e interpolation of the story of the Hard Nut,
although the 'cement' of the whole lies there, I consider to be a
fault, because the story is--in appearance at all events--complicated
and confused by it, and it rather stretches and broadens the threads.
You have declared that we are incompetent critics, and so reduced us to
silence; but I cannot help telling you that, if you bring this tale
before the public, many very rational people--particularly those who
never have been children themselves (which is the case with many)--will
shrug their shoulders and shake their heads, and say the whole affair
is a pack of stupid nonsense; or, at all events, that some attack of
fever must have suggested your ideas, because nobody in his sound and
sober senses could have written such a piece of chaotic monstrosity."

"Very good," said Lothair, "to such a head-shaker I should make a
profound reverence, lay my hand on my heart, and assure him that it is
little service to an author if all sorts of fancies dawn upon him in a
confused dream, unless he can discuss them with himself by the light of
sound reason and judgment, and work out the threads of them firmly and
soberly. Moreover, I would say that no description of work demands a
clear and quiet mind more absolutely than just this; for, although it
must have the effect of flashing out in all directions with the most
arbitrary disregard of all rules, it must contain a firm kernel within
it."

"Nobody can gainsay you in this," said Cyprian. "Still, it must always
be a risky undertaking to bring the utterly fanciful into the domain of
everyday life, and clap mad, enchanted caps on to the heads of grave
and sober folks--judges, students, and Masters of the Rolls--so that
they go gliding about like ghosts in broad daylight up and down the
most frequented streets of the most familiar towns, and one does not
know what to think of his most respectable neighbours. It is true that
this brings with it a certain tone of irony, which acts as a spur to
the lazy spirit, or rather entices it, unobservedly, with a plausible
face, into this unaccustomed province."

"But the said tone of irony," said Theodore, "is capable of becoming
a most dangerous pitfall; for the pleasantness of the plot and
execution--which we have a right to demand in all tales of the
kind--may very easily trip over it and go tumbling to the bottom."

"But I do not believe it is possible to lay down definite canons for
the const