in ,devonshire1 many young women believe in the demoniacal abilities of a harmless old gentleman who leads a retired life on the moors1 and who is supposed to be able to 8do something to somebody40 ,it would be a hard task to explain the real meaning of this somewhat vague phrase1 but the following solution can be safely given without any harm accruing4 ,it works out in this way3 ,if you know 8somebody10 who is unpleasant to you1 go to this old gentleman and give him five shillings1 and he will 8do something0--never mind what4 ,it may be safely prophesied that he will spend the five shillings2 the rest is involved in mystery4 ,now1 however silly this superstition on the part of poor ,devonshire maids may be1 it is not a whit more so than the behaviour of the so-called 8cultured0 woman of fashion who spends a couple of guineas in one of the rooms or 8salons10 near ,bond ,street1 on the fraudulent rascal of a 8palmist10 or 8crystal-gazer10 who has the impudence and presumption to pretend to know her past and her future4 ,it is a wonder that the women who patronize these professional cheats have not more self-respect than to enter such dens1 where the crime of 8obtaining money on false pretences0 is daily practised without the intervention of the law4 ,but all the mischief starts from the same source1--neglect of home1 indifference to home duties1 and the constant 8gadding-about0 which seems to be the principal delight and aim of women who are amply supplied with the means of subsistence1 either through inherited fortune1 or through marriage with a wealthy partner1 and who consider themselves totally exempt from the divine necessity of ,work4 ,yet these are truly the very ones whose duty it is to work the hardest1 because 8,unto whom much is given even from him 7or her7 shall much be required40 ,no woman who has a home need ever be idle4 ,if she employs her time properly1 she will find no leisure for gossiping1 scandal-mongering1 moping1 grumbling1 8fadding10 fortune-telling or crystal-gazing4 ,of course1 if she 8manages0 her household merely through a paid housekeeper1 she cannot be said to govern the establishment at all4 ,the housekeeper is the real mistress1 and very soon secures such a position of authority1 that the lady who employs and pays her scarcely dare give an order without her4 ,speaking on this subject a few days ago with a distinguished and mild-tempered gentleman1 who has long ceased to expect any comfort or pleasure in the magnificent house his wealth pays for1 but which under its present government might as well be a hotel where he is sometimes allowed to take the head of the table1 he said to me1 with an air of quiet resignation3--8,ladies have so many more interests nowadays than in my father's time4 ,they do so many things4 ,it is really bewildering6 ,my wife1 for example1 is always out4 ,she has so many engagements4 ,she has scarcely five minutes to herself1 and is often quite knocked up with fatigue and excitement4 ,she has no time to attend to housekeeping1 and of course the children are almost entirely with their nurse and governess40 ,this description applies to most households of a fashionable or 8smart0 character1 and shows what a topsy-turveydom of the laws of ,nature is allowed to pass muster1 and to even meet with general approval4 ,the 8wife0 of whom my honourable and distinguished friend spoke to me1 rises languidly from her bed at eleven1 and occupies all her time till two o'clock in dressing1 manicuring1 8transforming0 and 8massaging40 ,she also receives and sends a few telegrams4 ,at two o'clock she goes out in her carriage and lunches with some chosen intimates at one or other of the fashionable restaurants4 ,lunch over1 she returns home and lies down for an hour4 ,then she arrays herself in an elaborate tea gown and receives a favoured few in her boudoir1 where over a cup of tea she assists to tear into piecemeal portions the characters of her dearest friends4 ,another 8rest0 and again the business of the toilette is resumed4 ,when en grande tenue she either goes out to dinner1 or entertains a large party of guests at her own table4 ,a tte--tte meal with her husband would appear to her in the light of a positive calamity4 ,she stays up playing 8,bridge0 till two or three o'clock in the morning1 and retires to bed more or less exhausted1 and can only sleep with the aid of narcotics4 ,she resumes the same useless existence1 and perpetrates the same wicked waste of time again the next day and every day4 ,her children she scarcely sees1 and the management of her house is entirely removed from her hands4 ,the housekeeper takes all the accounts to her husband1 who meekly pays the same1 and lives for the most part at his club1 or at the houses of his various sporting friends4 8,home0 is for him a mere farce4 ,he knew what it was in his mother's day1 when his grand old historical seat was a home indeed1 and all the members of the family1 young and old1 looked upon it as the chief centre of attraction1 and the garnering-point of love and faith and confidence2 but since he grew up to manhood1 and took for his life-partner a rapid lady of the new ,motor-,school of ,morals1 he stands like ,marius among the ruins of ,carthage1 contemplating the complete wreckage of his ship of life1 and knowing sadly enough that he can never sail the seas of hope again4 ,the word 8,home0 has1 or used to have1 a very sacred meaning1 and is peculiarly ,british4 ,the ,french have no such term4 8,chez-moi0 or 8chez-soi0 are poor substitutes1 and indeed none of the ,latin races appear to have any expression which properly conveys the real sentiment4 ,the ,germans have it1 and their 8,heimweh0 is as significant as our 8home-sickness40 ,the ,germans are essentially a home-loving people1 and this may be said of all ,teutonic1 ,norse and ,scandinavian races4 ,by far the strongest blood of the ,british is inherited from the ,north1--and as a rule the natural tendency in the pure ,briton is one of scorn for the changeful1 vagrant1 idle1 careless and semi-pagan temperament of southern nations4 ,as the last of our real ,laureates sang in his own matchless way3 ,oh1 tell her1 ,swallow1 thou that knowest each ,that bright and fierce and fickle is the ,south1 ,and dark and true and tender is the ,north6 ,oh1 tell her1 ,swallow1 that thy brood is flown2 ,say that ,i do but wanton in the ,south1 ,but in the ,north1 long since1 my nest is made6 8,my nest is made10 is the ultimatum of the lover1--the 8nest0 or the home being the natural centre of the circle of man's ambition4 ,a happy home is the best and surest safeguard against all evil2 and where home is not happy1 there the devil may freely enter and find his hands full4 ,with women1 and women only1 this happiness in the home must find its foundation4 ,they only are responsible2 for no matter how wild and erring a man may be1 if he can always rely on finding somewhere in the world a peaceful1 well-ordered1 and undishonoured home1 he will feel the saving grace of it sooner or later1 and turn to it as the one bright beacon in a darkening wilderness4 ,but if he knows that it is a mere hostelry1--that his wife has no pride in it1--that other men than himself have found the right to enter there1--that his servants mock him behind his back as a poor1 weak1 credulous fool1 who has lost all claim to mastership or control1 he grows to hate the very walls of the dwelling1 and does his best to lose himself and his miseries in a whirlpool of dissipation and folly1 which too often ends in premature breakdown and death4 ,one often wonders if the 8smart0 ladies who cast aside the quiet joys of home life1 in exchange for a jostling 8feed0 at the ,carlton or other similar resorts1 have any idea of the opinion entertained of their conduct by that ,great ,majority1 the ,people8 ,the ,people1--without whom their favoured political candidates would stand no chance of election1--the ,people1 without whose willing work1 performed under the heavy strain of cruel and increasing competition1 they would be unable to enjoy the costly luxuries they deem indispensable to their lives1--the ,people1 who1 standing in their millions outside 8society0 and its endless intrigues1--outside a complaisant or subsidized ,press1--outside all1 save ,god and the ,right1--pass judgment on the events of the day1 and entertain their own strong views thereon1 which1 though such views may not find any printed outlet1 do nevertheless make themselves felt in various unmistakable ways4 ,latterly1 there has been a great clamour about servants and the lack of them4 ,it is quite true that many ladies find it difficult to secure servants1 and that even when they do secure them1 they often turn out badly1 being of an untrained and incompetent class4 ,but why is this8 ,no doubt many causes work together to make up the sum of deficiency or inefficiency1 but one reason can be given which is possibly entirely unsuspected4 ,it is a reason which will no doubt astonish some1 and awaken the tittering ridicule of many1 but the fact remains unalterable1 despite incredulity and denial4 ,there is really no lack of competent domestic servants4 ,on the contrary1 there are plenty of respectable1 willing1 smart1 well-instructed girls in the country1 who would make what are called 8treasures0 in the way of housemaids1 parlourmaids and lady's-maids1 but whose parents stubbornly refuse to let them enter any situation until they know something of the character of the mistress with whom they are expected to reside1 and the general reputation of the house or 8home0 they are to enter4 ,i could name dozens of cases where girls1 on enquiry1 have actually declined lucrative situations1 and contented themselves with work at lower wages1 rather than be known as 8in service0 with certain distinguished ladies4 8,my girl10 says a farmer's wife1 8is a clean1 wholesome1 steady lass2 ,i'd rather keep her by me for a bit than see her mixing herself up with the fashionable folk1 who are always getting into the divorce court40 ,this may be a bitter pill of information for the 8smart set0 to swallow2 but there is no exaggeration in the statement that the working classes have very little respect left nowadays for the ladies of the 8,upper ,ten10 and many of the wives of honest farmers1 mechanics and tradesmen would consider that they were voluntarily handing over their daughters to temptation and disgrace by allowing them to enter domestic service with certain society leaders1 who1 though bearing well-known names1 are branded by equally well-known 8easy virtue40 ,does any one at this time of day recall a certain chapter in the immortal story of ,bleak ,house1 by ,charles ,dickens1 when ,mr4 ,rouncewell1 the iron-master1 a mere tradesman in the opinion of that haughty old aristocrat1 ,sir ,leicester ,dedlock1 desires to remove the pretty girl1 ,rosa1 lady's-maid to ,lady ,dedlock1 at once from her situation1 if she is to marry his son8 ,an extract from this scene may not here be altogether out of place4 ,lady ,dedlock has enquired of the iron-master if the love-affair between her lady's-maid and his son is still going on1 and receives an answer in the affirmative4 8#8,if you remember anything so unimportant1' he says--#8which is not to be expected--you would recollect that my first thought in the affair was directly opposed to her remaining here4' 8,dismiss the ,dedlock patronage from consideration8 ,oh6 ,sir ,leicester is bound to believe a pair of ears that have been handed down to him through such a family1 or he really might have mistrusted their report of the iron-gentleman's observation6 8#8,it is not necessary1' observes my ,lady1 in her coldest manner1 before he can do anything but breathe amazedly1 #8to enter into these matters on either side4 ,the girl is a very good girl2 ,i have nothing whatever to say against her2 but she is so far insensible to her many advantages and her good fortune1 that she is in love--or supposes she is1 poor little fool--and unable to appreciate them4' 8,sir ,leicester begs to observe that wholly alters the case4 ,he might have been sure that my ,lady had the best grounds and reasons in support of her view4 ,he entirely agrees with my ,lady4 ,the young woman had better go4 8#8,as ,sir ,leicester observed1 ,mr4 ,rouncewell1 on the last occasion when we were fatigued by this business1' ,lady ,dedlock languidly proceeds1 #8we cannot make conditions with you4 ,without conditions1 and under present circumstances1 the girl is quite misplaced here and had better go4 ,i have told her so4 ,would you wish to have her sent back to the village1 or would you like to take her with you1 or what would you prefer8' 8#8,lady ,dedlock1 if ,i may speak plainly----' 8#8,by all means4' 8#8,i should prefer the course which will the sooner relieve you of the encumbrance1 and remove her from her present position4' 8#8,and to speak as plainly1' she returns1 with the same studied carelessness1 #8so should ,i4 ,do ,i understand that you will take her with you8' 8,the iron-gentleman makes an iron bow4 99 99 99 99 99 8#8,sir ,leicester and ,lady ,dedlock1' says ,mr4 ,rouncewell1 after a pause of a few moments2 #8,i beg to take my leave with an apology for having again troubled you4 ,i can very well understand1 ,i assure you1 how very tiresome so small a matter must have become to ,lady ,dedlock4 ,if ,i am doubtful on my dealing with it1 it is only because ,i did not at first quietly exert my influence to take my young friend here away without troubling you at all4 ,i hope you will excuse my want of acquaintance with the polite world40 ,as a matter of fact1 certain rumours against ,lady ,dedlock's reputation1 and hints as to her 8past10 have come to the ears of the honest tradesman1 and he prefers to remove his son's betrothed wife from the contact of a possible pernicious influence4 ,the very same thing is done scores of times over in many similar cases to-day4 ,no one knows the real character and disposition of the mistress of a home better than the servants she employs1 and if she is honoured and loved by her domestics1 she stands on surer ground than the praise or flattery of her fashionable friends4 ,it is all a question of 8home0 again4 ,a real home is a home to all connected with it4 ,the very kitchen-maid employed in it1 the boy who runs errands for the house2 indeed every servant1 from the lowest to the highest1 should feel that their surroundings are truly 8homelike10--that things are well-ordered1 peaceful and happy2 that the presiding spirit of the place1 the mistress1 is contented with her life1 and cheerfully interested in the welfare of all around her1--then 8all things work together for good10 and the house becomes a bulwark against adversity1 a harbour in storm1 a 8nest0 indeed1 where warmth1 repose1 and mutual trust and help make the days sweet and the nights calm4 ,but where the mistress is scarcely ever at home1--when she prefers public restaurants to her own dining-room1--when with each change of the seasons she is gadding about somewhere1 and avoiding home as much as possible1 how is it to be expected that even servants will care to stay with her1 or ever learn to admire and respect her8 ,peace and happiness are hers to possess in the natural and ,god-given ways of home life1 if she chooses1--but if she turns aside from her real sovereignty1 throws down her sceptre and plays with the sticks and straws of the 8half-world10 she has only herself to blame if the end should prove but dire confusion and the bitterness of strife4 ,apart altogether from the individual dignity and self-poise which are invariably lacking to the 8vagrant10 or home despising human being1 the decay of home life in ,england is a serious menace to the ,empire's future strength4 ,if our coming race of men have been accustomed to see their mothers indulging in a kind of high-class public house feasting1 combined with public house morals1 and have learned from them an absolute indifference to home and home ties1 they in their turn will do likewise and live as 8vagrants10--here1 there and everywhere1 rather than as well-established1 self-respecting citizens and patriots1 proud of their country1 and proud of the right to defend their homes4 ,even as it is1 there are not wanting signs of a general 8wandering10 tendency1 combined with morbid apathy and sickly inertia4 8,one place is as good as another10 says one section of society1 and 8anything is better than the ,english climate10 says another1 preparing to pack off to ,egypt or the ,riviera at the first snap of winter4 ,these opinions are an exact reversion of those expressed by our sturdy1 patriotic forefathers1 who made the glory of ,great ,britain4 8,there is no place like ,england0 was their sworn conviction1 and 8no place like home0 was the essence of their national sentiment4 ,the ,english climate1 too1 was quite good enough for them1 and they made the best of it4 ,when will the 8,smart ,set0 grasp the fact that the much-abused weather1 whatever it may be1 is pretty much the same all over ,europe8 ,the ,riviera is no warmer than the ,cornish coast1 but certes it is better provided with hotels1 and--chiefest attraction of all--it has a ,gambling ,hell4 ,the delights of ,monte ,carlo and 8,home10 are as far apart as the poles2 and those who seek the one cannot be expected to appreciate the other4 ,but such ,english women as are met at the foreign gambling-tables1 season after season1 may be looked upon as the deliberate destroyers of all that is best and strongest in our national life1 in the sanctity of ,home1 and the beauty of home affections4 ,the ,english ,home used to be a model to the world2--with a few more scandalous divorce cases in high life1 it will become a by-word for the mockery of nations4 ,the following from the current ,press is sufficiently instructive3 8,the crowd of well-dressed women who daily throng the court during the hearing of the 444 case and follow with such intense eagerness every incident in the dissection of a woman's honour afford a remarkable object-lesson in contemporary social progress4 8,ladies1 richly garbed1 who drive up in smart broughams1 emblazoned carriages1 and motor-cars1 and are representative of the best known families in the land1 fight and scramble for a seat1 criticize the proceedings in a low monotone1 and1 without the smallest indication of a blush1 balance every point made by counsel1 and follow with keen apprehension the most suggestive evidence4 8,others1 no less intensely interested in the sordid details of divorce1 come on foot--women of the great well-to-do middle-class1 who have all their lives had the advantage of refined and educated surroundings4 ,some are old1 with silvery hair2 others are middle-aged women1 who bring comely daughters still in their teens2 others are in the first flush of womanhood2 but they all crowd into the narrow court and struggle to get a glimpse of the chief actors in the drama1 and listen to the testimony which would convict them of dishonour40 ,no one in their sober senses will call any of these women fit to rule their homes1 or to be examples to their children4 ,unblushingly indecent1 and unspeakably vulgar1 their brazen effrontery and shameless interest in the revolting details of a revolting case1 have shown them to be beyond the pale of all true womanhood1 and utterly unfit to be the mothers of our future men1 or guardians of the honour of home and family4 ,there is no 8railing0 against society in this assertion2 the plain facts speak for themselves4 ,the charm of home depends1 of course1 entirely on the upbringing and character of the inmates4 ,stupid and illiterate people make a dull fireside4 ,morbid faddists1 always talking and thinking about themselves1 put the fire out altogether4 ,if ,i were asked my opinion as to the chief talent or gift for making a home happy1 ,i should without a moment's hesitation1 reply1 8,cheerfulness40 ,a cheerful spirit1 always looking on the bright side1 and determined to make the best of everything1 is the choicest blessing and the brightest charm of home4 ,people with a turn for grumbling should certainly live in hotels and dine at restaurants4 ,they will never understand how to make1 or to keep1 a home as it should be4 ,but1 given a cheerful1 equable1 and active temperament1 there is nothing sweeter1 happier or safer for the human being than ,home1 and the life which centres within it1 and the duties concerning it which demand our attention and care4 ,there is no need for women to wander far afield for an outlet to their energies4 ,their work waits for them at their own doors1 in the town or village where they reside4 ,no end of useful1 kind and neighbourly things are to hand for their doing1--every day can be filled1 like a basket of flowers1 full of good deeds and gentle words by every woman1 poor or rich1 who has either cottage or mansion which she can truly call 8,home40 ,home is a simple background1 against which the star of womanhood shines brightest and best4 ,the modern 8gad-about0 who suggests a composition of female chimpanzee and fashionable 8,johnny0 combined1 is a kind of sexless creature for whom 8,home0 would only be a cage in the general menagerie4 ,she 7or ,it7 would merely occupy the time in scrambling about from perch to perch1 screaming on the slightest provocation1 and snapping at such other similar neuter creatures who chanced to possess longer or more bushy tails4 ,and it is a pity such an example should be thought worthy of imitation by any woman claiming to possess the advantage of human reason4 ,but the ,chimpanzee type of female is just now singularly en evidence1 having a habit of pushing to the front on all occasions1 and performing such strange antics as call for public protest1 and keep the grinding machinery of the law only too busy4 ,the ,press1 too1 pays an enormous amount of unnecessary attention to the performances of these more or less immodest animals1 so that it sometimes seems to our ,continental neighbours as if we1 as a nation1 had no real women left1 but only chimpanzees4 ,there are1 however1 slight stirrings of a movement among the true 8ladies0 of ,england1 those who stand more or less aloof from the 8smart set10--a movement indicative of 8drawing the line somewhere40 ,it is possible that there may yet be a revival of 8,home0 and its various lost graces and dignities4 ,we may even hear of doors that will not open to millionaires simply because they are millionaires4 ,only the other day a very great lady said to her sister in my hearing3 8,no1 ,i shall not #8present' my two girls at all4 ,society is perfectly demoralised1 and ,i would rather the children remained out of it1 so far as ,london is concerned4 ,they are much happier in the country than in town1 and much healthier1 and ,i want to keep them so4 ,besides1 they love their home60 ,herein is the saving grace of life1--to love one's home4 ,love of home implies lovable people dwelling in the charmed circle1--tender hearts1 quick to respond to every word of love1 every whisper of confidence1 every caress4 ,the homeless man is the restless and unhappy man1 for ever seeking what he cannot find4 ,the homeless woman is still more to be pitied1 being entirely and hopelessly out of her natural element4 ,and the marked tendency which exists nowadays to avoid home life is wholly mischievous4 ,women complain that home is 8dull10 8quiet10 8monotonous10 8lonely10 and blame it for all sorts of evils which exist only in themselves4 ,if a woman cannot be a few hours alone without finding her house 8dull10 her mind must be on the verge of lunacy4 ,the sense of being unable to endure one's own company augurs ill for the moral equilibrium4 ,to preserve good health and sound nerves1 women should always make it a rule to be quite alone at least for a couple of hours in the course of each day4 ,let them take that space to think1 to read1 to rest1 and mentally review their own thoughts1 words and actions in the light of a quiet conscience-time of pause and meditation4 ,home is the best place so to rest and meditate1--and the hours that are spent in thinking how to make that home happier will never be wasted4 ,it should be very seriously borne in mind that it is only in the home life that marriage can be proved successful or the reverse1 and1 to quote ,mr4 ,lecky once more3 8,a moral basis of sterling qualities is of capital importance4 ,a true1 honest and trustworthy nature1 capable of self-sacrifice and self-restraint1 should rank in the first line1 and after that1 a kindly1 equable and contented temper1 a power of sympathy1 a habit of looking at the better and brighter side of men and things4 ,of intellectual qualities1 judgment1 tact and order1 are perhaps the most valuable4444 ,grace and the charm of manner will retain their full attraction to the last4 ,they brighten in innumerable ways the little things of life1 and life is mainly made up of little things1 exposed to petty frictions1 and requiring small decisions and small sacrifices4 ,wide interests and large appreciations are in the marriage relation more important than any great constructive or creative talent1 and the power to soothe1 to sympathize1 to counsel and to endure than the highest qualities of the hero or the saint4 ,it is by this alone that the married life attains its full perfection40 ,and when we hear1 as we so often do1 of the complete failure and deplorable disaster attending many marriages1 let us look for the root of the evil at its foundation1--namely the decay of home life1 the neglect and avoidance of home and home duties1--the indifference to1 or scorn of home influence4 ,for whenever any woman1 rich or poor1 high in rank or of humble estate1 throws these aside1 and turns her back on ,home1 her own natural1 beautiful and thrice-blessed sphere of action1 she performs what would be called the crazed act of a queen1 who1 called to highest sovereignty1 casts away her crown1 breaks her sceptre1 tramples on her royal robes1 and steps from her throne1 down2--down into the dust of a saddened world's contempt4 ,,society ,,and ,,sunday ,according to the latest views publicly expressed by both ,christian and un-,christian clerics1 it would appear that twentieth-century ,society is not at one with ,sunday4 ,it no longer keeps the seventh day 8holy40 ,it will not go to church4 ,it declines to listen to dull sermons delivered by dull preachers4 ,it openly expresses its general contempt for the collection-plate4 ,it reads its #8up-to-date' books and magazines1 and says3 8,the ,sabbath is a ,jewish institution4 ,and though the spirit of the ,jew pervades my whole composition and constitution1 and though ,i borrow money of the ,jew whenever ,i find it convenient1 there is no reason why ,i should follow the ,jew's religious ritual4 ,the ,new ,testament lays no stress whatever upon the necessity of keeping the seventh day holy4 ,on the contrary1 it tells us that #8the ,sabbath was made for man1 not man for the ,sabbath4'0 ,this is true enough4 ,it is a difficult point to get over4 ,and despite the fact that the sovereign rulers of the realm most strictly set the example to all their subjects of attending ,divine service at least once on ,sunday1 this example is just the very one among the various leading patterns of life offered by the ,king and ,queen which ,society blandly sets aside with a smile4 ,for1 notwithstanding the constant painstaking production of exquisitely printed ,prayer-books1 elegantly bound in ivory1 silver1 morocco leather1 and silk velvet1 ,society is not often seen nowadays with these little emblems of piety in its be-ringed and be-bangled hands4 ,it prefers a pack of cards4 ,its ears are more attuned to the hissing rush of the motor than to the solemn sound of sacred psalmody2 and the dust of the high-road1 compounded with the oil-stench of the newest and fastest automobile1 offers a more grateful odour to its nostrils than the perfume of virginal lilies on the altar of worship4 ,autres temps1 autres murs6 ,people who believe in nothing have no need of prayer4 ,a social 8set0 that grabs all it can for itself without a thank-you to either ,god or devil is not moved to praise4 ,self and the ,hour6 ,that is the motto and watchword of ,society to-day1 and after ,self and the ,hour1 what then8 ,why1 the ,deluge1 of course6 ,and1 as happened in olden time1 and will happen again1 general drowning1 stiflement1 and silence4 ,there is certainly much to regret and deplore in the lack of serious thought1 the neglect of piety1 and the scant reverence for sacred things which1 taken together1 make up a spirit of callous indifferentism in our modern life1 such as is likely to rob the nation in future of its backbone and nerve4 ,it is a spirit which is gradually transforming the social community from thinking1 feeling1 reasonable human beings into a mere set of gambolling kangaroos1 whose chief interest would seem to be centred in jumping over each other's backs1 or sitting on their haunches1 grinning foolishly and waving their short fore-paws at one another with antic gestures of animal delight4 ,they never get any 8forrader10 as it were4 ,they do nothing particularly useful4 ,they are amused1 annoyed1 excited1 or angry 7according to their different qualities of kangaroo nature7 when one jumps a little higher than the other1 or waves its paws a little more attractively2 but their sentiments are as temporary as their passions4 ,there is nothing to be got out of them any way1 but the jumping and the paw-waving4 ,at the same time it is extremely doubtful as to whether taking them to church on ,sundays would do them good1 or bring them back to the human condition4 ,things are too far gone--the metamorphosis is too nearly accomplished4 ,one day is the same as another to the ,society kangaroo4 ,all days are suitable to his or her 8hop1 skip1 and a jump40 ,but shall there be no 8worship08 ,what should a kangaroo worship8 ,no 8rest08 ,why should a kangaroo rest8 8,listen to the ,reverend ,mr4 ,soulcure's sermon1 and learn how to be good60 ,ya-ah6 ,one can hear the animal scream as he or she turns a somersault at the mere suggestion and scuttles away6 ,society's neglect of ,sunday observance in these early days of the new century is due to many things1 chiefest among these being the incapacity of the clergy to inspire interest in their hearers or to fix the attention of the general public4 ,it is unfortunate that this should be so1 but so it is4 ,the ministers of religion fail to seize the problems of the time4 ,they forget1 or wilfully ignore1 the discoveries of the age4 ,yet in these could be found endless subject-matter for the divinest arguments4 ,religion and science1 viewed broadly1 do not clash so much as they combine4 ,to the devout and deeply studious mind1 the marvels of science are the truths of religion made manifest4 ,but this is what the clergy seem to miss persistently out of all their teaching and preaching4 ,take1 for example1 the text3 8,in ,my ,father's house there are many mansions40 ,what a noble discourse could be made hereon of some of the most sublime facts of science6--of the powers of the air1 of the currents of light1 of the magnificent movements of the stars in their courses1 of the plenitude and glory of innumerable solar systems1 all upheld and guided by the same ,intelligent ,force which equally upholds and guides the destinies of man6 ,unhappily for the world in general1 and for the churches in particular1 preachers who select texts from ,scripture in order to extract therefrom some instructive lesson that shall be salutary for their congregations1 do not always remember the symbolic or allegorical manner in which such texts were originally spoken or written4 ,to many of them the 8literal0 meaning is alone apparent1 and they see in the 8many mansions0 merely a glorified ,park ,lane or ,piccadilly1 adorned with rows of elegantly commonplace dwelling-houses built of solid gold4 ,their conceptions of the 8,father's house0 are sadly limited4 ,they cannot shake off the material from the spiritual1 or get away from themselves sufficiently to understand or enter into the dumb craving of all human nature for help1 for sympathy1 for love--for sureness in its conceptions of ,god--such sureness as shall not run counter to the proved results of reason4 ,for reason is as much the gift of ,god as speech1 and to kill one's intellectual aspiration in order1 as some bigots would advise1 to serve ,god more completely is the rankest blasphemy4 ,the wilful refusal to use a great gift merely insults the ,giver4 ,it is by obstinately declining to watch the branching-out1 as it were1 of the great tree of ,christianity in forms which are not narrow or limited1 but spacious and far-reaching1 that the clergy have in a great measure lost much that they should have retained4 ,society has slipped altogether from their hold4 ,society sees for itself that too many clerics are either blatant or timorous4 ,some of them bully2 others crawl4 ,some are all softness to the wealthy2 all harshness to the poor4 ,others1 again1 devote themselves to the poor entirely1 and neglect the wealthy1 who are quite as much1 if not more1 in need of a 8soul cure0 as the most forlorn ,lazarus that ever lay in the dust of the road of life4 ,none of them seem able to cope with the great dark wave of infidelity and atheism which has swept over the modern world stealthily1 but overwhelmingly1 sucking many a struggling soul down into the depths of suicidal despair4 ,and ,society1 making up its mind that it is neither edified nor entertained by going to church on ,sunday1 stays away1 and turns ,sunday generally to other uses4 ,it is not particular as to what these uses are1 provided they prove amusing4 ,the old-fashioned notion of a 8day of rest0 or a 8good0 ,sunday can be set aside with the church and the clergyman2 the one desirable object of existence is 8not to be bored40 ,the spectre of 8boredom0 is always gliding in at every modern function1 like the ghost of ,banquo at ,macbeth's feast4 ,to pacify and quash this terrible bogie is the chief aim and end of all the social kangaroos4 ,the ,sunday's observance used to be the bogie's great 8innings02 but1 with an advance in manners and morals1 nous avons chang tout cela6 ,and ,society spends its ,sundays now in a fashion which1 if its great-grandmamma of the early ,victorian era could only see its ways and doings1 would so shock the dear1 virtuous old lady that she would yearn to whip it and shut it up in a room for years on bread and water4 ,and there is no doubt that such a wholesome rgime would do it a power of good6 ,at the present interesting period of ,english history1 ,sunday appears to be devoutly recognized among the ,upper ,ten as the great 8bridge0 day4 ,it is quite the fashion--the 8swagger0 thing--to play bridge all and every ,sunday1 when and whenever possible4 ,during the ,london 8season10 the ,thames serves as a picturesque setting for many of these seventh-day revelries4 ,little gambling-parties are organized 8up the river10 and houses are taken from ,saturday to ,monday by noted ladies of the half-world1 desirous of 8rooking0 young men1 in the sweet seclusion of their 8country cots by the flowing stream0--an ambition fully realized in the results of the ,sunday's steady play at bridge from noon till midnight4 ,at a certain military centre not far from ,london1 too1 the ,sunday 8gaming0 might possibly call for comment4 ,it is privately carried on1 of course1 but--tell it not in ,gath6--there is an officer's wife--there are so many officers' wives6--but this one in particular1 more than the others1 moves me to the presumption of a parody on the ,immortal ,bard1 thus3 ,an officer's wife had play-cards in her lap-- ,and dealt and dealt4 8,what tricks60 quoth ,i6 8,they're tricks1 you bet60 the smiling cheat replied-- 8,my husband is #8on duty' gone1 ,and #8green' young subalterns are all my game1 ,and till they're drained of gold and silver1 too1 ,i'll do1 ,i'll do1 ,i'll do60 ,and she does 8do40 ,she has found out the way to make those 8green young subalterns0 pay her bills and ruin themselves4 ,it is a thoroughly up-to-date manner of spending the ,sunday4 ,country-house 8week-end0 parties are generally all bridge-parties4 ,they are all carefully selected1 with an eye to the main chance4 ,the 8play0 generally begins on ,saturday evening1 and goes on all through ,sunday up to midnight4 ,one woman1 notorious for her insensate love of gambling1 lately took lessons in 8cheating0 at bridge before joining her country-house friends4 ,she came away heavier in purse by five hundred pounds1 but of that five hundred1 one hundred and fifty had been won from a foolish little girl of eighteen1 known to be the daughter of a very wealthy1 but strict father4 ,when the poor child was made to understand the extent of her losses at bridge1 she was afraid to go home4 ,so she purchased some laudanum 8for the toothache10 and tried to poison herself by swallowing it4 ,fortunately1 she was rescued before it was too late1 and her ,spartan 8dad10 with tears of joy in his eyes1 paid the money she had lost at cards thankfully1 as a kind of ransom to ,death4 ,but she was never again allowed to visit at that 8swagger0 house where she had been 8rooked0 so unmercifully4 ,and when we remember how fond ,society is of bragging of its little philanthropies1 its 8bazaars0 and carefully-calculated 8charities10 we may1 perhaps1 wonder whether1 among the list of good and noble deeds it declares itself capable of1 it would set its face against bridge1 and make 8gambling-parties0 once for all unfashionable and in 8bad form08 ,this would be true philanthropy1 and would be more productive of good than any amount of regular church attendance4 ,for there is no doubt that very general sympathy is accorded to people who find that going to church is rather an irksome business4 ,it is not as if they were often taught anything wonderfully inspiring or helpful there4 ,they seldom have even the satisfaction of hearing the service read properly4 ,the majority of the clergy are innocent of all elocutionary art4 ,they read the finest passages of ,scripture in the sing-song tone of a clerk detailing the items of a bill4 ,it is a soothing style1 and quickly induces sleep2 but that is its only recommendation4 ,when not playing bridge1 ,society's 8,sunday observance0 is motoring4 ,flashing and fizzling all over the place1 it rushes here1 there1 and everywhere1 creating infinite dust1 smelling abominably1 and looking uglier than the worst demons in ,dante's 8,inferno40 ,beauty certainly goes to the wall in a motor4 ,the hideous masks1 goggles1 and caps which help to make up the woman motorist's driving gear1 are enough to scare the staunchest believer in the eternal attractiveness of the fair sex1 while the general get-up of the men is on a par with that of the professional stoker or engine-driver4 ,nevertheless1 no reasonable woman ought to mind other women looking ugly if they like2 while men1 of course1 are always men1 and 8masters of the planet10 whether dirty or clean4 ,and no one should really object to the 8motor craze10 seeing that it takes so many useless people out of one's immediate horizon and scatters them far and wide over the surface of the earth4 ,society uses ,sunday as a special day for this 8scattering10 and perhaps it is doing itself no very great harm4 ,it is getting fresh air1 which it needs2 it is 8going the pace10 which1 in its fevered condition of living fast1 so as to die more quickly1 is natural to it2 and it is seeing persons and places it never saw before in the way of country nooks and old-fashioned roadside inns1 and rustic people1 who stare at it with unfeigned amusement1 and wonder 8what the world's a'-comin' to60 ,possibly it learns more in a motor drive through the heart of rural ,england than many sermons in church could teach it4 ,the only thing one would venture to suggest is that in passing its ,sundays in this fashion1 ,society should respect the ,sundays of those who still elect to keep the seventh day as a day of rest4 ,fashionable motorists might avoid dashing recklessly through groups of country people who are peacefully wending their way to and from church4 ,they might 8slow down40 ,they might take thoughtful heed of the little children who play unguardedly about in many a village street4 ,they might have some little consideration for the uncertain steps of feeble and old persons who are perchance blind or deaf1 and who neither see the 8motor0 nor hear the warning blast of its discordant horn4 ,in brief1 it would not hurt ,society to spend its ,sundays with more thought for others than ,itself4 ,for the bulk and mass of the ,british people--the people who are ,great ,britain--still adhere to the sacred and blessed institution of a 8day of rest10 even if it be not a day of sermons4 ,to thousands upon thousands of toiling men and women1 ,sunday is still a veritable ,god's day1 and we may thank ,god for it6 ,nay1 more2 we should do our very best to keep it as 8holy0 as we can1 if not by listening to sermons1 at least by a pause in our worldly concerns1 wherein we may put a stop on the wheels of work and consider within ourselves as to how and why we are working4 ,sunday is a day when we should ask ,nature to speak to us and teach us such things as may only be mastered in silence and solitude--when the book of poems1 the beautiful prose idyll1 or the tender romance1 may be our companion in summer under the trees1 or in winter by a bright fire--and when we may stand1 as it were1 for a moment and take breath on the threshold of another week1 bracing our energies to meet with whatever that week may hold in store for us1 whether joy or sorrow4 ,few nations1 however1 view ,sunday in this light4 ,on the ,continent it has long been a day of mere frivolous pleasure--and in ,america ,i know not what it is1 never having experienced it4 ,but the ,british ,sunday1 apart from all the mockery and innuendo heaped upon it by the wits and satirists of the present time and of bygone years1 used to be a strong and spiritually saving force in the national existence4 ,dinner-parties1 with a string band in attendance1 and a ,parisian singer of the 8caf chantant0 to entertain the company afterwards1 were once unknown in ,england on a ,sunday4 ,but such 8,sabbath0 entertainments are quite ordinary now4 ,the private house copies the public restaurant--more's the pity6 ,nevertheless1 though ,society's ,sunday has degenerated into a day of gambling1 guzzling1 and motoring in ,great ,britain1 it is well to remember that ,society in itself is so limited as to be a mere bubble on the waters of life--froth and scum1 as it were1 that rises to the top1 merely to be skimmed off and thrown aside in any serious national crisis4 ,the ,people are the life and blood of the nation1 and to them ,sunday remains still a 8day of rest10 though1 perhaps1 not so much as in old time a day of religion4 ,and that it is not so much a day of religion is because so many preachers have failed in their mission4 ,they have lost grip4 ,there is no cause whatever for their so losing it1 save such as lies within themselves4 ,there has been no diminution in the outflow of truth from the sources of ,divine instruction1 but rather an increase4 ,the wonders of the universe have been unfolded in every direction by the ,creator to ,his creature4 ,there is everything for the minister of ,god to say4 ,yet how little is said6 8,feed my sheep60 was the command of the ,master4 ,but the sheep have cropped all the old ways of thought down to the bare ground1 and their inefficient shepherds now know not where to lead them1 though their ,lord's command is as imperative as ever4 ,so the flock1 being hungry1 have broken down the fences of tradition1 and are scampering away in disorder to fresh fields and pastures new4 ,society may be1 and is1 undoubtedly to blame for its lax manner of treating religion and religious observances2 but1 with all its faults1 it is not so blameworthy as those teachers of the ,christian faith1 whose lack of attention to its needs and perplexities help to make it the heaven-scorning1 ,god-denying1 heart-sore1 weary1 and always dissatisfied thing it is4 ,society's ,sunday is merely a reflex of ,society's own immediate mood--the mood of killing time at all costs1 even to the degradation of its own honour1 for want of something better to do6 ,,the 8,,strong0 ,,book ,,of ,,the ,,ishbosheth ,there are two trite sayings in common use with us all--one is3 8,circumstances alter cases10 which is ,english2 the other is3 8,autres temps1 autres murs10 which is ,french4 ,but there lacks any similar epigrammatic expression to convey the complete and curious change of meaning1 which by a certain occult literary process becomes gradually attached to quite ordinary words of our daily speech4 8,strong10 for instance1 used to mean strength4 ,it means it still1 ,i believe1 in the gymnasium4 ,but in very choice literary circles it means 8unclean40 ,this is strange1 but true4 ,for some time past the gentle and credulous public has remained in childlike doubt as to what was really implied by a 8strong0 book4 ,the gentle and credulous public has been under the impression that the word 8strong0 used by the guides1 philosophers1 and friends who review current fiction in the daily ,press1 meant a powerful style1 a vigorous grip1 a brilliant way of telling a captivating and noble story4 ,but they have1 by slow and painful degrees1 found out their mistake in this direction1 and they know now that a 8strong0 book means a nasty subject indelicately treated4 ,whereupon they are beginning to 8sheer off0 any book labelled by the inner critical faculty as 8strong40 ,this must be admitted as a most unfortunate fact for those who are bending all their energies upon the writing of 8strong0 books1 and who are wasting their powers on discussing what they euphoniously term 8delicate and burning subjects02 but it is a hopeful and blessed sign of increasing education and widening intellectual perception in the masses1 who will soon by their sturdy common sense win a position which is not to be 8frighted with false fire40 ,congratulating the proprietors of ,great ,thoughts on its thousandth number1 the sapient ,westminster ,gazette lately chortled forth the following lines3 8,a career such as our contemporary has enjoyed1 shows that the taste for good reading is wider than some would have us believe4 ,we wish ,great ,thoughts continued success40 ,o wise judge6 ,o learned judge6 ,the public taste for good reading is only questioned when writers whom ,thou dislikest are read by the base million6 8,art10 says a certain ,m4,a41 8if it be genuine and sincere1 tends ever to the lofty and the beautiful4 ,there is no rule of art more important than the sense of modesty4 ,vice grows not a little by immodesty of thought40 ,true4 ,and immodesty of thought fulfils its mission in the 8strong0 book1 which alone succeeds in winning the applause of that 8,exclusive ,set of ,degenerates0 known as the ,e4,s4,d4 under the ,masonic ,scriptural sign of ,,ishbosheth 7laying particular emphasis on the syllable between the 8,ish0 and the 8eth107 who manage to obtain temporary posts on the ever-changeful twirling treadmill of the daily press4 ,the ,ishbosheth singular is the man who praises the 8strong0 book--the ,ishbosheth in the plural are the ,exclusive ,set who are sworn to put down ,virtue and extol ,vice4 ,hence the 8strong0 cult1 also the 8virile40 ,this last excellent and expressive word has become seriously maltreated in the hands of the ,ishbosheth1 and is now made answerable for many sins which it did not originally represent4 8,virile0 is from the ,latin virilis1 a male--virility is the state and characteristic of the adult male4 ,applied to certain books1 however1 by the ,ishbosheth it will be found by the discerning public to mean coarse--rough--with a literary 8style0 obtained by sprinkling several pages of prose with the lowest tavern-oaths1 together with the name of ,god1 pronounced 8,gawd40 ,anything written in that fashion is at once pronounced 8virile0 and commands wide admiration from the ,ishbosheth1 particularly if it should be a story in which women are depicted at the lowest kickable depth of drab-ism to which men can drag them1 while men are represented as the suffering victims of their wickedness4 ,this peculiar kind of turncoat morality was1 according to ,genesis1 instituted by ,adam in his cowardly utterance3 8,the woman tempted me10 as an excuse for his own base greed2 and it has apparently continued to sprout forth in various of his descendants ever since that time1 especially in the community of the ,ishbosheth4 8,virility10 therefore1 being the state and characteristic of the adult male1 or the adult ,adam1 means1 according to the ,ishbosheth1 men's proper scorn for the sex of their mothers1 and an egotistical delight in themselves1 united to a barbarous rejoicing in bad language and abandoned morals4 ,it does not mean this in decent every-day life1 of course2 but it does in books--such books as are praised by the ,ishbosheth4 8,i don't want one of your #8strong' books10 said a customer at one of the circulating libraries the other day4 8,give me something ,i can read to my wife without being ashamed40 ,this puts the case in a nutshell4 ,no clean-minded man can read the modern 8strong0 book praised by the ,ishbosheth and feel quite safe1 or even quite manly in his wife's presence4 ,he will find himself before he knows it mumbling something about the gross and fleshly temptations of a deformed gentleman with short legs2 or he will grow hot-faced and awkward over the narrative of a betrayed milkmaid who enters into all the precise details of her wrongs with a more than pernicious gusto4 ,it is true that he will probably chance upon no worse or more revolting circumstances of human life than are dished up for the general ,improvement of ,public ,morals in our halfpenny dailies2 but he will realize1 if he be a man of sense1 that whereas the divorce court and police cases in the newspaper are very soon forgotten1 the impression of a 8strong0 book1 particularly if the 8strong0 parts are elaborately and excruciatingly insisted upon1 lasts1 and sometimes leaves tracks of indelible mischief on minds which1 but for its loathsome influence1 would have remained upright and innocent4 ,thought creates action4 ,an idea is the mainspring of an epoch4 ,therefore the corrupters of thought are responsible for corrupt deeds in an individual or a nation4 ,from a noble thought--from a selfless pure ideal--what great actions spring6 ,herein should the responsibility of ,literature be realized4 ,the ,ishbosheth1 with their 8strong0 books1 have their criminal part in the visible putrescence of a certain section of society known as the 8swagger set40 ,perhaps no more forcible illustration of the repulsion exercised by nature itself to spiritual and literary disease could be furnished than by the death of the ,french 8realist0 ,zola4 ,capable of fine artistic work1 he prostituted his powers to the lowest grade of thought4 ,from the dust-hole of the frail world's ignorance and crime he selected his olla-podrida of dirty scrapings1 potato-peelings1 candle-ends1 rank fat1 and cabbage water1 and set them all to seethe in the fire of his brain1 till they emitted noxious poison1 and suffocating vapours calculated to choke the channels of every aspiring mind and idealistic soul4 ,nature revenged herself upon him by permitting him to be likewise asphyxiated--only in the most prosy and 8realistic0 manner4 ,it was one of those terribly grim jests which she is fond of playing off on those who blaspheme her sacred altars4 ,a certain literary aspirant hovering on the verge of the circle of the ,ishbosheth1 complained the other day of a great omission in the biography of one of his dead comrades of the pen4 8,they should have mentioned10 he said1 8that he allowed his body to swarm with vermin60 ,this is true ,ishbosheth art4 ,suppress the fact that the dead man had good in him1 that he might have been famous had he lived1 that he had some notably strong points in his character1 but don't forget1 for ,heaven's sake1 to mention the 8vermin06 ,for the ,ishbosheth 8cult0 see nothing in a sunset1 but much in a flea4 ,hence when we read the criticism of a 8strong0 book1 over the signature of one of the ,ishbosheth1 we know what to expect4 ,all the bad1 low1 villainous and soiled side of sickly or insane human nature will be in it1 and nothing of the healthful or sound4 ,for1 to be vicious is to be ill--to commit crime is to be mentally deformed--and the 8strong0 book of the ,ishbosheth only deals with phases of sickness and lunacy4 ,there are other 8strong0 books in the world1 thank ,heaven--strong books which treat strongly of noble examples of human life1 love and endeavour--books like those of ,scott and ,dickens and ,bront and ,eliot--books which make the world all the better for reading them4 ,but they are not books admired of the ,ishbosheth4 ,and as the ,ishbosheth have their centres in the current press1 they are not praised in the newspapers4 ,binding as the union of the ,printers is all over the world1 ,i suppose they cannot take arms against the ,ishbosheth and decline to print anything under this ,masonic sign8 ,if they could1 what a purification there would be--what a clean1 refreshing world of books--and perhaps of men and women6 ,no more vicious heroes with short legs2 no more painfully-injured milkmaids2 no more 8twins10 earthly or heavenly--while possibly a new ,villette might bud and blossom forth--another ,fortunes of ,nigel1 another brilliant ,vanity ,fair--and books which contain wit without nastiness1 tenderness without erotics1 simplicity without affectation1 and good ,english without slang1 might once again give glory to literature4 ,but this millennium will not be till the 8strong0 book of the ,ishbosheth ceases to find a publisher1 and the ,ishbosheth themselves are seen in their true colours1 and fully recognized by the public to be no more than they are--a mere group of low sensualists1 who haunt ,fleet ,street bars and restaurants1 and who out of that sodden daily and nightly experience get a few temporary jobs on the ,press1 and 8pose0 as a cult and censorship of art4 ,and fortunately the very phrase 8strong book0 has become so much their own that it has now only to be used in order to warn off the public from mere pot-house opinion4 ,,on ,,the ,,making ,,of ,,little ,,poets ,great ,poets discover themselves4 ,little ,poets have to be 8discovered0 by somebody else4 ,otherwise they would live and die in the shadow of decent obscurity1 unheard1 unseen1 unknown4 ,and it is seriously open to question whether their so living and dying would not be an advantage to society in the abating of a certain measure of boredom4 ,looking back upon the motley crowd of ,little ,poets who had their day of 8discovery0 and 8boom0 at the very period when the thunderous voice of the ,muse at her grandest was shaking the air through the inspired lips of ,byron1 ,shelley and ,keats1 and noting to what dusty oblivion their little names and lesser works are now relegated without regret1 it is difficult to understand why they were ever dragged from the respectable retirement of common-place mediocrity by their critic-contemporaries4 ,byron was scorned1 ,shelley neglected1 and ,keats killed by these same critics2--neither of the three were 8discovered0 or 8made40 ,their creation was not of man1 but of their own innate ,god-given genius1 and1 according to the usual fate attending such divine things1 the fastidious human dilettante of their day would have none of them4 ,he set up his own verse-making ,mumbo-,jumbo2 and one ,pye was ,laureate4 ,pye was ,laureate1--yet ,byron lived1 and there was a reigning monarch in ,england1 strange as these assorted facts will seem to all intellectual posterity4 ,for a monarch's word1--even a prince's word1--must always carry a certain weight of influence1 and one asks wonderingly how1 under such circumstances1 that word came to be left unsaid8 ,no voice from the ,throne called the three greatest geniuses of the era to receive any honour due to their rare gifts and quality4 ,on the contrary they were cast out as unvalued rubbish from their native land1 and the ,little ,poets had their way4 ,pye continued to write maudlin rhymes unmolested1 never dreaming that the only memory we should keep of him or of his twaddle1 would be the one scathing line of the banished ,byron3 ,better to err with ,pope than shine with ,pye6 ,and feeble penny whistles played trumpery tunes to the languid votaries of 8cultchaw0 in those days1 and pennywhistle verse was voted 8classic0 and supreme2 but ever and anon the ,nation turned a listening ear across the seas and caught the music made by its outlawed singers1--music it valued even then1 and treasures now among its priceless and imperishable glories4 ,for the ,nation knows what true ,poetry is1--and no 8discoverer0 will ever force it to accept a tallow candle for a star4 ,the gulf between ,great ,poets and ,little is a wide one1--wider than that which yawned between ,lazarus in heaven and ,dives in hell4 ,the ,great ,poet is moved by an inspiration which he himself cannot analyse1 and in which neither the desire of money nor the latent hope of fame have the chiefest part4 ,he sings simply because he must sing4 ,he does not labour at it1 piecing his thoughts and words together with the tardy and tame patience of a worker in mosaics1 for though such exact execution be admirable in mosaic-work1 it is dull and lifeless in poetry4 ,colour1 fire1 music1 passion1 and intense1 glowing vitality are the heritage of the ,great ,poet2 and when the torrent of unpremeditated love-song1 battle-chant1 dirge and prophecy pours from his lips1 the tired world slackens its pace to listen1 and listening1 silently crowns him ,laureate in its heart of hearts1 regardless of ,prime ,minister or ,court ,chamberlain4 ,but the ,little ,poet is not able so to win attention2 he cannot sing thus 8wildly well0 because he lacks original voice4 ,he can only trim a sorry pipe of reed and play weak echoes thereon2 derivative twists of thought and borrowed fancies caught up from the greater songs already ringing through the centuries4 ,and when he first begins piping in this lilliputian fashion he is generally very miserable4 ,he pipes 8for pence2 ,ay me1 how few60 ,nobody listens2 people are too much engrossed with their own concerns to care about echoes4 ,their attention can only be secured by singing them new songs that will stir their pulses to new delights4 ,the too-tootling of the ,little ,poet1 therefore1 would never be noticed at all1 even by way of derision1 unless he went down on all-fours and begged somebody to 8discover0 him4 ,the 8discoverer0 in most cases is a ,superannuated-literary-gentleman1 who has tried his own hand at poetry and failed ignominiously4 ,incapacity to do any good work of one's own frequently creates a thirsty desire to criticize the work of other people2 thus1 in the intervals of his impotent rage at the success of the deserving1 the ,superannuated1 resolved to push himself into notice somehow1 takes to 8discovering0 ,little ,poets4 ,it is his poor last bid for fame2 a final forlorn effort to get his half-ounce of talent to the front by tacking it on to some new name which he thinks 7and he is quite alone in the idea7 may by the merest chance in the world1 like a second-rate horse1 win a doubtful race4 ,to admire any ,great ,poet who may happen to exist among us1 is no part of the ,superannuated's programme4 ,he ignores ,great ,poets generally1 fearing lest the mere mention of their names should eclipse his dwarfish nurslings4 ,now the public1 mistakenly called fools1 are perfectly aware of the ,superannuated4 ,they see his signature affixed to many of the ,little ,poets ,booms1 and ask each other with smiling tolerance1 8,what has he done80 ,nothing4 8,oh6 ,then how does he know80 ,ah1 that is his secret6 ,he thinks he knows2 and he wants you1 excellent ,fool-,public1 to believe he thinks he knows6 ,and1 under the pleasing delusion that you always have your ,fool's ,cap on1 and never take it off under any circumstances1 he 8discovers0 ,mr4 ,podgers for you4 ,who is ,mr4 ,podgers8 ,a poet4 ,if we are to credit the ,superannuated1 he is 8a new star on the literary horizon1 of the first magnitude40 ,the 8first magnitude06--the public shakes its caps and bells in amused scepticism4 ,another ,shelley8 ,another ,byron8 ,these were of the 8first magnitude10 and shall we thank a bounteous heaven for one more such as these8 ,no1 no1 nothing of the sort1 says the ,superannuated with indignation1 for it is high time you put this sort of ,shelley-,byron stuff behind you4 ,mr4 ,swinburne has distinctly said that 8,byron was no poet40 ,learn wisdom1 therefore1 and turn from ,byron to ,podgers4 ,he has written a little book1 has ,podgers1 for which those who desire to possess it must pay a sum out of all proportion to its size4 ,what shall we find in this so-little book8 ,anything to make our hearts beat in more healthful and harmonious tune8 ,no4 ,nothing of this in ,podgers4 ,nothing1 in fact1 of any kind in ,podgers which we have not heard before4 ,there are a few lines that we remember as derived from ,wordsworth1 and one stanza seems to us like a carefully transposed bit of ,tennyson2--but for anything absolutely new in thought or in treatment we search in vain4 ,unless we make exception for a set of verses which are a tribute to the art of ,log-,rolling1 namely ,podgers's 8,ode0 to ,podgers's favouring critic4 ,we confess this to be somewhat of a novelty1 and we begin to pity ,podgers4 ,he must have fallen very low to write 7and publish7 an 8,ode0 to the ,superannuated1 his chief flatterer on the ,press1 and he must be very short-sighted if he imagines that action is a millstone without a hole in it4 ,and so1 despite the loud eulogies of the ,superannuated 7who is naturally proud to be made the subject of any 8,ode0 however feeble7 we do not purchase ,podgers's book1 though it is urged upon us as being a 8limited0 edition4 ,but the ,superannuated is not herein baffled4 ,if1 he says1 if you are so asinine1 so crass1 so dull and dense of comprehension as to reject this marvellous1 this classic ,podgers1 what say you to ,stodgers8 ,stodgers is a 8young0 poet 7forty-five last birthday71 entirely free from 8manner0 and manners4 ,he has resorted to the last and lowest method employed by ,little ,poets for obtaining temporary notoriety1 namely1--outraging decency4 ,coarseness and blasphemy are the prevailing themes of his verse1 but to the ,superannuated these grave blemishes constitute 8power40 ,a 8strong0 line is a lewd line2 a 8masterful0 stanza contains a prurient suggestion4 ,it suits the purpose of the ,superannuated to compare his two 8discoveries10 ,podgers and ,stodgers1 and to work them against each other in those quarters of the ,press he controls1 like the 8toy millers0 one buys for children4 ,it is a case of 8,podgers come up and ,stodgers come down10 as fits his humour and digestion4 ,meanwhile the vital test of the whole matter is that notwithstanding all this energetic 8hawking about0 of the ,little ,poets by the ,superannuated1 neither ,podgers nor ,stodgers sell4 ,everything is done to secure for them this desired result2 unavailingly4 ,and it is not as if they came out in a 8common0 way1 ,podgers and ,stodgers4 ,no publishing-firm with a simple name such as ,messrs4 ,smith or ,brown would suit the ,little ,poets4 ,they must come out singularly1 and apart from others4 ,so they elect a publisher who1 as it were1 puts up a sign1 as though he were a ,tavern4 8,published at the ,dragon's ,mouth0 or 8,at the ,sign of the ,flagon0 would seem to be more convincing than 8,published by ,messrs4 ,so and ,so40 ,now ,podgers's little book has a fanciful title-page stating that it is published at the 8,goose and ,gridiron40 ,stodgers1 we find1 bursts upon the world at 8,the ,blue ,boar40 ,there is something very delusive about all this4 ,a flavour of ale and mulled wine creeps insidiously into the air1 and we are moved to yearn for good warm drinks1 whereas we only get indifferent cold verse4 ,now if the proprietors of the 8,goose and ,gridiron0 and the 8,blue ,boar0 would only sell inspiring liquids instead of uninspired rhymes1 how their trade would improve6 ,no longer would they bend1 lean and furrowed1 over their account-books--no longer would they have to scheme and puzzle over the 8making0 of ,little ,poets2 because it must not be imagined that the ,superannuated 8discoverer0 is the only one concerned in the business4 8,goose and ,gridiron0 and 8,blue ,boar0 have to deal in many small tricks of trade to compass it4 ,of course it is understood that the ,little ,poets get no money out of their productions4 ,what they stipulate for with 8,blue ,boar0 and likewise with 8,goose and ,gridiron0 is a 8hearing40 ,this 8hearing0 is obtained variously4 ,podgers got it in this way1 as followeth3 ,his verses1 which had appeared from time to time in ,sunday papers and magazines1 were issued in a 8limited edition40 ,such 8limited edition0 was at once dispersed among booksellers in different parts of the country 8on sale or return10 and while thus doubtfully awaiting purchasers1 8,goose and ,gridiron0 tipped the trade-wink and perhaps something else more substantial besides1 to the ,superannuated1--who straightway seized his pen and wrote3 8,we hear that the first edition of ,mr4 ,podgers's poems is exhausted1 and that original copies are already at a premium40 ,this done1 and 8passed0 through many papers1 the publisher followed it up with an advertisement to the effect that 8,the first edition of ,mr4 ,podgers's poems being exhausted1 a ,second will be ready in a few days40 ,and here1 it may as well be said for the rectitude of 8,goose and ,gridiron10 things came to a standstill4 ,because the ,little ,poets seldom get beyond a second edition4 ,when ,podgers's first editions came back unsold from the provinces 7as they did71 attempts were made to dispose of them at fancy prices as a last resource1--such attempts naturally ending in disaster4 ,the times are too hard1 and people have too much to do with their money to part with any of it for first editions of ,podgers or ,stodgers4 ,the public is a very shrewd one1 moreover1 and is not to be 8taken in0 by gnat-rhymers dancing up and down for an hour in the 8discoverer's0 artificial sunbeams4 ,and the ,superannuated1 in his eager desire to assert himself as an oracular personage1 forgets one very important fact1 and this is1 that being a ,nobody he cannot be accepted as warrant for a ,somebody4 ,the public is not his child2 he cannot whip it into admiring ,mr4 ,podgers1 or coerce its judgment respecting ,mr4 ,stodgers4 ,its ways are wilful1 and it has a ridiculous habit 7considering what a ,fool the critic imagines it to be7 of preferring its own opinion to that of the ,superannuated4 ,it is capable1 it thinks1 what with ,compulsory ,education and the rest of it1 of making its own choice4 ,and on the whole it prefers the ,great ,poet1--the man who scorns to be 8discovered0 by an inferior intellect1 and who makes his own way independently and with a grand indifference to the squabbling of ,log-rollers4 ,he is not 8made02 he forms part of the country's blood and life2 he chants the national thought in haunting rhythm as did the prophet bards of old2 he1 careless of 8pence10 praise or fame1 does so mix himself with his land's history1 that he becomes1 as it were the very voice of the age in which he lives1 and the ,superannuated may ignore him as he will1 he cannot get him out of the nation's heart when he has once got in4 ,but of the feeble1 absurdly conceited tribe of ,little ,poets who come jostling one upon another nowadays in such a puling crowd1 piping out their wretchedly small personalities in versed pessimism or coarse metaphor1--men 8made0 by the ,tavern-publisher and the ,superannuated ,failure2--we have had enough of these1 and more than enough4 ,too much good paper1 good ink and good binding are wasted on their totally undesired productions4 ,life with us now is lived at too hard and too difficult a pace for any one to need poetry that is only verse4 ,hearts break every day in the truest sense of that sentimental phrase2 brains reel into insanity and the darkness of suicide2 and it is no ,little ,poet's personal pangs about 8pence0 and such trifles1 that can1 like ,david's harp of old1 soothe or dismiss the dark spirit brooding over the latter-day ,saul4 ,it is the ,great ,poet we care for1 whose singing-soul mystically comprehends our unuttered thoughts of love or glory2 who chants not only his pains1 but ours2 not his joy1 so much as the whole world's joy4 ,such a man needs no 8discoverer0 to prove his existence2 he is self-evident4 ,when we grow so purblind as to need a still blinder ,mole to point us out the sun1 then1 but not till then shall we require the assistance of the ,superannuated to 8discover0 what we understand by a ,poet4 ,at present we are actively conscious both of the orb of day1 and the true quality of genius2 and though the ,poet we choose for ourselves and silently acknowledge as worthy of all honour1 may not be1 and seldom is1 the recommended favourite of a clique1 we are fully aware of him1 and show our love and appreciation by setting his book among our household gods4 ,no 8limited edition0 will suffice for such a man2 we need to have his poems singing about us wherever we go4 ,for the oft-repeated truth is to-day as true as ever1--that the ,great ,poet is 8born10 and never has been and never will be 8made40 ,,the ,,prayer ,,of ,,the ,,small ,,country ,m4,p4 ,,which ,,he ,,prayeth ,,daily ,o thou ,especial ,little ,god of ,parliaments and ,electors1 with whom the greater ,god of the ,universe has nothing whatever to do6--,i beseech ,thee to look upon me1 ,thy chosen servant1 with a tolerant and favourable ,eye6 ,consider with ,leniency the singular and capricious ,chance which has enabled me to become a ,member of the ,government1 and grant me ,thy protection1 so that my utter ,incapacity for the ,post may never be discovered6 ,enable me1 ,i implore ,thee1 to altogether dispense with the assistance of a certain ,journalist and ,press-,reporter in the composition of my ,speeches6 ,his ,terms are high1 and ,i am not sure of his ,discretion6 ,impart unto me by spiritual telegraphy such ,knowledge of the general ,situation of ,affairs that ,i may be able to furnish forth an occasional ,intelligent ,remark to the farmers of this ,constituency1 whose ,loyalty to the ,government is as firm as their ,trust in the ,power of ,beer6 ,give me the grace of such shallow ,profundity and ,pretension as shall convince ,rustic minds of my complete ,superiority to them in matters concerning their ,interest and ,welfare2 and teach me to use their ,simplicity for the convenient furtherance of my own ,cunning6 ,fill me with such necessary and becoming ,arrogance as shall make me overbearingly insolent to ,persons of ,intellect1 while yet retaining that sleek ,affability which shall cause me to appear a ,fawning ,flunkey to ,persons of ,rank6 ,enable me to so condescendingly patronize the ,electors who gave me their ,majority that it shall seem ,i was returned through ,merit only1 and not through ,bribes and ,beer6 ,and mercifully defend me1 ,o ,beneficent little ,deity1 from all possibility of ever being called upon to address the ,house6 ,i am no speaker1--and even if ,i were1 ,i have no ,ideas whereon to hang a fustian sentence6 ,thou ,knowest1 ,all-,knowing-,one1 that ,i have not so much as an ,opinion1 save that it is good for me1 in respect of ,social ,advantage1 to write ,m4,p4 after my name6 ,and surely ,thou dost also know that ,i have paid ,two ,thousand ,pounds for the purchase of this small portion of the ,alphabet1 making ,one ,thousand ,pounds per letter1 which may humbly be submitted to ,thee1 ,o ,calculating ,ruler of ,parliamentary ,elections1 as somewhat dear6 ,but ,i have accepted these ,conditions and paid the ,sum without murmuring2 therefore of ,thy goodness1 be pleased to spare me from the utterance of even one word in the presence of my peers1 concerning any ,matter for the ,advancement of ,which ,i have been elected6 ,for lo1--if ,i said as much as 8,yea10 it might be ill-advised2 and yet again1 if ,i said 8,nay10 it might be ill-timed6 ,inasmuch as ,i am compelled to rely on the ,journalist and ,press-,reporter before mentioned1 for whatsoever knowledge of matters political ,i possess1 and it is just possible that he might1--through an extra dose of whisky-soda1--mislead me by erroneous information6 ,o ,lord of ,press-,agencies and ,grub ,street ,eating-,houses1 if it be possible unto ,thee1 relieve me of this ,man6 ,he charges more1 so ,i am credibly informed1 per ,hundred ,words than any other ,inventor of ,original ,eloquence in the pay of the ,unlettered and ,inarticulate of the ,house6 ,and it is much to be feared that he does not always keep his own ,counsel6 ,wherefore1 gracious ,deity1 ,i would be ,released with all convenient ,speed from the ,exercise of his ,power6 ,rather than be constantly compelled to rely upon this ,journalistic ,wretch for ,advice and ,instruction1 it will more conduce to my ,comfort1--though possibly to my ,fatigue1--to commit to ,memory such portions of long-forgotten speeches spoken by ,defunct ,members of the ,house in the ,past1 as may be found suitable to the present needs of the ,rural ,population4 ,the ,corn-growing and ,cattle-breeding ,electors will not know from what ,sources ,i derive my ,inspiration1 and the ,editor of the ,local ,newspaper has not yet taken a degree in ,scholarship4 ,moreover1 the ,dead are happily unable to send in any ,claim for ,damages against the ,theft of their ,ideas1 which are as free to ,independent ,pilferers as the ,original ,plots of ,new and ,successful ,romances are free to the ,dramatizing ,robbers in the ,stage-,purlieus1 thanks to the ,admirable ,attitude of ,dignified ,indolence assumed by that ,government to which ,i1 one ,fool out of ,many1 have the honour to belong6 ,finally1 ,o ,beneficent ,lilliputian ,deity which governeth matters ,parliamentary1--grant me such a sufficient amount of highly-respectable ,mendacity as shall enable me to pass successfully for what ,i am not1 at least1 so far as ,society in the ,country is concerned6 ,fully aware am ,i1 ,o ,lord1 that a ,simulation of ,ability will not always meet with approval in ,town1 though it has been occasionally known to do so6 ,therefore ,i am well content to sit in the ,house as one ,,mum1 thus representing through myself an inaudible ,county6 ,but in the ,county itself it shall seem to the ,uninitiated that my thoughts are too deep for speech2 while ,i retain in my own mind the knowledge of the ,fact that my ,humbug is too great for ,expression6 ,to ,thee1 gentle yet capricious ,deity1 ,i commend all my ,desires1 praying ,thee to keep the people whom ,i represent as ,dumb and ,inert as myself in matters concerning their own ,welfare1 for if they should chance to consider the ,situation by the light of ,common ,sense1 and me by the shrewd ,appreciation of a ,native ,wit1 it might occur to them to prefer a ,man rather than a ,wooden-headed ,nonentity to ,proclaim their ,existence to the ,king's faithful ,commons6 ,wherefore1 at the next ,general ,election ,i should lose my ,seat1--which would be ,disagreeable to me personally1 as well as a ,cause of ,rage in my ,wife1 to whom my present ,condition of a ,parliamentary ,microbe is much more important and advantageous than it is to the ,country6 ,and ,thou knowest1 ,o ,lord1 that when my ,wife is moved by the ,impetuous ,persuasion of a difficult ,temper1 it is necessary for me1 by reason of her ,superior ,height1 ,size1 and ,aggressiveness1 to retire from the domestic ,fighting-ground1 considerably worsted in the unequal ,combat4 ,protect me1 merciful ,deity1 from her ,tongue6--which is as a ,sword to slay all thoughts of ,peace6 ,and1 concerning the accursed1 ubiquitous ,journalist-,reporter-,paragraphist-,cor respondent-,attached-to-all-,newspapers ,man1 who1 for my sins1 wrote my 8speech to the ,electors0 at a high charge1 and agreed1--and therefore expects1--to write all my other public utterances on the same terms1 ,i beseech ,thee1 when he next waits upon me with his ,bill1 ready to ,counsel or to ,command1 grant me the ,strength and ,courage to tell a more barefaced ,lie than is habitual to me1 and to boldly say that ,i can do ,without him6 ,,amen6 ,,the ,,thanksgiving ,,of ,,the ,,small ,,country ,m4,p's ,,wife1 ,,which ,,she ,,offereth ,,week-,,end-,,ly ,to ,thee1 ,o ,bland and ,blessd ,deity of ,surplus ,cash and ,social ,advancement1 whose favours are never bestowed upon the ,poor or the ,wise1 but only on the ,rich and the ,foolish1 ,i give praise1 honour and glory6 ,i thank ,thee that ,thou hast made of that ,supreme ,ass1 my ,husband1 a ,member of the ,government1 so that1 despite his utter ,lack of ,wit and ,hopeless ,incompetency1 he may at least pass muster for having ,brains in a particularly ,brainless ,constituency6 ,i acknowledge ,thy mercy and goodness in permitting that for the moderate cost of ,two ,thousand ,pounds and upwards1--a sum not greatly in excess of my dressmaker's annual bill1--,i may set my foot on the two dumb and prostrate ,letters of the ,alphabet now attached to my said ,husband's new calling and ,election1 and may mount thereon to those heights of ,county ,society where1 ever since ,i was born ,i have eagerly thirsted to be6 ,for though ,county ,society be often duller than the fabled ,styx1 nevertheless the leaden weight of its ,approval is as necessary to my special comfort and welfare as the ,gilded chain of ,office is to the swelling chest of a ,provincial ,mayor4 ,thou knowest1 ,o little ,lord of ,communities ,narrow1 ,parochial and ,politic1 that ,i am called1 even by the ,profanest of ,press-,reporters1 8a fine figure of a woman10 and that ,i am deserving of ,public ,notice and ,commendation1 not only for my ,physical ,attractions1 but for my ,social ,qualifications1 which1 despite the fact that ,fate has wedded me to a ,fool1 have enabled me to successfully represent the said ,fool to his bovine ,electors as an ,intelligent ,personality6 ,great is the ,tact which is needed to palm off a ,sparrow for an ,eagle1 a ,mouse for an ,elephant1 or a ,donkey for a ,statesman6 ,but ,i swear to ,thee1 ,o ,thou gracious ,little ,neptune who ruleth that ,limited ,ocean called the 8,society ,swim0 that ,i am equal to all this and more6 ,thou seest me as ,i am1 a ,fashionable ,feminine ,insincerity6 ,thou beholdest the subtle cleverness of my ,social ,smile1 which radiates sweetly upon the faces of such persons as ,i conceive may be useful in ,election times1 but which fades into a ,supercilious ,sneer when ,i discover1 as ,i often do1 that many of these persons are unblushingly 8of no political party10 and have no interest whatever in keeping my ,husband in ,his ,seat6 ,now if my ,husband were not in ,his ,seat1 ,i should become that most deplorable of human beings1 a ,provincial ,nonentity6 ,hence arises my natural and lawful ,desire that in ,his ,seat my ,husband shall remain1 inasmuch as were he left without a ,seat1 ,i should be left without a 8,set06 ,but thanks be unto ,thee1 ,o ,thou amiable and complaisant ,god of the ,british ,social ,status1 there seems to be at present no cause for alarm that the ,rustics whom my ,husband1 with unintelligent dumbness represents in the ,house of ,commons will ever ,rise6 ,chiefly inspired as they are by ,drugged ,beer1 it is safe to presume that they will not easily awaken from their ,public-,house ,torpor1 or in a species of vulgar 8horse-play0 pull my ,husband's seat from under him1--even as a lubberly child pulls away a chair from the ,unsuspecting ,visitor who would fain sit down upon it1--and so precipitate my ,husband into the unenviable rank of ,unimportant ,provincials6 ,i myself am ready to guarantee1--always with ,thy support1 ,o ,favourer of ,paid ,parliamentary ,press-,puffery1--that so dire a ,catastrophe as this shall not happen6 ,for ,my weight1--which is both materially and mentally ,considerable1--would have to be thrown into the ,balance1--whereby the tottering ,seat1 even if partially overthrown1 would1 and needs ,must1--under the force of my impetuous ,clutch1--regain the ,perpendicular6 ,being by unredeemed nature a ,stupid ,woman1 ,i acknowledge freely and with gratitude ,thy ,omnipotent ,guidance in ,matters purely ,snobbish6 ,i praise and bless ,thee for showing me the quickest way out of ,things ,intellectual into ,things ,conventional6 ,i thank ,thee for ,thy unfailing assistance afforded to me in the beaten paths of ,county ,flunkeydom1 wherein ,i walk with virtuous circumspection1 taking care to leave my impressive ,visiting-,cards and likewise those of my ,husband1 on ,houses only1 and never on ,people6 ,for ,people may be dangerous acquaintances1 while ,houses never are4 ,a ,family ,residence is always more respectable than a ,family6 ,i give ,thee glory that ,i am made of such stubborn ,flesh and ,quality as never to recognize that any other ,woman exists who1 by the ,inconvenient ,attributes of ,either ,beauty1 ,wit or ,intelligence1 deserves to be considered my ,superior1 and that when any such ,intrusive and ,obtrusive ,female is accidentally forced upon my ,notice1 ,i have the good sense to diplomatically ignore ,her4 ,i am gratefully conscious that the ,meaningless ,insipidity of my ,manner has favourably impressed the ,uneducated ,majority of my ,husband's ,constituents4 ,and also1 that having once obtained their ,unreasoning ,votes1 their ,bucolic ,lethargy is such1 that ,i need do little further to retain their ,credulous ,admiration save to put in an ,occasional ,well-,dressed ,appearance at a 8local0 ,bazaar1 or ,charity ,ball4 ,concerning any aims or hopes they may1 in their blundering ,dulness1 have ever entertained towards the ,betterment of their ,condition1 and the ,representation of these ,addle-pated desires to ,his ,majesty's ,government1 ,i am as ,profoundly ,indifferent as my ,husband is ,voluntarily ,ignorant4 ,for1 as the larger number of the ,faithful ,commons are aware1 no ,act is more fatal to the ,social ,prestige and ,county ,influence of a ,member of the ,house1 than that he should1 when in office1 fulfil the ,rash ,promises made to his ,electors during a ,critical state of the ,poll6 ,inasmuch as the only ,reasonable object to be attained by the ,purchase of the ,letters ,m4 and ,p4 is the ,betterment of ,one's ,self and ,one's ,social ,position on the lines of such ,conventional ,hypocrisies as are agreeable to the ,best ,county ,houses4 ,for the taking of any bold or conspicuous part in any ,national ,matter of ,interest or ,importance has long been sagaciously avoided by every ,county ,member who desires to retain ,his ,seat4 ,and that one ,man should do what his ,colleagues dare not attempt1 would be a ,heroism which1 thanks unto ,thee1 ,o ,prudent ,presiding ,deity of ,grandmotherly ,westminster1 is fortunately not to be expected of my ,husband6 ,finally ,i thank ,thee1 ,o ,wise and ,all-,discerning1 for the ,gracious ,consolation which ,thou hast imparted unto me in the fact that though my ,husband is the ,embodiment of county ,vacuity1 the ,majority of the ,king's ,faithful ,commons are as ,vacuous as ,he6 ,for1 as in the multitude of ,ants in an ,anthill1 ,one insect more industrious or intelligent than the rest is not easily discovered1 even so1 in the goodly array of ,stupid ,members1 the ,stupidest of them all may conveniently sit in his ,seat without public ,comment4 ,and for the ,constant ,enjoyment of my own ,admitted ,position among the ,tea-,drinking1 ,fox-,hunting and ,bucolic lite of the ,neighbourhood1--for the graceful ,ease with which ,i assume to be what ,i am not1 by reason of the ,two ,letters attached to my ,husband's ,name1 which gives much more importance to ,me than to ,him1--and for the general comfortable ,self-,assertiveness in which ,i live and move and have my being1 ,i bless ,thee1 ,o ,potent little ,deity of the ,polling-,booth1 and acknowledge ,thy ,manifold ,mercies6 ,may the ,seat of my ,husband continue firm in ,thy ,sight1 unmoved by any ,popular ,caprice of the ,vulgar1 until such time as my eldest ,hopeful ,son1 the very pattern of ,his ,father1 shall slip into it ,unopposed after ,him1 and so preserve in those ,unsophisticated ,rural ,districts whereby we are surrounded1 the ,unblemished ,honour of a ,unique ,reputation for ,highly ,educated ,political ,incompetence in this ,advanced and ,enlightened ,age6 ,,amen6 ,,the ,,vanishing ,,gift ,the unseen rulers of human destiny are1 on the whole1 very kindly ,fates4 ,they appear beneficently prone to give us mortals much more than we deserve4 ,gifts of various grace and value are showered upon us incessantly through our life's progress1--gifts for which we are too often ungrateful1 or which we fail to appreciate at their true worth4 ,apart from the pleasures of the material senses which we share in common with our friends and fellows of the brute creation1 the more delicate and exquisite emotions of the mind are ministered to with unfailing and fostering care4 ,music--,poetry1 ,art in all its brilliant and changeful phases1--these things are offered for the delectation of our thoughts and the refinement of our tastes2 but the most priceless boon of the ,immortals is the talisman which alone enables us to understand the beauty of life at its highest1 and the perfection of ideals at their best4 ,i mean ,imagination1--that wonderful spiritual faculty which is the source of all great creative work in ,art and ,literature4 ,some call it 8,inspiration02 others1 the ,divine ,fire2 but whatever its nature or quality1 there is good cause to think--and to fear--that it is gradually dwindling down and disappearing altogether from the world of to-day4 ,the reasons for this are not very far to seek4 ,we are living in an age of feverish unrest and agitation4 ,if we could picture a twentieth century ,satan appearing before the ,almighty under the circumstances described in the ,book of ,job1 to answer the question1 8,whence comest thou80--the same reply would suit not only his1 but our condition--8,from going to and fro in the earth1 and wandering up and down within it40 ,we are always going to and fro in these days4 ,we are forever wandering up and down4 ,few of us are satisfied to remain long in the same place1 among the same surroundings--and in this way the foundations of home life1--formerly so noble and firm a part of our national strength--are being shaken and disorganized4 ,a very great majority of us appear to be afflicted with the chronic disease of ,hurry1 which generally breeds a twin ailment--,worry4 ,we have no time for anything somehow4 ,we seem to be always under the thrall of an invisible policeman1 commanding us to 8,move on60 ,and we do move on1 like the tramps we are becoming4 ,moreover1 we have decided that we cannot get over the ground quickly enough on the limbs with which ,nature originally provided us--so we spin along on cycles1 and dash about on motor cars4 ,and it is confidently expected that by-and-by the mere earth will not be good enough for us1 and that we shall 8scorch0 through the air--when a great change may be looked for in house accommodation4 ,people will return1 it is said1 to the early cave dwellings1 in order to avoid the massacre likely to be caused by tumbling air-ships over which the captains have lost control4 ,there is something humourous in all this modern hurry-skurry2 something almost grotesque in this desire for swift movement--this wish to save time and to stint work2--but there is something infinitely pathetic about it as well4 ,it is as if the present ,period of the world's civilization felt itself growing old--as if1 like an individual human unit1 it knew itself to be past its prime and drawing nigh to death1 as if1--with the feeble restlessness of advancing age1 it were seeking to cram as much change and amusement as possible into the little time of existence left to it4 ,two of the most notable signs of such mental and moral decay are1 a morbid craving for incessant excitement1 and a disinclination to think4 ,it is quite a common thing nowadays to hear people say1 8,oh1 ,i have no time to think60--and they seem to be more proud than ashamed of their loss of mental equilibrium4 ,but it is very certain that where there is no time to think1 there is less time to imagine--and where there is neither thought nor imagination1 creative work of a high and lasting quality is not possible4 ,we1 in our day1 are fortunate in so far that we are the inheritors of the splendid work accomplished in the youth and prime of all that we know of civilization4 ,no doubt there were immense periods beyond our ken1 in which the entire round of birth1 youth1 maturity1 age and death1 was fulfilled by countless civilizations whose histories are unrecorded--but we can only form the faintest guess at this1 through the study of old dynasties which1 ancient as they are1 may perhaps be almost modern compared to the unknown empires which have utterly passed away beyond human recovery4 ,but if we care to examine the matter1 we shall find among all nations1 that as soon as a form of civilization has emerged from barbarism1 like a youth emerging from childhood1 it has entered on its career with a glad heart and a poetic soul1--full of ideals1 and richly endowed with that gift of the gods--,imagination4 ,it has invariably expressed itself as being reverently conscious of the ,highest source of all creation2 and its utterance through all its best work and achievement can be aptly summed up in ,wordsworth's glorious lines3-- ,our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting-- ,the ,soul that rises with us1 our life's star ,hath had elsewhere its setting1 ,and cometh from afar1-- ,not in entire forgetfulness1 ,and not in utter nakedness1 ,but trailing clouds of glory do we come1 ,from ,god who is our home6 ,while these 8trailing clouds of glory0 still cling to the soul1 the limits of this world1--the mere dust and grime of material things1--do not and cannot satisfy it2 it must penetrate into a realm which is of its own idea and innate perception4 ,there it must itself create a universe1 and find expression for its higher thought4 ,to this resentful attitude of the soul against mere materialism1 we owe all art1 all poetry1 all music4 ,every great artistic work performed outside the needs of material and physical life may be looked upon as a spiritual attempt to break open the close walls of our earthly prison-house and let a glimpse of ,god's light through4 ,as a matter of fact1 everything we possess or know of to-day1 is the visible outcome of a once imagined possibility4 ,it has been very grandly said that 8the ,universe itself was once a dream in the mind of ,god40 ,so may we say that every scientific law1 every canon of beauty--every great discovery--every splendid accomplishment was once a dream in the mind of man4 ,all the religions of the world1 with their deep1 beautiful1 grand or terrific symbols of life1 death and immortality1 have had their origin in the instinctive effort of the ,soul to detach itself from the mere earthly1 and to imagine something better4 ,in the early days1 this strong aspiration of humanity towards a greater and more lasting good than its own immediate interest1 was displayed in the loftiest and purest conceptions of art4 ,the thoughts of the 8old-world0 period are written in well-nigh indelible characters4 ,the colossal architecture of the temples of ancient ,egypt--and that marvellous imaginative creation1 the ,sphinx1 with its immutable face of mingled scorn and pity--the beautiful classic forms of old ,greece and ,rome--these are all visible evidences of spiritual aspiration and endeavour1--moreover1 they are the expression of a broad1 reposeful strength1--a dignified consciousness of power4 ,the glorious poetry of the ,hebrew ,scriptures--the swing and rush of ,homer's ,iliad1--the stately simplicity and profundity of ,plato1--these also belong to what we know of the youth of the world4 ,and they are still a part of the world's most precious possessions4 ,we1 in our day1 can do nothing so great4 ,we have neither the imagination to conceive such work1 nor the calm force necessary to execute it4 ,the artists of a former time laboured with sustained and tireless1 yet tranquil energy2 we can only produce imitations of the greater models with a vast amount of spasmodic hurry and clamour4 ,so1 perchance1 we shall leave to future generations little more than an echo of 8much ado about nothing40 ,for1 truly1 we live at present under a veritable scourge of mere noise4 ,no king1 no statesman1 no general1 no thinker1 no writer1 is allowed to follow the course of his duty or work without the shrieking comments of all sorts and conditions of uninstructed and misguided persons1 and under such circumstances it is well to remember the strong lines of our last great poet ,laureate3-- ,step by step we gain'd a freedom1 known to ,europe1 known to all1-- ,step by step we rose to greatness1--through the tonguesters we may fall6 ,but our chief disablement for high creative work1--and one that is particularly noticeable at this immediate period of our history1 is1 as ,i have said1 the 8vanishing of the gift0--the lack of ,imagination4 ,to be wanting in this1 is to be wanting in the first element of artistic greatness4 ,the poet1 the painter1 the sculptor1 or the musician must be able to make a world of his own and live in it1 before he can make one for others4 ,when he has evolved such a world out of his individual consciousness1 and has peopled it with the creations of his fancy1 he can turn its 8airy substance0 into reality for all time4 ,for the things we call 8imaginative0 are often far more real than what we call 8realism40 ,all that we touch1 taste and see1 we call 8real40 ,now we cannot touch1 taste or see ,honour--but surely it is real6 ,we cannot weigh out ,courage in a solidified parcel--yet it is an actual thing4 ,so with ,imagination--it shows us what we may1 if we choose1 consider 8the baseless fabric of a vision0--but which often proves as real and practical in its results as ,honour and ,courage4 ,shakespeare's world is real2--so real that there are not wanting certain literary imposters who grudge him its reality and strive to dispossess him of his own4 ,walter ,scott's world is real--so real1 that a shrine has been built for him in ,edinburgh1 crowded with sculptured figures of men and women1 most of whom never existed1 save in his teeming fancy4 ,what a tribute to the power of ,imagination is the beautiful monument in the centre of ,princes ,street1 with all the forms evoked from one great mind1 lifted high above us1 who consider ourselves 8real0 people6 ,and now the lesser world of thought is waiting for the discovery of a ,cryptogram in the ,waverley ,novels1 which shall prove that ,king ,george the ,fourth wrote them with the assistance of ,scott's game-keeper1 ,tom ,purdie1--and that his ,majesty gave ,scott a baronetcy on condition that he should never divulge the true authorship6 ,for1 according to the narrow material limits of some latter-day minds1 no one man could possibly have written ,shakespeare's ,plays4 ,therefore it may be equally argued that1 as there is as much actual work1 and quite as many characters in the ,waverley ,novels as in the plays of ,shakespeare1 they could not all have emanated from the one brain of ,sir ,walter ,scott4 ,come forward then with a 8,waverley cryptogram10 little mean starvelings of literature who would fain attempt to prove a man's work is not his own6 ,there are sure to be some envious fools always ready to believe that the great are not so great1--the heroic not so heroic1 and that after all1 they1 the fools1 may be wiser than the wisest men6 ,in very truth1 one of the worst signs of the vanishing of the gift of ,imagination in these days is the utter inability of the majority of modern folk to understand its value4 ,the creative ease and exquisite happiness of an imaginative soul which builds up grand ideals of life and love and immortality with less effort than is required for the act of breathing1 seems to be quite beyond their comprehension4 ,and so--unfortunately it often follows that what is above them they try to pull down1--and what is too large for them to grasp1 they endeavour to bind within their own narrow ring of experience4 ,the attempt is of course useless4 ,we cannot get the planet ,venus to serve us as a lamp on our dinner table4 ,we cannot fit the eagle into a sparrow's nest4 ,but some people are always trying to do this sort of thing4 ,and when they find they cannot succeed1 they fall into a fit of the spleen1 and revile what they cannot emulate4 ,there is no surer sign of mental and moral decadence than this grudging envy of a great fame4 ,for the healthy mind rejoices in the recognition of genius wherever or whenever it may be discovered1 and has a keen sense of personal delight in giving to merit all its due4 ,hero-worship is a much finer and more invigorating emotion than hero-slander4 ,the insatiate desire which is shown by certain writers nowadays1 to pull down the great reputations of the past1 destroy old traditions1 and cheapen noble attainment1 resembles a sudden outbreak of insane persons who strive to smash everything within their reach4 ,it is in its way a form of ,imagination1--but ,imagination diseased and demoralized4 ,for ,imagination1 like all other faculties of the brain1 can become sickly and perverted4 ,when it is about to die it shows--in common with everything else in that condition1--signs of its dissolution4 ,such signs of feebleness and decay are everywhere visible in the world at the present time4 ,they are shown in the constant output of decadent and atheistical literature--in the decline of music and the drama from noble and classic forms to the repulsive 8problem0 play and the comic opera--in the splashy daubing of good canvas called 8impressionist0 painting--in the acceptance1 or passive toleration1 of the vilest doggerel verse as 8poetry0--and in the wretched return to the lowest forms of ignorance displayed in the 8fashionable0 craze for palmistry1 clairvoyance1 crystal-gazing1 and sundry other quite contemptible evidences of foolish credulity concerning the grave issues of life and death1--combined with a most sorrowful1 most deplorable indifference to the simple and pure teachings of the ,christian ,faith4 ,even in the ,christian ,faith itself1 its chosen ministers seem unable to serve their ,divine ,master without quarrelling over trifles1--which is surely no part of their calling and election4 ,everywhere there is a lack of high ideals1--and all the arts suffer severely in consequence4 ,modern education itself checks and cramps the growth of imaginative originality4 ,the general tendency is unhappily towards the basest forms of materialism1 and a large majority of people appear to be smitten with a paralysing apathy concerning everything but the making of money4 ,that art is pursued with a horrible avidity1 to the exclusion of every higher and nobler pursuit4 ,yet it needs very little 8imagination0 to prophesy what the end of a nation is bound to be when the unbridled fever of avarice once sets in4 ,history has chronicled the ruin of empires from this one cause over and over again for our warning2 and as ,carlyle said in his stern and strenuous way--8,one thing ,i do know3 ,never on this earth was the relation of man to man long carried on by cash payment alone4 ,if at any time a philosophy of ,laissez-faire1 ,competition and ,supply-and-,demand start up as the exponent of human relations1 expect that it will soon end40 ,perhaps some will say that ,imagination is not a 8vanishing gift0--and that ,idealism and ,romance still exist1 at any rate among the ,celtic races1 and in countries such as ,scotland1 for instance1 the home of so much noble tradition1 song and story4 ,i wish ,i could believe this4 ,but unhappily the proofs are all against it4 ,if the ,imaginative ,spirit were not decaying in ,scotland as elsewhere1 should we have seen the wanton and wicked destruction of one of its fairest scenes of natural beauty--the ,glen and ,fall of ,foyers8 ,there1 where once the clear beautiful cascade whose praises were sung by ,robert ,burns1 dashed down in its thundering glory among the heather and bracken1 there are now felled trees1 sorrowful blackened stumps1 withering ferns and trampled flowers1 dirty car-tracks1 and all the indescribable muck which follows in the wake of the merely money-grubbing human microbe4 ,and where once the pulse was quickened to a sane and healthy delight in the grandeur of unspoilt ,nature1 and the mind was uplifted from sordid cares to high contemplation1 we are now asked to buy an aluminium paper-knife for a shilling6 ,human absurdity can no further go than this4 ,there can be little imagination left in the minds that could have tolerated the building of aluminium works where ,foyers once poured music through the glen4 ,and it is instructive to recall the action taken by the ,belgian people--who are generally supposed to be very prosaic1--when some of their beautiful scenery on the river ,amblve1 was threatened with similar destruction4 ,mustering together1 three to four thousand strong1 they took a reduced model of the intended factory1 burnt it on the spot1 and threw its ashes into the river2 performing such a terror-striking 8carmagnole0 of revolt1 that the authorities were compelled to prohibit the erection of the proposed works1 for fear of a general rising throughout the country4 ,would that such a protest had been offered by the people of ,scotland against the destruction of ,foyers6 ,and what of the pitiful ruin of ,loch ,katrine8--once an unspoilt gem of ,highland scenery1 doubly beloved for the sake of ,sir ,walter ,scott's 8,lady of the ,lake08 ,what of the submerging of 8,ellen's ,isle08--the ruthless uprooting of that 8entangled wood0-- ,where ,nature scattered1 free and wild4 ,each plant or flower1 the mountain's child1-- ,here eglantine embalmed the air1 ,heather and hazel mingled there4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the wanderer's eye could barely view ,the summer heaven's delicious blue-- ,so wondrous wild6--the whole might seem ,the scenery of a fairy dream6 ,i have been assured on the very best authority that all the beauty of ,loch ,katrine could have been left undisturbed1 had the ,scottish people taken any actively determined measures towards preserving it4 ,the increasing water-supply necessary for ,glasgow could have been procured from ,loch ,vennachar1 which is a larger loch1 and quite as good for the purpose4 ,only it would have cost more money1 and that extra cash was not forthcoming1 even for ,sir ,walter's sake6 ,it is a poor return to make to the memory of him who did so much for the fame of ,scotland1 to mutilate the scene he loved and immortalized6 ,the struggles and disasters of the ,jacobite ,cause1 and the defeat at ,culloden brought more gain than loss to ,scotland1 by filling the land with glorious song and heroic tradition1--the result of the noble idealistic spirit which made even failure honourable1--but the defacement of ,loch ,katrine1 the scene of 8,the ,lady of the ,lake0 is nothing but a disgrace to those who authorized it1 and to those who kept silence while the deed was done4 ,but there are yet other signs and tokens of the disappearance of that idealistic and romantic spirit in ,scotland1 which has more than anything1 helped to make its history such a brilliant chronicle of heroism and honour4 ,there are 8a certain class0 of ,scottish people who are ashamed of the ,scotch accent1 and who affect to be unable to read anything written in the ,scotch dialect4 ,i am told--though ,i would hope it is not true--that the larger majority of ,scottish ladies object to ,scotch music1 and do not know any ,scotch songs4 ,if this is true of any 8certain class0 of ,scottish people1 ,i am sorry for them4 ,they have fallen down a long way from the height where birth and country placed them6 ,i should like to talk to any ,scot1 man or woman1 who is ashamed of the ,scotch accent4 ,as well be ashamed of the mountain heather6 ,i should like to interview any renegade son or daughter of the ,celtic race1 who is not proud of every drop of ,celtic blood1 every word and line of ,celtic tradition1--every sweet song that expresses the ,celtic character4 ,nothing that is purely national should be set aside or allowed to perish4 ,it is a thousand pities that the old ,gaelic speech is dying out in the ,highlands1 along with the picturesque 8plaid0 and 8bonnet0 of the ,highland shepherds4 ,the ,gaelic language is a rich and copious one1 and should be kept up in every ,scottish school and ,university4 ,some of the ,gaelic music1 too1 is the most beautiful in the world1--and many a so-called 8original0 composer has taken the theme for an overture or a symphony from an ancient1 long-forgotten ,gaelic tune4 ,a fine spirit of romance and idealism is the natural heritage of the ,celtic race2--far too precious a birthright to be exchanged for the languid indifferentism of latter-day ,london fashion1 which too often makes a jest of noble enthusiasm1 and which would1 no doubt1 call ,sir ,walter ,scott's fine novel of ,the ,heart of ,midlothian1 8kailyard literature0--if it dared6 ,and who that understands anything about music is so foolish and ignorant as to despise a ,scottish song8 ,where can we match1 in all song literature1 the songs of ,robert ,burns8 ,what ,german 8lied0--what ,french or ,italian 8canzonet0 or 8chansonette0 expresses such real human tenderness as 8,of a' the airts0 or 8,my ,nannie ,o608 ,and it should be remembered that the imaginative pathos of the ,scottish song has its other side of imaginative humour--sly1 dry humour1 such as cannot be rivalled in any language or dialect of the world4 ,and in spite of the incredible assertion that they are beginning to despise their native ,doric1 there are surely few real ,scotsmen who1 even at this time of day fail to understand the whimsical satire of the famous old ,jacobite song3 ,wha the deil hae we gotten for a king ,but a wee1 wee ,german lairdie1 ,an' he's brought fouth o' foreign trash ,an' dibbled it in his yairdie1-- ,he's pu'd the rose o' ,england loons ,an' broken the harp o' ,irish clowns-- ,but our ,scotch thistle will jag his thumbs6 ,the wee1 wee ,german lairdie6 ,we shall not find anything of a bilious nature in a ,scottish love-song4 ,we shall not hear the swain asking his lady-love to meet him 8in some sky10 or 8when the hay is in the mow10 or any other vaguely indefinite place or period4 ,the ,scottish lover appears1--if we may judge him by his native song1--to be supremely healthy in his sentiments1 and gratefully conscious of the excellence of both life and love4 ,he takes even poverty with a light heart1 and does not grizzle over it in trickling tears of dismal melody4 ,no2 he says simply and cheerily3 ,my riches a' my penny fee1 ,an' ,i maun guide it cannie ,o1-- ,but this world's gear ne'er fashes me1-- ,my thoughts are a' my ,nannie ,o6 ,it will be a sad day indeed when this spirit of wholesome1 tender and poetic imagination drifts away altogether from ,scotland4 ,we must not forget that the ,scottish race has taken a very firm root in the ,new ,world ,beyond ,seas1--and that out in ,canada and ,australia and ,south ,africa the memories and the traditions of home are dear to the hearts of thousands who call ,scotland their mother4 ,surely they should be privileged to feel that in their beautiful ancestral land1 the old proud spirit is still kept up1--the old legends1 the old language1 the old songs1--all the old associations1 which--far away as they are forced to dwell--they can still hand down to their children and their children's children4 ,no king1--no statesman1 can do for a country what its romancists and poets can1--for the sovereignty of the truly inspired and imaginative soul is supreme1 and as far above all other earthly dominion as the fame of ,homer is above the conquests of ,alexander4 ,and when the last touch of idealistic fancy and poetic sentiment has been crushed out of us1 and only the dry husks of realism are left to feed swine withal1 then may we look for the end of everything that is worth cherishing and fighting for in our much boasted civilization4 ,for with the vanishing gift1 vanish many other things1 which may be called in the quaint phrasing of an ,elizabethan writer1 8a bundle of good graces40 ,the chivalrous spirit of man towards woman is one of those 8good graces0 which is rapidly disappearing4 ,hospitality is another 8good grace0 which is on the wane4 ,the art of conversation is almost a lost one4 ,people talk as they ride bicycles--at a rush--without pausing to consider their surroundings4 ,elegant manners are also at a discount4 ,the 8scorching10 steaming1 spasmodic motor man-animal does not inspire reverence4 ,the smoking1 slangy horsey1 betting1 woman-animal is not a graceful object4 ,in the days of classic ,greece and ,rome1 men and women 8imagined0 themselves to be descended from the gods2--and however extravagant the idea1 it was likely to breed more dignity and beauty of conduct than if they had 8imagined0 themselves descended from apes4 ,a nation rounds itself to an ,ideal1 as the clay forms into shape on a potter's wheel4 ,it is well1 therefore1 to see that the ,ideal be pure and lofty1 and not a mere ,golden ,image like that set up by ,king ,nebuchadnezzar1 who ended his days by eating grass1--possibly thistles4 ,some of our public men might perhaps be better for a little more ,imagination1 and a little less red tape4 ,it might take them healthfully out of themselves4 ,for most of them seem burdened with an absurd self-consciousness1 which is apt to limit the extent of their view out on public affairs4 ,others again are afflicted by the hedge-hog quality of 8stand-offishness0 which they unfortunately mistake for dignity4 ,and others affect to despise public opinion1 and have a curious habit of overlooking the fact that it is the much-abused public which sets them in office and pays to keep them there4 ,their ,ideal of public life and service partakes too much of ,self to be nobly ,national4 ,what1 after all1 is ,imagination8 ,it is a great many things4 ,it is a sense of beauty and harmony4 ,it is an instinct of poetry and of prophecy4 ,a ,persian poet describes it as an immortal sense of memory which is always striving to recall the beautiful things the ,soul has lost4 ,another fancy1 also from the ,east1 is that it is 8an instinctive premonition of beautiful things to come40 ,another1 which is perhaps the most accurate description of all1 is that it is 8the ,sun-dial of the ,soul on which ,god flashes the true time of day40 ,this is true1 if we bear in mind that ,imagination is always ahead of ,science1 pointing out in advance the great discovery to come4 ,shakespeare foretold the whole science of geology in three words--8,sermons in stones10--and the vast business of the electric telegraph in one line--8,i'll put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes40 ,one of the ,hebrew prophets 8imagined0 the phonograph when he wrote 8,declare unto me the image of a voice40 ,as we all know1 the marks on the wax cylinder in a phonograph are 8the image of a voice40 ,the air-ship may prove a very marvellous invention1 but the imagination which saw ,aladdin's palace flying from one country to another was long before it4 ,all the genii in the ,arabian ,nights stories were only the symbols of the elements which man might control if he but rubbed the lamp of his intelligence smartly enough4 ,every fairy tale has a meaning2 every legend a lesson4 ,the submarine boat in perfection has been 8imagined0 by ,jules ,verne4 ,wireless telegraphy appears to have been known in the very remote days of ,egypt1 for in a rare old book called ,the ,history of the ,pyramids1 translated from the ,arabic1 and published in ,france in #afgb1 we find an account of a certain high priest of ,memphis named ,saurid1--who1 so says the ancient ,arabian chronicler1 8prepared for himself a casket wherein he put magic fire1 and shutting himself up with the casket1 he sent messages with the fire day and night1 over land and sea1 to all those priests over whom he had command1 so that all the people should be made subject to his will4 ,and he received answers to his messages without stop or stay1 and none could hold or see the running fire1 so that all the land was in fear by reason of the knowledge of ,saurid40 ,in the same volume we find that a priestess named ,borsa evidently used the telephone4 ,for1 according to her history1 8,she applied her mouth and ears unto pipes in the wall of her dwelling1 and so heard and answered the requests of the people in the distant city40 ,thus it would seem that there is nothing new under the sun to that 8dainty ,ariel0 of the mind1 ,imagination4 ,it sees all present things at a glance1 and foretells what is yet to come4 ,it may well be called the ,sun-dial of the ,soul2 but it is a ,dial that must be kept sound and clean4 ,there must be no crack in it1--it must not be allowed to get overgrown with the slimy mosses and rank weeds of selfishness and personal prejudice1--the index hand must be firmly set1--and none of the numeral figures must be missing6 ,so1 perchance1 shall ,god flash the true time of day upon it1 for such as will hold themselves free to mark the ,hour according to ,his will4 ,and for those who do thus hold themselves free1--for those who care to keep this precious ,sun-dial clear and clean in their souls1 there shall always be light and love1--and such clear reflections of divine beauty and peace as are described by the 8,ettrick ,shepherd0 in his story of ,kilmeny in ,fairyland3 ,for ,kilmeny had been1 she knew not where1 ,and ,kilmeny had seen what she could not declare2 ,but it seemed as the harp of the sky had rung1 ,and the airs of heaven played round her tongue6 ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,pen ,the dignity of ,literature is1 or used to be1 something more than a mere phrase4 ,days there were in the long-ago1 when the thinkers and writers of a nation were held to be worthy of higher honour than trade-kings and stock-jobbers1--when each one that shone out was 8a bright particular star0 of genius1 as frankly owned as an object of admiration in the literary firmament4 ,at that time there was no 8syndicated0 press4 ,the followers and disciples of ,literature were not all herded together1 as it were1 in a kind of scribbling trades-union4 ,the poet1 the novelist1 the essayist1--each one of these moved in his or her own appointed orbit1 and their differing special ways of handling the topics of their time served to interest1 charm and stimulate the intelligences of people who were cultured and appreciative enough to understand and honour their efforts4 ,but now things are greatly changed4 ,what has been generally understood as 8cultured0 society is rapidly deteriorating into baseness and voluntary ignorance4 ,the profession of letters is so little understood1 and so far from being seriously appreciated1 that responsible editors will accept and publish magazine articles by women of 8title0 and 8fashion10 who prove themselves as ignorant of grammar as they are of spelling4 ,the printer's reader corrects the spelling1 but the grammar is generally left as its 8aristocratic0 writer penned it1 in majestic incompleteness4 ,the newspapers are full1 not of thoughtful1 honestly expressed public opinion on the affairs of the nation1 but of vapid 8personalities10 interesting to none save gossips and busy-bodies4 ,a lamentable lack of strength is apparent in the whole 8tone0 of modern ,literature1 together with a still more lamentable lack of wit4 ,all topics1 say the pessimists1 are exhausted4 ,the quarrels of politicians have exhausted earth1--the recriminations of the ,churches have exhausted ,heaven1--and the bold immoralities of society have1 almost1 if not quite1 exhausted ,hell4 ,yet the topic which holds in itself a great many of the pleasures of earth and heaven--with perhaps a touch of the other nameless place also1 is still the ,power of the ,pen4 ,it remains1 even in these days1 the greatest power for good or evil in the world4 ,with the little instrument which rests so lightly in the hand1 whole nations can be moved4 ,it is nothing to look at2 generally speaking it is a mere bit of wood with a nib at the end of it--but when it is poised between thumb and finger1 it becomes a living thing--it moves with the pulsations of the loving heart and thinking brain1 and writes down1 almost unconsciously1 the thoughts that live--the words that burn4 ,to the power of the ,pen we owe our laws1 our government1 our civilization1 our very religion4 ,for without it we should have no ,bible--no ,new ,testament4 ,our histories1 our classics1 our philosophies1 our poetry1 would all be lost with their originators4 ,we should not know that ,julius ,csar ever walked on the shores of ,britain1 or that ,nero fiddled while ,rome was burning4 ,in fact we should still be in the dark ages1 without so much as a dream of the magnificent era of progress through which we have come1 and in which we1 of this present generation1 have our glorious share4 ,and so ,i think and venture to say that the power of the ,pen is one which commands more millions of human beings than any monarch's rule1 and that the profession of the pen1 called ,literature1 is the greatest1 the highest1 and the noblest that is open to aspiring ambition4 ,empires1 thrones1 commerce1 war1 politics1 society--these things last but their brief hour--the ,power of the ,pen takes note of them as they pass--but outlives them all6 ,we should know nothing to-day of the grandeurs of old ,egypt1 or the histories of her forgotten kings1 if it were not for the ,rosetta stone--on which the engraver's instrument1 serving as a pen1 wrote the ,egyptian hieroglyphics beside the ,greek characters1 thus giving us the clue to the buried secrets of a long past great civilization4 ,the classic land of ,greece1 once foremost in all things which make nations great1 particularly in the valour and victorious deeds of her military heroes1 has almost forgotten her ancient glory--she might perhaps be forgotten by other nations altogether in the constant springing up of new countries and peoples if it were not for ,homer6 ,the blind1 despised old man1 who sang her golden days of pride and conquest1 still keeps her memory green4 ,and let us not forget that other glorious poet1 who laid his laurel-wreath and life upon her shrine--our own immortal ,byron--whose splendid lyric1 8,the ,isles of ,greece0 may stand beside the finest lines of ,homer1 and not be shamed4 ,what does all ,italy1 and particularly ,florence1 make chief boast of to-day8 ,not commerce1 not wealth--simply ,dante6 ,in his lifetime he was made a subject for hatred and derision--he was scorned1 cast out1 and exiled by his fellow-townsfolk--yet now he is the great glory of his native city which claims respect from all the world for having been the birthplace of so supreme a soul4 ,so1 even after death1 the ,power of the ,pen takes its revenge1 and ensures its just recognition4 ,yet there are many workers in ,literature who say that the ,power of the ,pen gives them no joy at all1--that it is a 8grind10--that it is full of disappointment and bitterness1 and that they never get paid enough for what they do4 ,this last is always a very sore point with them4 ,they brood on it1 and consider it so often1 that by and by the question of how much or how little payment they get1 becomes the only way in which they regard their profession4 ,it is the wrong way4 ,it is the way that leads straight to biliousness and chronic dyspepsia4 ,it is not my way4 ,to me1 what little power of the pen ,i possess1 is a magic talisman which ,i would not exchange for millions of money4 ,it makes life beautiful for me--it intensifies and transfigures all events and incidents--it shows me a whole history in the face of a child--a whole volume of poetry and philosophy in the cup of a flower4 ,it enables me to see the loveliness of nature with keener and more appreciative gratitude--and it fills me with an inward happiness which no outward circumstance can destroy4 ,of course just payment is to be demanded and expected for every kind of work4 ,the rule of 8give and take0 holds good in all classes of employment4 ,each author's power of the pen commands its price according to the value set upon it by the public4 ,but ,i1 personally1 have refused many considerable sums of money offered to me if ,i would consent to 8work up0 or 8bring forward0 certain schemes and subjects with which ,i have no sympathy4 ,the largest cheque would never tempt me to write against my own inclination4 ,if ,i were given such a choice as this--to write something entirely opposed to my own feeling and conscience for a thousand pounds1 or to write my honest thought for nothing1 ,i would write my honest thought1 and let the thousand pounds go4 ,i am glad to say that some of my contemporaries are with me in this particular form of literary faith--but not as many as1 for the honour of our calling1 ,i could desire4 ,then again1 there is that vexed question of--the ,public6 ,i have often noticed1 with a humility too deep for words1 that all the great modern writers1 or1 ,i should say1 all those who consider themselves the greatest1 have a lofty contempt for the public4 8#8,he1' or #8she' writes for the ,public10 is a remark which1 when spoken with a withering sneer1 is supposed to have the effect of completely crushing the ambitious scribbler whose ,power of the ,pen has attracted some little attention4 ,now if authors are not to write for the ,public1 who are they to write for8 ,certain of the 8superior0 folk among them will say that they write 8for posterity40 ,but then1 ,posterity is also the ,public6 ,i really do not see how either the great or the small author is to get away from the ,public anyhow6 ,there is only one means of escape1 and that is--not to write at all4 ,but if those to whom the ,power of the ,pen is given1 wish to claim and use their highest privileges1 they will work always for the public1 and try to win their laurels from the public alone4 ,not by the voice of any 8clique10 8club10 or 8set0 will ,time accept the final verdict of an author's greatness1 but by the love and honour of an entire people4 ,because1 whatever passing surface fancies may for awhile affect the public humour1 the central soul of a nation always strives for ,right1 for ,justice1 and for final ,good1 and the author whose ,power of the ,pen helps strongly1 boldly1 and faithfully on towards these great ends1 is not1 and shall not be1 easily forgotten4 ,i hope and ,i believe1 that it is only a few shallow1 ignorant and unsuccessful persons--fancying perhaps that they have the ,power of the ,pen when they have it not--who1 in their disappointment1 take a sort of doleful comfort in 8posing0 as unrecognized geniuses1 whose quality of thought is too fine1--they would say too 8subtle0--for the public taste4 ,for1 in my humble opinion1 nothing is too good for the ,public4 ,they deserve the very best they can get4 ,no 8scamp0 work should ever be offered to them4 ,if a poet sings1 let him sing his sweetest for them2 if a painter paints pictures1 let him give them his finest skill2 if an author writes stories1 essays or romances1 let him do his very utmost to charm1 to instruct1 to awaken their thought and excite their interest4 ,it is not a wise thing to start writing for 8posterity40 ,because1 if the present ,public will have nothing to do with you1 it is ten to one whether the future will4 ,all our great authors have worked for the public of their own immediate time1 without any egotistical calculations as to their possible wider appreciation after death4 ,the greatest poet in the world1 ,william ,shakespeare1 was1 from all we can gather1 an unaffected1 cheery1 straightforward ,warwickshire man1 who wrote plays to please the ,public who went to the ,globe ,theatre4 ,he did not say he was too good for the ,public2 he worked for the ,public4 ,he attached so little importance to his own genius1 that he made no mention of his work in his will4 ,so we may fairly judge that he never dreamed of the future splendour of his fame--when1 three hundred years after his death1 every civilized country in the world would have societies founded in his name2 when1 year after year1 new discussions would be opened up concerning his ,plays1 new actors would be busy working hard to represent his characters1 and1 strangest compliment of all1 when envious persons would turn up to say his work was not his own6 ,for when genius is so varying and brilliant that a certain section of the narrow-minded cannot understand its many-sided points of view1 and will not believe that it is the inheritance of one human brain1 then it is great indeed6 ,three hundred years hence there will1 no doubt1 be other people to announce to the world that ,walter ,scott did not write1 and could not have written1 the ,waverley ,novels4 ,for they are--in their own special way--as great as the plays of ,shakespeare4 ,he1 too1 was one of those who wrote for the ,public4 ,with his magic wand he touched the wild mountains1 lakes and glens of his native land1 and transfigured them with the light of romance and beauty for ever4 ,can we imagine ,scotland without ,walter ,scott and ,robert ,burns8 ,no6 ,their power of the pen rules the whole country1 and gives it over the heads of monarchs a free fairy kingdom to all classes and peoples who have the wish and will to possess it4 ,there are certain superior people nowadays who declare that ,walter ,scott is 8old-fashioned10 and that they1 for their parts1 cannot read his novels4 ,well1 ,i grant that ,walter ,scott is old-fashioned--as old-fashioned as the sunshine--and just as wholesome4 ,he lived in a time when men still reverenced women1 and when women gave men cause for reverence4 ,i think if he could be among us now1 and see the change that has come over society since his day1 he would scarcely have the heart to write at all4 ,the idolatry of wealth--the servile worship of the newest millionaire--would hardly inspire his pen1 save perhaps to sorrow and indignation4 ,but if he were with us and did write for us1 ,i am sure he would employ some of his great power to protest against the lack of fine feeling1 gentleness1 forbearance and courtesy which unfortunately marks much of our latter-day society4 ,i think he would have something to say about the school-girl who smokes1--,i fancy his mind might revolt against the skirt-dancing peeress6 ,i think he would implore women not to part with their chief charm--womanliness--and ,i am sure he would be very sorry to see children of ten and eleven so deplorably 8advanced0 as to be unable to appreciate a fairy tale4 ,and what of dear ,charles ,dickens--he1 whom certain superfine persons who read ,yellow ,journalism presume to call 8vulgar08 ,is love1 is pity1 is tenderness1 is faith 8vulgar08 ,is kindness to the poor1 patience with the suffering1 tolerance for all men and all creeds 8vulgar08 ,if so1 then ,charles ,dickens was vulgar6--not a doubt of it6 ,few authors have ever been so blessedly1 gloriously 8vulgar0 as he6 ,what marvellous pictures his 8power of the pen0 conjures up at once before our eyes6--pathetic1 playful1 humourous1 thrilling--rising to grandeur in such scenes as the shipwreck in ,david ,copperfield2 or that wonderful piece of description in the ,tale of ,two ,cities1 when the tramping feet of the ,spirit of the ,french ,revolution sweep past in the silence of the night6 ,match us such a passage in any literature past or present6 ,it is unique in its own way--as unique as all great work must be4 ,there is nothing quite like it1 and never will be anything quite like it4 ,and when we 8go0 with such great authors as these--and by this ,i mean1 when we are determined to be one with them--we shall win such victories over our hearts and minds1 our passions and desires1 as shall make us better and stronger men and women4 ,and this brings me to a point which ,i have often earnestly considered4 ,one cannot help noticing that the present system of education is fast doing away with two great ingredients for the thorough enjoyment of life1 and especially the enjoyment of ,literature--,imagination and ,appreciation4 ,on the school-boy or school-girl who is 8coached0 or 8crammed10 the gates of fairyland and romance are shut with a bang4 ,i had once the pleasure of entertaining at my house a small gentleman of eleven1 fresh from his ,london ,college--he was indifferent to1 or weary of life2 things generally1 were a 8bore10 and he expressed his opinion of fairy tales in one brief word1 8,rot60 ,now altogether apart from that most revolting expression1 which is becoming of frequent use1 especially in the 8upper circles10 it seemed to me a real misfortune to consider1 that for this child1 ,hans ,andersen was a sealed book1 and the wonders and beauties of the ,arabian ,nights a lost world4 ,and in the same way ,i pity the older children--the grown men and women1 who cannot give themselves up to the charm or terror of a book completely and ungrudgingly--who approach their authors with a carping hesitation and a doubtful preparatory sneer4 ,by so doing they shut against themselves the gate of a whole garden of delights4 ,imagination is the supreme endowment of the poet and romancist4 ,it is a kind of second sight1 which conveys the owner of it to places he has never seen1 and surrounds him with strange circumstances of which he is merely the spiritual eyewitness4 ,one of the most foolish notions prevalent nowadays is that an author must personally go and visit the place he intends to describe4 ,nothing is more fatal4 ,for accuracy of detail1 we can consult a guide book--but for a complete picture which shall impress us all our lives long1 we must go to the inspired author whose prescience or second-sight enables him to be something more than a mere ,baedeker4 ,endless examples of this second-sight faculty could be given4 ,take ,shakespeare as the best of them4 ,he could never have personally known ,antony and ,cleopatra4 ,he did not live in the time of ,julius ,csar4 ,he was not guilty of murder because he described a murder in ,macbeth4 ,he could not have been a 8fellow-student0 of ,hamlet's4 ,and where do you suppose1 among the grim realities of life1 he could have met those exquisite creations1 ,ariel and ,puck1 if not in the heaven of his own peerless imagination1 borne to him on the brilliant wings of his own thought1 to take shape and form1 and stay with us in our ,english language for ever6 ,walter ,scott had never seen ,switzerland when he wrote ,anne of ,geierstein4 ,thomas ,moore never visited the ,east1 yet he wrote ,lalla ,rookh4 ,charles ,dickens never fought a duel1 and never saw one fought1 yet the duel between ,mr4 ,chester and ,haredale in ,barnaby ,rudge is one of the finest scenes ever written4 ,because an author is able to describe a certain circumstance1 it does not follow that he or she has experienced that very circumstance personally4 ,very often it may be quite the contrary4 ,the most romantic descriptions in novels have often been written by people leading very hum-drum1 quiet lives of their own4 ,we have only to think of ,jane ,eyre1 and to remember the prosy1 dull days passed by its author1 ,charlotte ,bront4 ,to refer once more to ,hans ,andersen--we all know that he never could have seen a ,dresden ,china shepherdess eloping up the chimney with a ,dresden ,china sweep4 ,we know he never saw that dainty little shepherdess weeping on the top of a chimney because the world was so large1 and because all her gilding was coming off4 ,but when we are reading that fantastic little story1 we feel he must have seen it somehow1 and we are conscious of a slight vexation that we never see such a curious and delightful elopement ourselves4 ,this is a phase of the power of the pen--to make the beautiful1 the quaint1 the terrible1 or the wonderful things of imagination seem an absolute reality4 ,but to get all the enjoyment out of an author's imagination1 we1 who read his books1 must ourselves 8imagine0 with him4 ,we must let him take us where he will2 we must not draw back and refuse to go with him4 ,we must not approach him in a carping spirit1 or make up our minds before opening his book1 that we shall not like it4 ,we should not allow our particular views of life1 or our pet prejudices to intervene between ourselves and the writer whose power of the pen may teach us something new4 ,and above all things1 we should prepare ourselves to appreciate--not to depreciate4 ,nothing is easier than to find fault4 ,the cheapest sort of mind can do that4 ,the dirty little street-boy can enter the ,british ,museum and find fault with the ,pallas ,athene4 ,but the ,pallas ,athene remains the same4 ,to be ,pallas ,athene is sufficient4 ,the power of appreciation is a great test of character4 ,to appreciate warmly1 even enthusiastically1 is generally the proof of a kind and sunny disposition2 to depreciate is to be in yourself but a sad soul at best6 ,for depreciation in one thing leads to depreciation in another2 and by and by the daily depreciator finds himself depreciating his ,maker1 and wondering why he was ever born6 ,and he will never find an answer to that question till he changes his humour and begins to appreciate2 then1 and only then1 will life explain its brightest meaning4 ,of course1 when vulgarity1 coarseness1 slang1 and ribaldry are set forward as 8attractions0 in certain books and newspapers1 it is necessary to depreciate what is not the power of the pen1 but the abuse of the pen4 ,such abuse is easily recognizable4 ,the libellous paragraph1 the personal sneer1 the society scandal--there is no need to enumerate them4 ,but we do not call the writers of these things authors1 or even journalists4 ,they are merely on a par with the anonymous letter-writer whom all classes of society agree in regarding as the most contemptible creature alive4 ,and they do not come at all under the heading of the power of the pen1 their only strength being weakness4 ,i have already said that ,i believe the ,power of the ,pen to be the greatest power for good or evil in the world4 ,and ,i may add that this power is never more apparent than in the ,press4 ,the ,press nowadays is not a literary press2 classic diction and brilliancy of style do not distinguish it by any means4 ,it would be difficult to find a single newspaper or magazine to which we could turn for a lesson in pure and elegant ,english1 such as that of ,addison1 ,steele or ,macaulay4 ,but in the ,scott or ,byron days1 the ,press was literary to a very great extent1 and as a natural consequence it had a powerful influence on the success or failure of an author's work4 ,that influence is past4 ,its work to-day deals1 not with books1 but with nations4 ,national education1 progressing steadily for years1 has taught the ,public to make up its own mind more quickly than ever it did before1 as regards the books it reads4 ,it will take what it wants and leave the rest2 and the ,press can neither persuade it nor repel it against its own inclination4 ,so that the author in these days has more difficulties and responsibilities than in the past4 ,he has to fight his battle alone4 ,he has many more rivals to compete with1 and many more readers to please4 ,and the ,press cannot help him4 ,the ,press may recommend1 may even 8boom0 his work2 but several instances have occurred lately where such recommendation has not been accepted4 ,for1 sometimes the ,public fight shy of a 8boom40 ,they think it has been worked up by the author's friends1 and they are not always mistaken4 ,and they silently express the fact that they are quite capable of choosing the books they wish to read1 without advice or assistance4 ,this being the case1 the ,press is beginning to leave books and authors alone to shift for themselves as best they may1 and is turning to other pastime4 ,nations1 peoples1 governments6 ,these are the great footballs it occasionally kicks in the struggle for journalistic pre-eminence4 ,and ,i hope ,i shall not be misunderstood if ,i venture to say that it is a somewhat dangerous game6 ,because1 however powerful the ,press may be1 it is not the ,people4 ,it is the printed opinion of certain editors and their staff4 ,the ,people are outside it altogether4 ,and if some one on the ,press insults a monarch or a nation1 that insult should not be taken as a ,people's insult4 ,it is the insult of the editor or proprietor who deliberately allows it to be printed in the particular journal he controls4 ,it is a thousand pities1 for example1 that a section of the lower boulevard press in ,paris should be accepted in any quarter1 as being representative of the feeling of the whole ,french people4 ,when flippant and irresponsible newspaper scribes resort to calumny for the sake of notoriety1 they prove themselves unworthy to be trusted with the ,power of the ,pen4 ,in any case it can only be a ,god-forsaken creature who seeks to earn his living by scurrility4 ,such an one may excite individual contempt1 but does not merit the notice of a great nation4 ,as an author and as a lover of literature1 ,i care very much for the honour and dignity of the ,british ,press1 and ,i cannot but earnestly deprecate the too free exchange of petty or malicious innuendo between foreign and ,english writers on their various respective journals4 ,bismarck used to say1 8,the windows which our ,press breaks we shall have to pay for40 ,the power of the pen is abused when such windows are broken as can only be mended by the sufferings of nations4 ,if ,france or ,germany sneers at us1 or misreads our intentions1 ,i do not see that we are called upon to sneer at them in return4 ,that is mere schoolboy conduct4 ,our dignity should shame their flippancy4 ,the ,press of such an empire as ,great ,britain can afford to be magnanimous and dignified4 ,it is too big and strong a boy to throw stones at its little brothers4 ,on such a subject as the ,power of the ,pen1 one might speak endless discourses1 and write endless volumes1 for it is practically inexhaustible4 ,it is a power for good and evil--as ,i have said--but the author wrongs his vocation if he does not always1 most steadfastly and honestly1 use it for ,good4 ,the ,power of the ,pen should define ,right from ,wrong with absolute certainty1--it should not so mix the two together that the reader cannot tell one from the other4 ,in what is called the 8problem0 novel or the 8problem0 play1 the authors manage so to befuddle the brains of their readers1 that they hardly know whether virtue is vice or vice virtue4 ,this is putting the power of the pen to unfair and harmful uses4 ,and when a writer--any writer--employs his or her power to promote the spirit of ,atheism and ,materialism1 the pen is turned into a merely murderous tool of the utmost iniquity4 ,and whosoever uses it in this sense will have to answer at a ,higher ,tribunal for much mischief and cruelty wrought in the world4 ,many people are familiar with ,shakespeare's town1 ,stratford-on-,avon1 quaint and peaceful and beautiful in itself1 and in all its surroundings4 ,outside it1 many roads lead to many lovely glimpses of landscape2 but there is one road in particular which winds uphill1 and from which1 at certain times1 the town itself is lost sight of1 and only the tapering spire of ,holy ,trinity ,church--,shakespeare's ,church--can be seen4 ,frequently at sunset1 when the rosy hue of the low clouds mingles with the silvery mist of the river ,avon1 all the houses1 bridges and streets are veiled in an opaque glow of colour--and look like 8mirage10 or a picture in a dream4 ,and then1 the spire of ,shakespeare's ,church1 seen by itself1 rising clear up from the surrounding haze1 puts on the distinct appearance of a ,pen1--pointing upwards1 as though prepared to write upon the sky6 ,often and often have ,i seen it so1 and others have seen it with me1 glittering against clouds1 or lit up by a flashing sunbeam4 ,i have always thought it a true symbol of what the ,power of the ,pen should be--to point upwards4 ,to point to the highest aims of life1 the best1 the greatest things2 to rise clear out of the darkness and point straight to the sunshine6 ,for1 if so uplifted1 the ,power of the ,pen becomes truly invincible4 ,it can do almost anything4 ,it can shame the knave--it can abash the fool4 ,it can lower the proud1--it can raise the humble4 ,it can assist the march of ,science1--it can crush opposition4 ,armed with truth and justice1 its authority is greater than that of governments1--for it can upset governments4 ,it would seem impossible to dethrone an unworthy king2 but it has been done--by the ,power of the ,pen6 ,it is difficult to put down the arrogance of a county snob1--but it can be done6--by the ,power of the ,pen6 ,it may seem a terrible task to root up lies1 to destroy hypocrisies1 shams1 false things of every kind1 and make havoc among rogues1 sensualists1 and scoundrels of both high and low degree1--but it can be done1 by the ,power of the ,pen6 ,and to those who are given this power in its truest sense1 is also added the gift of prophecy--the quick prescience of things ,to ,be--the spiritual hearing which catches the first sound of the approaching time4 ,and beyond the things of time this spiritual sense projects itself1 and hears1 and almost sees1 all that shall be found most glorious after death6 ,with the ,power of the ,pen we can uphold all noble things2 we can denounce all vile things4 ,may all who have that power so deal with it--and point us on--and upward6 ,for as our great poet1 ,tennyson1 says3-- ,what is true at last will tell2 ,few at first will place thee well2 ,some too low would have thee shine1 ,some too high--no fault of thine6 ,hold thine own and work thy will6 ,,the ,,glory ,,of ,,work ,very commonplace and familiar--perhaps too commonplace and familiar is the subject of ,work4 ,every one worthy the name of man or woman is1 or desires to be a ,worker1 and none surely would voluntarily swell the distressed ranks of the ,unemployed4 ,for to be unemployed is to be miserable4 ,to find nothing to do1--to be of no use to ourselves or to our fellow-creatures is to be more or less set aside and cast out from the ever-working ,divine scheme of labour and fruition1 ambition and accomplishment4 ,among all the blessings which the ,creator showers so liberally upon us1 there is none greater than ,,work4 ,and amid all the evils which ,man wilfully accumulates on his own head through ignorance and obstinacy1 there is none so blighting and disastrous as ,idleness4 ,there are1 however1 certain people who have persuaded themselves to look upon ,work as a curse4 ,many of these pin their theories on the ,third ,chapter of the ,book of ,genesis4 ,there they read3 8,cursd is the ground for thy sake2 in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life4 8,in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground40 ,but we may take comfort in the fact that the ,book of ,genesis shows some curious discrepancies4 ,for in the ,second ,chapter ,god is represented as making one single man out of the dust of the ground1 yet in the very ,first ,chapter of the same ,book we read that1-- 8,god created man in ,his own image2 male and female created he them4 8,and ,god blessed them and said unto them 444 ,be fruitful and multiply1 and replenish the earth and subdue it3 and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air1 and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth40 ,thus we find that the story of ,adam and ,eve and the ,serpent does not occur till after the creation of mankind 7in the plural7 and after the ,divine order that this same mankind 7in the plural7 should 8replenish the earth and subdue it40 ,no 8curse0 accompanied this command4 ,on the contrary1 it was sanctified by a blessing4 8,god blessed them40 ,and whether ,genesis be taken seriously1 or only read as poetic legend founded on some substratum of actual events1 the fact remains that 8to replenish the earth and subdue it10 literally means1--to ,,work4 ,the 8dominion0 of man over the planet he inhabits is not to be gained by sitting down with folded hands and waiting for food to drop into the mouth4 ,it is evident that he was intended to earn his right to live4 ,it is also evident that the blessing of ,god will be his1 if from the first beginnings of conscious intelligence and aptitude he resolutely and honestly sets his shoulder to the wheel4 ,it is only when we are at work that we are vitally and essentially a part of ,god's great creative scheme4 ,idleness is an abnormal condition4 ,it is not to be found in nature4 ,there everything works1 and in the special task allotted to it1 each conscious atom finds its life and joy4 ,the smallest seed works1 as it slowly but surely pushes its way up through the soil2--the bird works1 as it builds its nest and forages the earth and air to find food for its young4 ,we cannot point to the minutest portion of ,god's magnificent creation and say that it is idle4 ,nothing is absolutely at rest4 ,there is--strictly speaking--no rest in the whole ,universe4 ,all things are working2 all things are moving4 ,man clamours for rest1--but rest is what he will never get1--not even in the grave4 ,for though he may seem dead1 new forms of life germinate from his body1 and go on working in their appointed way1--while1 with the immortal part of himself which is his ,soul1 he enters at once into fresh fields of labour4 ,rest is no more possible than death1 in the ,divine scheme of everlasting progress where all is ,life4 ,nature is our mother1 from whose gentle or severe lessons we must learn the problems of our own lives4 ,and whenever we go to her for help or for instruction1 we always find her working4 ,she never sleeps4 ,she never has a spare moment4 8,without haste1 without rest0 is her eternal motto4 ,when we1 like fretful children1 complain of long hours of toil1 scant wages and short holidays1 she silently points us to the ,universe around us of which we are a part1 and bids us set our minds 8in tune with the ,infinite40 ,the ,sun never takes holiday4 ,with steady regularity it performs its task4 ,for countless ages it has worked without any attempt to swerve from its monotonous round of duty4 ,it shines on the just and on the unjust alike2 it gives life and joy equally to the gnat dancing in its beams1 as to the human being who hails its glory and warmth as the simple expression of 8a fine day40 ,it gets no wages4 ,it receives very little in the way of thanks4 ,its duty is so evident and is always so well done1 that by the very perfection of its performance it has exhausted the far too easily exhausted sense of human gratitude4 ,like a visible lamp of ,god's love for us it generates beauty and brightness about us wherever we go1--and it invites us to look beyond the veil of creation to the ,creator1 who alone sustains the majestic fabric of life4 ,in some ways ,god ,himself may be resembled to the ,sun1 seeing that ,he receives very little of our gratitude4 ,we are so wonderfully guided by ,his wisdom that we sometimes think ourselves wiser than ,he4 ,of our own accord we give ,him scarcely any of our real working powers1 and were it not that we are all1 in the mass1 unconsciously swayed by ,his command1 the little we do give would be less4 ,our ideas of serving ,him too often consist in attending various sectarian places of worship where quarrelling is far more common than brotherly love and unity4 ,in these places of worship we pray to ,him for ,ourselves and our own concerns4 ,we ask ,him for all we can possibly think of1 and we seldom pause to consider that ,he has already given us more than we deserve4 ,it very rarely enters into our heads to realize that we are required to show ,him some return--that we are bound to work--no matter in how small a degree--towards something in ,his vast design which has1 or shall have1 its place in the world's progress4 ,we continue to implore ,him to work for ,us1--just as if ,he needed our urging6 ,we petition ,him to give us food and other material comforts1--yet if we study the laws of ,nature we shall learn that we are intended to ,work for our food and for all the things we want4 ,we must ,work for them in common with the rest of all our fellows in the animal1 bird1 and insect kingdoms4 ,what a man does1 that he has4 ,we have no need to ask ,god for what ,he has already given us4 ,he has provided all that is necessary for our health and sustenance on the earth1--but we must earn it1--deserve it1--and take a little intelligent trouble to understand the value of it1 as well as to learn the laws by which we may gain and hold our own in life4 ,we must1 in fact1 ,work4 ,all ,creation visibly shows us that ,god ,himself has worked and is still working4 ,he1 who has made us in 8,his own ,image0 must have from each one of us a strong and faithful effort to follow ,his ,divine pre-ordained order of ,labour and ,progress4 ,it may be asked--,to what does the ,labour and ,progress tend8 ,the answer of our last great ,poet ,laureate1 ,tennyson1 is the best--the ,one far off divine event ,to which the whole creation moves4 ,whether it be work with the hands1 or work with the brain1 it is work of some kind that we must do if we would prove ourselves worthy to be a part of the ever-working ,universe4 ,and if by disinclination1--or by lethargy of mind and spirit1 we decline to share in the splendid 8onward and upward0 march of toil1 the time comes when great ,mother ,nature will accept us exactly at our own valuation4 ,if we choose to be no more than clods of clay1 then as clods of clay she will use us1 to make soil for braver feet than our own4 ,if1 on the contrary1 we strive to be active intelligences1 she will equally use us for nobler purposes4 ,the formation of our condition rests absolutely with ourselves4 ,no one person can shape the life of another4 ,the father cannot ensure the fortunes of his son4 ,the mother cannot guarantee the happiness of her daughter4 ,both mother and father may do their best on these lines1 but sooner or later the son and daughter will take their own way and make their own lives4 ,each individual man or woman must work out his or her own salvation4 ,for this is the ,law1--and it is a ,law divine and eternal against which there is no appeal4 ,let us realize1 therefore1 the ,divine ,necessity of ,work1--and having realized it let us take an honest joy in being able to do any sort of work ourselves1 no matter how humble or monotonous such work may be4 ,there is nothing really common even in what is called 8common0 work4 ,there is nothing undignified in the roughest labour4 ,it is only the 8loafer0 who loses both self-respect and dignity4 ,the peasant who turns the soil with his spade all day long is a noble and primeval figure in the landscape1 and deserves our consideration and respect4 ,the countless thousands of men1 working in huge factories1 patiently guiding the machinery of giant looms1 sweltering their very lives out in the fiery heat of huge furnaces where iron and steel are shaped for the uses of the world--these are the actual body of mankind--the nerves1 the muscles1 the sinews of humanity4 ,they represent the nobility1 the worth1 the movement of the age4 ,they are the ,working ,people4 ,and the ,working ,people of this1 or of any other nation are the ,people indeed--the ,people whose word--if they will only utter it--must inevitably become ,law4 ,sometimes1 however1 when we work1--when we perform some special round of duty more or less monotonous1 we are unlike the rest of the working ,universe4 ,the ,universe works without any grumbling at its work--but we--well6--we rather like to grumble4 ,we want every one to know how hard our work is1 and how badly paid we are4 ,many of us1 who are men1 would like to pass entire days1 loafing about1 our hands in our pockets1 our pipes in our mouths1 serving no purpose whatever in the world save that of replenishing the till of the nearest public-house4 ,others of us who are women1 would love to dress up for all we are worth and meander through the streets1 staring into shop-windows and coveting goods we have no money to buy4 ,we forget that while we are wasting time in this fashion1 we are consuming some of the very energy that should be at work to obtain for us whatever we desire4 ,and we are also apt to forget that very often those who possess what we envy1--who hold all that we would win--have worked for it4 ,it is of course quite true that some workers are well rewarded while others get little if any reward at all4 ,but to understand the cause of this inequality we must examine the character of the work implied1 and the spirit in which that work is done4 ,is it undertaken with cheerfulness and zeal8 ,or is it merely accepted as a 8grind10 to be shirked whenever possible and only half accomplished8 ,i venture to think that the man who loves his work1--who is content to begin at the lowest rung of the ladder in order to master all the minutest details of his particular trade or profession--whose ,work is dearer to him than either his wages or his dinner--is bound to be rewarded1 bound to succeed in whatever calling of life he may be4 ,it is the half-hearted worker who fails4 ,it is the 8scamp0 worker who sticks in the rut4 ,every man should do his utmost best4 ,when he does only his half or quarter best1 he wrongs his own capability and intelligence even more than he wrongs his employer4 ,to 8scamp0 even the simplest kind of work proves him to be out of tune with ,nature4 ,for in the natural world we find no 8scamping40 ,each tiny leaf1 each humble insect is as perfect in its way as the planet itself4 ,a midge's wing seen through the microscope is as brilliant and beautiful as that of a butterfly4 ,and so1--8looking up through ,nature unto ,nature's ,god0 we hear everywhere the ,divine command--8,whatsoever thy hand findeth to do1 do it with thy ,might40 ,i hardly think the love of ,work1 for ,work's own sake1 is a leading characteristic of the workers of the present day4 ,there is a tendency to 8rush0 everything1--to get it done and over4 ,it is a rare thing to meet a man who is so fond of his work that he can hardly be persuaded to leave it4 ,yet in him is the real germ of success1 and with him are the true possibilities of power4 ,for the conscientious and painstaking worker more often than not may become the great discoverer4 ,in the very earnestness with which he bends over his daily toil which may often seem the merest monotonous drudgery1 it frequently chances that a little hint1--an unexpected clue1--is given out from the great factory of nature1 which may revolutionize a whole handicraft1 or quicken a failing industry4 ,nothing of value in science or art is ever vouchsafed to the mere 8hustler40 ,and there is by far too much 8hustling10 nowadays4 ,i am an ardent lover of steady toil and continuous progress1 provided the progress is accompanied by the growth of beauty1 goodness and happiness1 but ,i am no advocate of 8rush0 or 8speed40 ,nothing is well done that is done in a hurry4 ,every scrap of time should be used as a precious gift1--not snatched up and devoured4 ,for with haste comes carelessness and what is called 8slop work40 8,as long as it's done never mind how it's done10 is a kind of humour that is common enough and easily fostered4 ,haste by no means implies real swiftness or attention to details4 ,we need not draw comparisons between the foreign workman and his ,british brother1 because there is a maxim which says 8,comparisons are odious40 ,but in justice to the foreign workman1 it must be said that he often shows great intelligence and artistic ability4 ,moreover that he sometimes works twelve hours a day against the ,british eight1 at half the ,british workman's wages4 ,but my own love for everything ,british is so deep and hearty that ,i should like to see ,british handicraft1 ,british art1 ,british work of all kinds at the head of creation4 ,and ,i do most distinctly think it the duty of every ,british employer of labour to provide work for ,british workers first4 ,let the men who live in the land find means to live4 ,it is surely the right of the ,british working man to have the first chance with a ,british employer4 ,but this does not always happen4 ,it is a 8consummation devoutly to be wished10 but it is not to be at once realized even by schemes of fiscal policy4 ,it is only to be attained by the ,british working people themselves1--by the quality of the work they do and the spirit in which they do it4 ,we talk a great deal about ,education1 technical and otherwise4 ,what are the results8 ,the fact seems to be that when there was no compulsory ,education much better work was done4 ,houses were better built1--furniture was more strongly made4 ,compare the brick-and-a-half 8modern villa0 architecture1 with its lath and plaster doors and window-frames1 with the warm thick walls and stout oak timbers of a farm or manor-house of the sixteenth century6 ,put side by side the flimsy modern chair1 and the serviceable oak one1 hand made in the time of our forefathers6 ,connoisseurs and collectors of bric--brac are supposed to have a craze for 8old0 things1 merely because they are 8old40 ,this is not altogether true4 ,old things are appreciated because they are good1--because they show evidences of painstaking and careful ,work4 ,an old oak staircase in a house is valued as a treasure1 not only for its age1 but for its artistic construction1 which our best workers can only imitate and never surpass4 ,it must1 ,i think1 be conceded that our forefathers had better conceptions of the fitting and the beautiful in some ways of work than we have4 ,we have only to compare the ,cathedrals which they built for the worship of ,god1 with our uninspired ugly modern ,churches and chapels4 ,we know that they appreciated the beauties of the landscape1 and that they loved the grand old ,english trees1 which our short-sighted ,county ,councils are destroying every year4 ,nothing can be more pitiful to see than the ruthless and stupid cutting down of noble trees all over the country1 under the rule that their branches shall not hang over the road4 ,thus1 every grateful place of shade is ruined1 as well as much natural beauty4 ,our ancestors1 more individually free1 showed finer taste4 ,the roofs of their houses were picturesquely thatched or tiled1 and gabled1--their eyes were never affronted by the dull appearance of cheap slate and corrugated iron4 ,they left us a heritage of many lovely and lasting things2 but it is greatly to be feared that we shall not do likewise to those that come after us4 ,we are destroying far more than we are creating4 ,and when we come to the higher phases of intellectual work1 we find that though we have plenty of 8schools of art0 we have no great ,british artists such as ,gainsborough1 ,reynolds or ,romney4 ,and though every one is supposed to know how to read and write1 we have no great literature such as that of ,shakespeare1 ,scott1 ,thackeray or ,dickens4 ,these belonged to the days of non-compulsory ,education4 ,poetry1 too1 the divinest of the arts1 is well-nigh dead4 ,the great poets were born in so-called 8uneducated0 times4 ,our present system of ,education is absolutely disastrous in one respect--that of its tendency to depress and cramp rather than to encourage the aspiring student4 ,its mechanical routine works on the line of flattening all human creatures down to one level4 ,originality is often 8quashed40 ,yet in all educational schemes there should be plenty of room left for the natural ability of the student or worker to expand and declare itself in some entirely new form wherever possible4 ,but despite our perpetual talk of the advantages of ,education1 here we are to-day with plenty of schools both before and behind us1 but no very great men4 ,and looking a long way back in history we see that when there was no ,compulsory ,education at all1 there were very great men1--men who made the glory of ,england4 ,shall we leave anything after us1 to match their heritage8 ,it is open to doubt4 ,much of our modern work is 8scamped0 and badly done4 ,and a great deal of the mischief arises from our way of 8rushing0 things4 ,we are so anxious to catch ,time by the forelock that we almost tear that forelock off4 ,but why such haste8 ,what is our object8 ,well1--we want to make money before we die4 ,we want to make it1 and then spend it on ourselves1 or else leave it to our children1 who will no doubt get rid of it all for us with the most cheerful rapidity4 ,or we want to have enough to 8sit down and do nothing40 ,this is some people's idea of perfect bliss4 ,a servant of mine once very kindly reproached me for sticking at my desk so long4 8,if ,i were a lady10 said she--8,i would sit down and do nothing40 ,no more cruel torture can be imagined than this4 ,we read in history of prisoners who1 condemned to such a life1 went mad with the misery of it4 ,the only way to live happily and healthfully is to try with every moment of our time to accomplish something--even if it be only a thought4 ,thought1 as we know1 crystallizes into action4 ,yet very few people really think4 ,many get no further than to think they are thinking4 ,to think is a kind of ,work--too hard for many folks4 ,in politics1 for instance1 some people let the ,press think for them4 ,they cannot be bothered to do it for themselves4 ,and when the ,press makes what is called a 8corner0 in any particular policy1 they sometimes submit to be 8cornered40 ,there have been of late a great many rumours concerning a gigantic ,press 8combine0 which is to be formed for the purpose of swaying the opinion of the ,british public and particularly the opinion of the ,british working man4 ,in other words1 opinion is no longer to be 8free10 but coerced by something like a ,press 8,trust0 ,company4 ,now if we are to believe this1 we must likewise believe the ,british public fools4 ,and we should surely be sorry to be forced to such a conclusion4 ,let us hope the ,british public has an opinion of its own entirely apart from the ,press1 and that it will declare that opinion bravely and openly4 ,it is hard to imagine that it will allow its fondness for 8prize-competitions0 and 8puzzle-pictures0 to interfere with its common sense and honesty4 ,i may say1 however1 that ,i have often marvelled at the generosity with which a large majority of people will insist on filling the pockets of newspaper capitalists1 by purchasing such quantities of the particular journals which contain these puzzles and competitions4 ,the guileless innocence of childhood in the nursery is not more touching than the faith of the great ,british public in what is called a 8,picture0 or 8,word0 puzzle4 ,over this kind of thing ,i have seen otherwise sane though indolent people actually work6 ,once ,i made a calculation of the hours spent by a friend of mine in deciphering one of these newspaper problems1 and found that he could certainly have obtained a very fair knowledge of ,french or ,italian in the time1 or he could have learned shorthand and typewriting4 ,he was successful in the competition1 and received for his pains the splendid sum of three-halfpence4 ,it was explained to him that there were so many successful competitors that the hundred--or thousand pounds reward had to be divided among the crowd4 ,three half-pence therefore was his legitimate share4 ,i am no politician4 ,i am simply a ,worker--and ,i do such work as ,i can1 quite independently of sect or party4 ,but as a ,worker1 and looker-on at the events taking place around me1 ,i cannot help feeling that this dear land of ours is on the verge of a great crisis in her history4 ,we hear much of failing trade1--depression in this or that quarter1--yet apart from political agitators1 it seems to me that ,great ,britain stands where she has always stood--at the top of the world6 ,whatever influences have set her there1 surely there she is4 ,and it is for all true workers to keep her there4 ,it is not by what parties or ,governments will do for us that her position will be sustained and strengthened1--it is by what we1 in the skill and excellence of our ,work in all trades and professions1 will do for ,her4 ,it is by our determination to excel in all kinds of ,work that she will hold her own1--by our unstinted time1 our ungrudging labour1 our zeal1 our cheerfulness1 our love for her glory that she--and ourselves--will exist4 ,it is necessary to 8protect0 her1 and all things that may help to make her stronger and greater--but sometimes the word 8,protection0 may be made to apply chiefly to capitalists and 8cornerers0 of trade4 ,herein comes the hard work of ,thinking4 ,we must ,think for ourselves4 ,god has given us brains to work with4 ,there is never any good reason why we should hastily adopt the political views of certain newspaper proprietors1 who are perhaps under the impression that we have no brains at all1 and that being thus sadly deficient1 we are willing to buy their brains for a penny or a halfpenny6 ,it is by the workers of the land that the land lives4 ,and more than this1--it is from the workers that must come the great battle of ,right against ,might4 ,it is for the ,workers to put to shame by their own faith and honour1 the wicked ,atheism and open immorality which are disgracing some of our so-called 8upper0 classes to-day--and it is for the ,workers to show by their upright1 temperate lives1 and their steady downright ,work1 that they are determined to keep the foundations of the ,home secure1 and the heart of ,england warm and true4 ,what says brave ,thomas ,carlyle8 8,all true ,work is sacred2 in all true ,work1 were it but true hand-labour1 there is something of divineness4 ,labour1 wide as the ,earth1 has its summit in ,heaven4 ,sweat of the brow1 and up from that to sweat of the brain1 sweat of the heart--which includes all ,kepler calculations1 ,newton meditations1 all ,sciences1 all spoken ,epics1 all acted ,heroisms1 and ,martyrdoms1 up to that #8,agony of bloody sweat' which all men have called divine6 ,o brother1 if this is not #8worship1' then ,i say the more pity for worship1 for this is the noblest thing yet discovered under ,god's sky4 ,who art thou that complainest of thy life of toil8 ,complain not4 ,look up1 my wearied brother6--see thy fellow ,workmen there in ,god's eternity1 surviving there1 they alone surviving2 sacred ,band of the ,immortals1 celestial ,bodyguard of the ,empire of ,mankind4 ,even in the weak ,human memory they survive so long1 as saints1 as heroes1 as gods1 they alone surviving--peopling1 they alone1 the measured solitudes of ,time4 ,to thee1 ,heaven1 though severe1 is not unkind2 ,heaven is kind as a noble ,mother--as that ,spartan mother1 saying while she gave her son his shield--8,with it1 my son1 or upon it60 ,thou too shalt return home in honour1 brother ,worker6--to thy far distant ,home1 in honour1 doubt it not1 if in the battle thou keep thy shield60 ,,the ,,happy ,,life ,most people want to be happy if they can4 ,i suppose it may be safely set down without fear of contradiction that no one who is sane and healthy wilfully elects to be miserable4 ,yet the secret of happiness seems to be solved by very few4 ,people try to be happy in all sorts of queer ways--in speculation1 land-grabbing1 dram-drinking1 horse-racing1 bridge-playing1 newspaper-running1 and various other methods which are more or less suited to their constitutional abilities--but in many cases these channels1 carefully dug out for the reception of a perpetual inflowing of the stream of happiness1 appear very soon to run dry4 ,i have been asked scores of times what ,i consider to be the happiest life in the world1 and ,i have always answered without the least hesitation--the ,life ,literary4 ,in all respects it answers perfectly to the description of the 8,happy ,life0 portrayed by that gentle sixteenth-century poet1 ,sir ,henry ,wotton3-- ,how happy is he born and taught ,that serveth not another's will1 ,whose armour is his honest thought1 ,and simple truth his utmost skill4 ,herein we have the vital essence of all delight--honest thought and simple truth--and in the 8serveth not another's will10 glorious liberty4 ,for chiefest among the joys of the ,life ,literary are its splendid independence1 its right of free opinion1 and its ability to express that opinion4 ,an author is bound to no person1 no place1 and no party1 unless he or she wilfully elects to be so bound4 ,to him1 or to her1 all the realms of ,nature and imagination are entrance-free--the pen unlocks every closed door--and not only is the present period of time set out like a stage-scene for contemplation and criticism1 but all the past ages1 with their histories1 and the rise and fall of their civilizations1 arrange themselves to command in a series of pictures for the pleasure of the literary eye and brain2 and it is just as easy to converse in one's own library with ,plato on the immortality of the soul as it is good-humouredly to tolerate ,mr4 ,mallock and his little drawing-room philosophies4 ,for a book is more or less the expression of the mind1 or a part of the mind1 of its writer1 and1 inasmuch as it is only with the moral and intellectual personalities of our friends and enemies that we care to deal1 it matters little whether such personalities be three or four thousand years old1 or only of yesterday4 ,and to live the ,life ,literary means that we can always choose our own company4 ,we can reject commoners and receive kings1 or vice vers4 ,the author who is careful to hold and to maintain all the real privileges and rights of authorship is a ruler of millions1 and under subjection to none4 ,the position is unique and1 to my thinking1 unequalled4 ,there are many1 of course1 who will by no means agree with me as to the superior charm of the ,life ,literary over all other lives--and such objectors will be found mostly in the literary profession itself4 ,unsuccessful authors--particularly those who are in any way troubled with dyspepsia--will be among them4 8,tied0 authors also--and by 8tied0 authors ,i mean the unhappy wretches who have signed contracts with publishers several years ahead1 and are1 so to speak1 dancing in fetters4 ,authors who count the number of words they write per day1 like potatoes1 and anxiously calculate how much a publisher will possibly give for them per bushel1 are not likely to experience any very particular 8happiness0 while they are measuring out halfpence in this fashion4 ,and authors who run after 8society0 and want to be seen here1 there1 and everywhere1 are bound to lose the gifts of the gods one by one as they scamper helter-skelter through the world's ,vanity ,fair1 while they may be perfectly sure that the 8great0 or swagger persons with whom they seek to associate will be the first to despise and neglect them in any time of need or trouble1 as well as the last to support or help them in any urgent cause which might be benefited by their assistance4 ,on this point we have only to remember the melancholy experience of ,robert ,burns1 who1 after having been flattered and feasted by certain individuals who were1 in an ephemeral sense1 influential for the time being1 either through their rank or their wealth1 was afterwards shamefully neglected by them1 and finally1 notwithstanding the various social attentions and courtesy he had at one time received1 he was left1 when ill and dying1 in such extremity as to be compelled to implore his publisher for the loan of five pounds6 ,what had become of all his wealthy and 8influential0 friends8 ,why they were exactly where all 8influential0 persons would be now in a similar case--8otherwise engaged0 when their help is needed4 ,nothing can well be more deplorable than the position of any author who depends for success on a clique of 8distinguished0 or 8society0 persons4 ,he or she has exchanged independence for slavery--the nectar of the gods for a base mess of pottage--and the true 8happiness0 of the ,life ,literary for a mere miserable restlessness and constant craving after fresh excitement1 which gradually breeds nervous troubles1 and disturbs that fine and even balance of brain without which no clear or convincing thought is possible4 ,again1 authors who deliberately prostitute their talents to the writing of lewd matter unfit to be handled by cleanly-minded men and women need never hope to possess that happy and studious peace which comes from the ,pure intent to do the best ,purely--and leave to ,god the rest4 ,for the highest satisfaction in the ,life ,literary is to think that perhaps1 in a fortunate or inspired moment1 one may have written at least a sentence1 a line1 a verse1 that may carry comfort and a sense of beauty to the sorrowful1 or hope to the forlorn2 while surely the greatest pang would be to know that one had cast the already despairing soul into a lower depth of degradation1 or caused the sinner to revel more consciously in his sin4 ,but are there no drawbacks1 no disappointments1 no sufferings in the ,life ,literary8 ,why1 of course there are6 ,who would be such a useless block of stone1 such a senseless lump of unvalued clay1 as not to ardently wish for drawbacks1 disappointments1 and sufferings8 ,who that has a soul at all does not pray that it may be laid like glowing iron on the anvil of endurance1 there to be beaten and hammered by destiny till it is of a strong and shapely mould1 fit for combat1 nerved to victory8 ,and ,i maintain that such drawbacks1 disappointments1 difficulties1 and sufferings as the profession of ,literature entails are sweeter and nobler than the cares besetting other professions1 inasmuch as they are always accompanied by never-failing consolations4 ,if the pinch be poverty1 the true servant of ,literature can do with less of this world's goods than most people4 ,luxury is not called for when one is rich in idealism and fancy4 ,heavy feeding will not make a clear1 quick brain4 ,extravagant apparel is a necessity for no one--and genius was never yet born of a millionaire4 ,if the 8thorn in the flesh0 is the petty abuse of one's envious contemporaries1 that is surely a matter for rejoicing rather than grief1 as it is merely the continuance of an apparently 8natural law in the spiritual world0 acting from the ,inferior upon the ,superior1 which may be worded thus3 8,whosoever will be great1 let him be flayed alive60 ,virgil was declared by ,pliny to be destitute of invention2 ,aristotle was styled 8ignorant1 vain1 and ambitious0 by both ,cicero and ,plutarch2 ,plato was so jealous of ,democritus that he proposed to burn up all his works2 ,sophocles was brought to trial by his own children as a lunatic2 ,horace was accused of stealing from all the minor ,greek poets2 and so on in the same way down to our own times4 ,pope went so far as to make a collection of all the libels passed upon him1 and had them preserved and bound with singular care1 though ,i believe no one now knows where to find these scandalous splutterings of ,grub ,street4 ,swift is reported to have said to the irate author of the 8,dunciad03 8,give me a shilling and ,i will ensure you that posterity shall never know one single enemy against you excepting those whose memory you yourself have preserved40 ,herein is a profound truth4 ,the malicious enemies of a great author only become known to the public through the mistaken condescension of the great author's notice4 ,milton's life was embittered by the contemptible spite of one ,salmasius4 ,who was ,salmasius8 we ask nowadays4 ,we do not task who was ,milton4 ,salmasius was the author of the 8,defensio ,regi0 or ,defence of ,kings1 a poor piece of work long ago forgotten1 and he was the procurer of foul libel against the author of 8,paradise ,lost10 one of ,england's greatest and noblest men4 ,what small claim he has to the world's memory arises merely from his viciousness1 for not only did he make use of the lowest tools to aid him in conspiring against ,milton's reputation1 but he spread the grossest lies broadcast1 even accusing the poet of having a hideous personal appearance--8a puny piece of man2 a homunculus2 a dwarf deprived of the human figure2 a contemptible pedagogue40 ,when the despicable slanderer learned the fact that ,milton1 so far from answering to this description1 was of a pleasing and attractive appearance1 he immediately changed his tactics and began to attack his moral character--which1 as even ,milton's bitterest political enemies knew1 was austerely above the very shadow of suspicion4 ,it was said that the poet's over-zealousness in answering the calumnies of ,salmasius cost him his eye-sight1 which1 if true1 was surely regrettable4 ,salmasius died dishonoured and disgraced1 as such a cowardly brute deserved to die2 ,milton still holds his glorious place in ,england's literary history4 ,so it was1 so it is1 so it ever will be4 ,greatness is always envied--it is only mediocrity that can boast of a host of friends4 8,when you have resolved to be great10 says ,emerson1 8abide by yourself1 and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world40 ,it is impossible to quote one single instance of a truly great man existing without calumniators4 ,and the ,life ,literary without any enemies would be a shabby go-cart2 or1 as our ,american cousins put it1 a 8one-horse concern40 ,some lines that were taught to me when ,i was a child seem apposite to this subject1 and ,i quote them here for the benefit of any struggling units of the ,life ,literary who may haply be in need3-- ,you have no enemies1 you say8 ,alas6 my friend1 the boast is poor-- ,he who has mingled in the fray ,of duty1 that the brave endure1 ,must have made foes6 ,if you have none1 ,small is the work that you have done2 ,you've hit no traitor on the hip1 ,you've dashed no cup from perjured lip1 ,you've never turned the wrong to right-- ,you've been a coward in the fight6#e ,but it is perhaps time that ,i should drop the masculine personal pronoun for the feminine1 and1 being a woman1 treat of the ,life ,literary from the woman's point of view4 ,in olden days the profession of literature was looked upon as a terrible thing for a woman to engage in1 and the observations of some very kindly and chivalrous writers on this subject are not without pathos4 ,to quote one example only1 can anything be more quaintly droll at this time of day than the following3-- 8,of all the sorrows in which the female character may participate there are few more affecting than those of an ,authoress--often insulated and unprotected in society--with all the sensibility of the sex1 encountering miseries which break the spirits of men60 ,this delicate expression of sympathy for a woman's literary struggles was written by the elder ,disraeli as late as #ahdj4 ,truly we have raced along the rails of progress since then at express speed--and the 8affecting0 sorrows of an 8,authoress0 7with a capital ,a7 now affect nobody except in so far as they make 8copy0 for the callow journalist to hang a string of cheap sneers upon4 ,the ,authoress must take part with the ,author in the general rough-and-tumble of life--and she cannot too quickly learn the truth that when once she enters the literary arena1 where men are already fisticuffing and elbowing each other remorselessly1 she will be met chiefly with 8kicks and no ha'pence40 ,she must fight like the rest1 unless she prefers to lie down and be walked over4 ,if she elects to try for a first place1 it will take her all her time to win it1 and1 when won1 to hold it2 and1 in the event of her securing success1 she must not expect any chivalrous consideration from the opposite sex1 or any special kindness and sympathy from her own4 ,for the men will consider her 8out of her sphere0 if she writes books instead of producing babies1 and the women will1 in nine cases out of ten1 begrudge her the freedom and independence she enjoys1 particularly if such freedom and independence be allied to fortune and fame4 ,this all goes without saying4 ,it has to be understood and accepted uncomplainingly4 ,the 8old-fashioned0 grace of chivalry to women1 once so proudly lauded by poets and essayists as the distinguishing trait of all manly men1 is not to be relied on in the ,life ,literary--for there it is as dead as door-nails4 ,men can be found in the literary profession who will do anything to 8down0 a woman in the same calling1 and1 if they cannot for shame's sake do it openly1 they will do it behind her back4 8',tis pitiful1 'tis wondrous pitiful0--for the men6 ,but if the woman concerned has studied her art to any purpose she will accept calumny as a compliment1 slander as a votive wreath1 and 8envy1 hatred1 and all uncharitableness0 7from which1 with pious hypocrisy1 the most envious and uncharitable persons pray 8,good ,lord deliver us0 every ,sunday7 as so many tokens and proofs of her admitted power4 ,and none of these things need disturb the equanimity of the ,life ,literary4 8,can any man cast me out of the ,universe8 ,he cannot2 but whithersoever ,i may go there will be the sun and the moon1 and the stars and visions1 and communion with the gods60#f ,speaking as a woman1 ,i can quite understand and appreciate all the little difficulties1 irritations1 and trials incident to a woman's career in literature2 and though ,i myself welcome such difficulties as so many incentives to fresh effort1 ,i know that there are many of my sex who1 growing weary and discouraged1 are not able to adopt this attitude4 ,and looking back into the past1 one is bound to see a host of brilliant women done to death by cruel injustice and misrepresentation1 a state of things which is quite likely to be continued as long as humanity endures4 ,but no useful object is served by brooding over this apparently incurable evil4 8,the noble army of martyrs0 who praise the ,lord in the 8,te ,deum0 are likely to be of the sex feminine4 ,but what does that matter8 ,it is more glorious to be martyred than to die of over-eating and general plethora4 ,moreover mental or intellectual martyrdom is a necessary ingredient for the 8happy0 life--a touch of it is like the toothache1 helping one to be duly thankful when the pain ceases4 ,for1 if we never understood trouble1 we should never taste the full measure of joy4 ,one thing can be very well dispensed with by both men and women who look for happiness in the ,life ,literary1 and that is the uneasy hankering after what is called 8,fame40 ,fame has a habit of setting its halo on the elected brows without any outside advice or assistance4 ,those authors who are destined for it will assuredly win it1 though all the world should intervene2 those for whom it is not intended must content themselves with the temporary notoriety of pretty newspaper puffs and 8stock0 compliments1 such as 8the renowned0 or 8well-known0 or 8admired0 author or authoress1 and be glad and grateful for these meaningless terms1 inasmuch as the higher ,fame itself at its utmost is only a brief and very often inaccurate 8line in history40 ,the rewards and emoluments of the happy life1 such as ,i have always found the ,life ,literary to be1 are manifold and frequently incongruous4 ,they may be considered in two sections--the outward or apparent and the interior or invisible4 ,concerning these ,i can only1 of course1 speak from my own experience4 ,the outward or apparent occur 7so far as ,i myself am concerned7 as follows3-- #a4 ,certain payments1 small or large1 made by publishers who undertake to present one's brain work to the world in print1 and who do the best they can for their authors1 as well as for themselves4 #b4 ,public appreciation and condemnation1 about equally divided4 #c4 ,critical praise and censure1 six of one and half-a-dozen of the other4 #d4 ,endless requests for autographs4 #e4 ,innumerable begging letters4 #f4 ,imperative1 sometimes threatening1 demands for 8interviews40 #g4 ,hundreds of love-letters4 #h4 ,continual offers of marriage4 #i4 ,shoals of ,,mss4 sent by literary aspirants to be 8placed0 or 8recommended40 #aj4 ,free circulation of lies1 caricatures1 and slanders concerning oneself1 one's personality1 friends1 ways of work1 and general surroundings4 #aa4 ,the grudging and bitter animosity of rival contemporaries4 #ab4 ,persistent public and private mis-representation of one's character1 aims1 and intentions4 ,but all these things taken together weigh very little when compared with the other side of the medal--the interior and invisible delight and charm of the ,life ,literary--the unpurchasable and never-failing happiness which no external advantage can give1 no inimical influence take away4 ,it is well-nigh impossible to enumerate the pleasures that attend the lover and servant of ,literature2 they are multitudinous1 and1 like all things spiritual1 outweigh all things temporal4 ,here are just a few among the kindly and constant favours of the gods3-- #a4 ,the power and affluence of creative thought4 #b4 ,a perpetual sense of intimate participation in the wonders of ,nature and ,art4 #c4 ,a keen perception of the beautiful4 #d4 ,intense delight in the genius of all great men and women4 #e4 ,a cheerful and contented spirit4 #f4 ,constant variety of occupation4 #g4 ,joy in simple things4 #h4 ,the love of friends that are tried and true4 #i4 ,the never-wearying interest of working to try and give pleasure to one's reading public4 #aj4 ,the gifts and glories of ,imagination4 #aa4 ,tranquillity of mind4 #ab4 ,firm faith in noble ideals4 ,and1 to quote from ,walt ,whitman what the inward sense of the 8happiness0 of the ,life ,literary really is1 the disciple of ,literature may say3-- 8,i will show that there is no imperfection in the present and can be none in the future4 ,and ,i will show that1 whatever happens to anybody1 it may be turned to beautiful results40 ,were all the lives in the world offered to me for my choice1 from the estate of queens to that of commoners1 ,i would choose the ,life ,literary in preference to any other1 as ensuring the greatest happiness4 ,it is full of the most lasting pleasure1 it offers the most varied entertainment1 all the arts and sciences group themselves naturally around it as with it and of it--for the literary student is1 or should be1 as devout a lover of music as of poetry1 as ardent an admirer of painting and sculpture as of history and philosophy--that is1 if complete enjoyment of the literary gift is to be possessed completely4 ,i take it1 of course1 for granted1 in this matter of the 8happy0 life1 that the individual concerned1 whether male or female1 is neither dyspeptic nor bilious1 nor afflicted with the incurable ennui of utter selfishness1 nor addicted to dram or drug drinking4 ,because under unnatural conditions the mind itself becomes unnatural1 and the ,life ,literary is no more productive of happiness than any other life that is self-poisoned at its source4 ,but1 given a sane mind in a sound body1 a clear brain1 a quick perception1 a keen imagination1 a warm heart1 and a never-to-be-parted-with ideal of humanity at its best1 noblest and purest1 then the ,life ,literary1 with all the advantages it bestows1 the continuous education it fosters1 the refinement of taste it engenders1 the love and sympathy of unknown thousands of one's fellow-creatures which it brings1 is the sweetest1 most satisfying1 most healthful and happy life in the world4 ,moreover it is a life of power and responsibility--a life that forms character and tests courage4 ,we soon learn to know the force of a ,thinker in our midst1 whether man or woman4 ,we soon realize who it is that sends the lightning of truth across our murky sky1 when we see a sudden swarm of cowards scurrying away from the storm and trying to shelter themselves under a haystack of lies2 and we invariably respect whosoever has the valour of his or her opinions1 and the strength to enunciate them boldly and convincingly with a supreme indifference to conventional conveniences4 ,for 8,to know the truth10 says an ,arabian sage1 8is a great thing for thyself2 but to tell the truth to others is a greater thing for the world60 ,,footnotes3 #e ,the late ,charles ,mackay1 ,,ll4,d4 #f ,epictetus4 ,,the ,,soul ,,of ,,the ,,nation ,at the present time1 and during the present time's singularly loose notions of manners1 morals1 and dignity of behaviour1 it was perhaps to be expected that some one or other of the daily newspapers would1 in sagacious appreciation of free 8copy10 start a public discussion on the religious faith of this ,christian ,empire4 ,it was perhaps as equally probable that considering the remarkable laxity of certain bishops and ordained ministers of the gospel generally1 a 8press0 question should be put to the ,house of ,tom1 ,dick and ,harry--8,do ,we ,believe80 ,granting the premises1 it was hardly to be wondered at that ,tom1 ,dick and ,harry should straightway arise in their strength and reply to the question1--and not only ,tom1 ,dick and ,harry of the laity1 but ,tom1 ,dick and ,harry of the clergy likewise4 ,great was the discussion1--fast and furious waged the war of words1 and the ,penny ,daily which provoked the combat was thus conveniently supplied with material for which the proprietors1--most of them ,sons of ,israel1--had nothing to pay4 ,and now1 the arguments being heard and ended1 nobody is a whit the wiser1 though some few may be several whits the sadder4 ,for to speak honestly1 nothing more reprehensible has ever smirched the career of an ,english journal than the fact that it should have lent itself to the advertized questioning of the nation's religious faith4 ,it was an open flaunting of infidelity in the face of the civilized world4 ,to talk of the 8conversion0 of ,india1 ,china or ,japan1 while a leading ,british newspaper openly invites the notoriety-hunting section of the ,british public to air their opinions of the ,christian ,faith in its columns1 just as if the ,faith itself were on public trial in a ,christian country1 is only one example of the many forms of utter ,humbug in which we are nowadays so unfortunately prone to indulge4 ,our sometimes-called 8heathen0 ally1 ,japan1 has lately taught us many lessons which perhaps we knew once and have forgotten1 and which perhaps we need to learn again1--such as valour without conceit1 strength without roughness1 and endurance without complaint1--but one of the greatest lessons of all she has given us is that of her people's pious reverence for the ,unseen and ,eternal1 and their belief in the ever-present 8,spirits of the ,dead0 whom they honour and will not shame4 ,what a deplorable contrast we make in our pandering to the lowest tastes of the mob when1 without a word of protest1 we permit our 8,spirits of the ,dead10--the spirits of our gallant forefathers who fought for the pure ,faith of ,england and sealed it with their blood1--to be degraded and insulted by a cheap newspaper discussion on the most private and sacred emotions of the soul1 as though such a discussion were of a character suited to take its place among police-cases and quack medical advertisements6 ,true1 we are constantly being made aware that the ,british ,press is no longer the clean1 sane1 strong and reliable institution it once was1 when 8personalities0 were deemed vulgar1 and lies dishonourable1--and therefore we perhaps ought not to feel very greatly surprised when the name and possible attributes of the ,almighty ,creator ,himself are dragged through the purlieus of 8up-to-date0 journalism1--but surely there is something very deplorable and disgraceful in the fact that any one professing to be a follower of the ,christian ,faith should have replied to what can only be termed1 considering the quarter from whence it came1 an ironical demand1 8,do ,we ,believe80 ,the best and wisest answer would have been complete silence on the part of the public4 ,no more effectual 8snubbing0 to the non-,christian faction could have been given4 ,but unfortunately there are a certain class of persons whose prime passion is to see themselves in print1 and to this end they will commit any folly and write any letter to the newspapers1 even if it be only to state that primroses were seen somewhat early in bloom in their back yards4 ,and such1 chiefly1 were the kind of men and women who poured themselves into the channels of the 8,do ,we ,believe80 discussion1 like water running down the streets into gutters and mains1--never seeming to realize that to the thinking and intellectual world1 their foolish letters1 addressed to such a public quarter1 merely proved their utter loss of respect for themselves1 not only as professing ,christians and subjects of a ,christian ,empire1 but as men and women4 ,no real follower of a ,faith--any ,faith--would be so lost to every sense of decency as to discuss it in a daily newspaper4 ,as for the clergy who took part in the boresome palaver1 one can only marvel at them and ask why they did not 8veto0 the whole thing at once8 ,a penny paper is not the ,hall of ,pontius ,pilate4 ,as ministers of ,christ they might have protested against a modern-vulgar 8mock0 trial of their ,master4 ,it was in their power to do so1 and such a protest would have redounded to their honour4 ,at any rate1 they might themselves have abstained from joining in the foolish and unnecessary gabble4 ,for gabble it was1 and gabble it is4 ,no useful cause has been served thereby and no advantage gained4 ,the ,sons of ,israel have asked a question1--and some of the unwise among professing ,christians1 being caught in the ,israelitish trap1 have answered it4 ,the manner in which both question was put and answer given1 was unworthy of a country where the ,christian ,faith is the guiding light of the realm4 ,matters of religion are of course open to discussion in the treatise or book intended for quiet library reading1 or even in the better-class magazines1 but to hawk sacred subjects of personal sentiment and national creed about in the daily wear of newspaper columns which equally include murders1 divorces1 bigamies1 stocks and shares1 and the general dbris cast off as flotsam and jetsam in the turgid waves of ,mankind's ever-recurring mischief against itself1 was to the last degree reprehensible and regrettable4 ,and this1 if only for the possible impression likely to be created by such an action among the peoples of those countries to whom1 with ridiculous inconsistency1 we presume to send missionaries for the purpose of 8converting0 them to a ,creed we ourselves drag through the mire of doubt in our daily press4 ,fortunately1 however1 the matter1 deplorably as it has exhibited our 8religion0 to the eyes of 8heathen0 nations1 has now come to an end4 ,it has worked no change1--it has strengthened no weak places1--it has helped no struggling effort towards good4 ,the ,soul of the ,nation has not been moved thereby1 and it is the ,soul of the ,nation--that great1 silent patient and labouring ,soul with which all religion has to do1--that ,soul1 which the ,christian ,creed1 ever since it was first preached in ,britain1 has raised to such a height of supremacy and power1 that it needs all its reserve of sober courage and devout humility to help it bear its honours greatly4 ,for has it not been said--8,let him that thinketh he standeth1 take heed lest he fall60 ,one may look upon the innate spirit of ,revivalism1 exemplified in the hysteric wave of preaching1 praying and psalm-singing that has recently spread over ,wales and other districts1 as so much instinctive and natural popular rebellion against the insidious flood of atheism which has for the past ten years been striving to poison all the channels of man's better health and saner condition1--rebellion too against the apathetic coldness and shameless indifference of the ordained clergy to the clamorous needs of those neglected 8flocks0 which they are elected to serve4 8,enough10 say the ,people1 8of shams and shows6--enough of ministers who only minister to themselves and their own convenience6--enough of the preaching of the ,gospel by men who do not and will not fulfil a single one of its commands in their own lives and actions6 ,let us have something forcible and earnest1--let us be permitted to feel1 even though we shout and sing ourselves hoarse with the emotion which has been seething in us for years1--an emotion which we cannot explain to ourselves1 but which craves1 with a passion beyond all speech1 for some touch of ,heaven1 some closer comprehension of that #8,after-,death1' which ,god keeps back from us like a prize or a punishment for ,his obedient or rebellious children6 ,anything is better than the cold dead inertia of the ,churches1 sunk as they are in a blind lethargy from which they only bestir themselves dully when a chance is offered to them of engaging in some petty personal quarrel4 ,we are weary of priestly humbug1 selfishness and inefficiency--we will gather ourselves together and re-assert our faith in the world to come1 as true disciples of the ,lord60 ,and whether such ,revivalists elect to march under the banner of ,cocoa ,cadbury1 7an excellent advertisement for ,cadbury17 or any other emblazoned device of a successful trading concern1 is not a matter of much moment4 ,starving folk will march anywhere1--under anything or anybody1--if they are promised nourishment at the end of the journey4 ,and the ,soul of the ,nation is1 at this present period of time1 starving to the point of inanition in all forms of spiritual food4 ,the ,good ,shepherd gave ,his life for the sheep1 but the underlings who care not for the flock have let the wolves into the fold4 ,a thing which would appear to be frequently forgotten by those who hold ,governmental authority1 is that the most vital1 most powerful and most active principle of a ,nation is this spark of the ,divine which for want of any clearer mode of description we call the ,soul4 ,the ,soul of a single individual man or woman is the mere copy in miniature of the ,soul of a race1 or the ,soul of a world4 ,an involuntary1 half-conscious1 but nevertheless resistless impetus towards ultimate ,good is the ,soul's original quality and inborn ,ideal4 ,for1 if the human weakness of the fleshly creature impel it towards temporary phases of evil1 sooner or later the ,soul will set to work to pull it out of the stifling quagmire4 ,material ,nature is1 as we all know1 a remedial agent1 and wherever mischief is wrought she seeks to amend it4 ,spiritual ,nature is a still stronger healer4 ,for every injury self-inflicted or wrought by others on the immortal ,soul she has a saving balm1--and for every inch of progress which the ,soul essays to make along the lines leading to good1 she helps it forward a mile4 ,individuals find this out very soon in their own personal experience1--,nations discover it more slowly1 first1 because they have a longer time to live and learn than the individual unit1--and secondly because1 moving in great masses1 their periods of transit from one epoch of civilization to another must necessarily be more laborious and difficult4 ,but in all epochs1 in all eras1 the ,soul wins4 ,the fiery leaven which is of ,god1 works through the lump in various strange and complex forms till the whole is leavened4 ,and those nations in which the ,soul1 or ,spirit of the ,ideal1 is crushed and kept down by the iron hand of ,materialism1 are very soon seen to fall back in the rear of progress1--so far back indeed that we are fain to speak of them as 8decaying nations10 though of a truth no decay is possible to them1 but only temporary retrogression1 which will in due course revert to progress again when the ,soul is once more allowed to have its way4 ,but ,governments whose common law of procedure is to put this ,soul or 8spirit of the ,ideal10 in the background as a kind of myth or chimera1 and who seek to settle everything pertaining to the interests of the people by what they term 8practical0 methods1 7which often prove wholly unpractical17 are naturally prone to forget that whatever they do1 whatever they say1 the busy ,soul of the ,nation is altogether outside and above them1 fighting for itself1 often desperately and piteously1 and struggling to make use of its wings and rise higher and ever higher despite its hobbles of iron and feet of clay4 ,religion is supposed to give it this1 its demanded freedom of noble flight1 and the ,christian religion1 above all religions in the world1 with its consoling teaching that out of sorrow cometh joy1 and out of ,death is born ,life1 should make for the happiness and peace of every living creature4 ,but when the very ministers of that glorious ,faith cast doubt upon it1 and live their own lives in direct opposition to it1--when undevout and therefore limited scientists dissect a midge of truth in order to launch a leviathan of fallacious theory1--when there is no ,,one pure and simple ,church of ,christ where all may meet in honest worship of ,his perfect ,creed1 but only a million ,sects which blaspheme ,his ,divine memory by their outrageous and petty quarrels one with the other1--it is no matter for surprise that a strong revulsion of feeling should set in1 or that the ,soul of the ,nation1 conceiving itself grievously wronged and neglected1 should try to find some fresh path of its own heavenward1--some way out of mere ,sham--in the belief that if it obeys its own instinctive desire towards the ,highest ,ideal1 ,god will not suffer it to go far astray4 ,for the quarrels of the ,churches are the second crucifixion of ,christ4 ,the apathy of the priesthood is the deliberate casting away to sin of the people4 ,where there is no unity1 there is no force2 and the divine founder of ,christianity ,himself has told us that a house divided against itself shall not stand4 ,yet when one comes to think of it1 it is the strangest thing in the world that ,christians should quarrel1 seeing how plain and clear are the instructions left to them for their guidance by the ,master whom they profess to serve4 ,the ,new ,testament is easy reading4 ,its commands are brief and concise enough4 ,there would seem to be no room for discussion or difference4 ,why should there be followers of ,luther1 ,wesley1 or any other limited human preacher or teacher1 when all that is necessary is that we should be followers of ,christ8 ,the ,soul of the ,nation asks no more than this ,gospel of ,love1 lovingly imparted1--it seeks but for the one firm faith in the eternal things which are its birthright1--a faith held purely1 and wholly undoubted by those whose high mission is to teach it to each generation in turn1--it craves no more than that touch of heavenly sympathy which makes the whole world kin--that holy link which binds all mankind together in one strong knot of indissoluble spiritual belief in the love and justice2 the ,unseen ,force behind ,creation1 which will surely1 out of the verities of that same love and justice1 grant us a future life wherein will be made clear to us the reason and necessity of our strange sufferings1 martyrdoms1 disappointments and losses in this present mere brief episode of living4 ,the ,soul of the ,nation does not in itself ask reward for its good deeds1--nor does it weakly complain if punishment be inflicted upon it for its evil ones1--but it does demand justice1--it does ask why1 for no conscious fault of its own1 it should be born1 only to die4 ,were this question never to be answered1 then the mathematical exactitude with which everything1 small or great1 is balanced in the universe would be a merely elaborate scheme of unnecessary fallacy1 irrationally designed for the delusion of creatures who are not worth the trouble of deluding4 ,no one who is sane and morally healthy can contemplate such an idea as this for a moment1--it follows therefore that ,man1 living as he does between two ,infinities1 and endowed with a brain which can spiritually consider both without reeling1 must be guided by some great and illimitably wise destiny towards ends he knows not1 but which he may be reverently permitted to believe are for his better progress1 greater happiness and higher understanding1 and that he needs1 out of all things in the world1 a ,faith1 by which his soul shall be kept strong and pure1 his mind steady1 and his sympathies active4 ,no mockery of ,christianity1 such as that of ,servian priests who have publicly blessed regicides1--no cruel tyranny1 such as that of the ,greek ,church which dares to appeal to a ,god of ,love while the mighty masses of the ,russian people remain steeped in misery1 and are1 by very wretchedness1 driven to crime1--no cold ,conventionality of ,form and ,custom1 such as is practised in fashionable ,london 8,west ,end0 churches where society humbugs gather together to listen smirkingly to the civil cant of other society humbugs in surplices1 who1 passing for ministers of ,christ1 almost fear to preach the ,gospel as it was written1 lest its plain blunt truths should offend some highly-placed personage1--none of this kind of 8religion0 at all is of use1--but faith1--real faith--real aspiration--real uplifting to the ,ideal of all things noble1 all things great1 wise1 helpful and true4 ,this1 at the present crucial moment of time1 is what the ,soul of the ,nation demands1--and not only the ,soul of our own beloved and glorious ,nation1 but the ,souls of all nations whatsoever on the globe4 ,they stand up1--each in place1 each on its own spiritual plane1--stern1 strong and beautiful2--like the fabled statue of ,memnon they face the sunrise1 and at the first touch of the first ray of glory they speak4 ,their voices are as thunder among the spheres1--they demand what they deserve1--justice1 hope1 comfort1 uplifting6 ,to the mystic ,high ,altar of the ,infinite and ,eternal they lift their praying hands1 and to the priests of all religions they appeal4 8,give us the ,way1 the ,truth and the ,life6 ,cease your own wranglings and petty disputations1--have done with mere human dogma concerning the matters of life and death1--let us see the ,,man1 ,christ1--,he who suffered our sorrows1 and knew our need1--the ,brother1 the ,friend1 the ,helper1 for whom1 in braver days than these1 men gladly gave their lives to sword and fire and the jaws of wild beasts1--is there no manhood left now of such undaunted mettle8--is there not one who will think of ,,us1 the ,nations1 who hunger for the glorious vitality of ,faith1 which1 like the blood in our veins1 keeps us warm and young and vigorous8 ,or must we perish in the devil-clutch of ,materialism1 and go down to the depths1 thrust there by the very men who have been elected to hold us close to ,god8 ,we demand our rights in the ,divine and ,eternal ,love6--and these rights1 born in us from the beginning1 we will have1 even if all present-existing human forms and fabrics of creed go down in our struggle for the one pure faith under whose holy influence we shall become stronger and wiser1 and better able to understand our work and place in creation6 ,the gates of ,life shall not be shut upon us2--we will not accept the materialist's latter-day testimony that death shall be the end of all4 ,for if there be an ,eternal ,good we are part of its being and share in its ,eternal attributes4 ,and we say1--we ,souls of the ,nations1--to all our preachers and teachers and representatives of the ,divine on earth--,lift us up6 ,do not cast us down6 ,be yourselves the models of what you would have ,,us become6--so shall we be willing and ready to learn from you1--so shall we honour1 love and patiently follow you4 ,but if you1 as ministers of religion1 show yourselves worse hypocrites than the very sinners whom the law condemns1 then beware of us and our just vengeance6 ,for you take from us our very life-blood1 when you cheat us of the hope of ,heaven60 ,this is true4 ,a ,nation robbed of its faith1 is like a human body robbed of its heart--it has neither pulse nor motion1--it is the mere corpse of itself lying prone in the dust of perishable waste things4 ,and the fact that grave retribution will follow the steps of those who assist in bringing it to this doom cannot be doubted4 ,such retribution has then been visited heavily on over-prosperous peoples1 who1 misled by special pleaders in the cause of ,materialism have set ,god aside out of their countings as a non-proven quantity4 ,the 8non-proven0 has always proved itself with crushing swiftness and authority in the fall of great powers1 the shaking of great thrones1 and the ruin and degradation of great names1--while very often a calamitous climax of misery and disaster has befallen an entire civilization and brought it to utter decay4 ,such occurrences are traceable through all history1 and always appear to result from the same cause1--the crushing out of the vital principle1 the spiritual starving of the ,soul of a ,nation4 ,heaven has not denied or diminished its bounteous nourishment and blessing1--for1 in our own day1 the wonders of ,science have opened out to our view such infinite reaches of the ,ideal as should double and treble our perception of the glories yet to be unfolded to us when we have 8shuffled off this mortal coil0--while at the same time1 nothing in all our changing phases of progress has yet occurred to alter the simple and noble teaching of ,christ1 or to make such instruction otherwise than sane1 pure and helpful for every man1 woman and child ever born4 ,indeed1 it would seem with the marvellous new penetration we have gained into the secrets of the earth1 air and light1 that the ,infinite ,creator is approaching ,his creature even more nearly1 with fresh pledges of help and promise such as ,his ,messenger brought in the words3 8,fear not1 little flock1--it is your ,father's good pleasure to give you the ,kingdom40 ,and to the ,soul of the ,nation that 8,kingdom0 is everything4 ,in that kingdom it hopes to find all it has loved and lost1 all it has striven for and failed to win1 all that it has prayed for1 wept for1 worked for4 ,yet to-day between that aspiring ,soul and its immortal ,inheritance stand two deadly enemies1--a contentious ,churchdom and a capitalized ,press1--the one hypocrite1 the other materialist4 ,and the satirical demand 8,do we ,believe80 is but an echo of ,pilate's question 8,what is truth80--a question immediately followed by ,truth's crucifixion4 ,nevertheless the ,soul of the ,nation--our nation1 our empire--is becoming aware of its enemies4 ,it is instinctively conscious of threatening evil1 and is on the alert to save ,itself if others will not save it4 ,but its way out of the labyrinth of difficulty will probably be neither through ,church nor ,press1--nor will it be aided by 8revival0 meetings or ,salvationist assemblies4 ,its path will be cloven straight1--not crookedly2 for the ,british ,nation1 above all other nations in the world1 does most easily sicken of priestly ,sham and subsidized ,journalism4 ,and the sane1 strong ,soul of it--that ,soul which in its native intrinsic virtue1 is devoutly ,god-fearing1 pure and true1 will find means to shake off its pressing foes and stand free4 ,for priestcraft and dogma are like prison chains fastened upon the progressive spirit of humanity1 and they have nothing in common with the simple teaching of ,christ1 which is the only real ,christianity4 ,,butler ,,tanner1 ,,the ,,selwood ,,printing ,,works1 ,,frome1 ,,and ,,london4