when I
saw the professor of philosophy and aesthetics.

"The artist says that you have no _Kultur_," I told him; for I wanted
to see how he received a shock.

"The artist speaks the truth," said the professor calmly. I have never
met anyone more civilised and scholarly then he was himself; and I set
a high value on his opinion.

"What is _Kultur_?" I asked.

"One result of it is a fine discrimination," he replied, "a fine
discrimination in art, in conduct, and in manner."

"Are you not the most intellectual people in the world?" I said
reproachfully.

He seemed to think that had nothing to do with it.

"Are you still worrying your head about _Kultur_?" said the artist
next time I saw him. "Then I will explain a little more to you. I, as
you know, am extremely _anti-Semite_."

"I am sure that is not a proof of _Kultur_," I said hurriedly.

"It is not a proof of anything. It is a result. Nevertheless I
perceive that if it were not for the Jews there would be neither art
nor literature in Germany. They create, they appreciate, they support,
and although we affect to despise them we invariably follow them like
sheep. What they admire we admire; what they discover we see to be
good. But ... I told you I was _anti-Semite_, ... though they have
most of the brains in the country, they have little _Kultur_. One of
us who is as stupid as an ox, ... most of us are as stupid as oxen,
... may have more, ... but because he is stupid he cannot impose his
opinion on the multitude."

"Do you mean that the Jews set the fashion in art and literature, and
that they sometimes set a bad one?" I asked

"That is exactly what I mean."

It was a curious theory, and I will not be responsible for its truth.
But there is no doubt that in every German town artistic and literary
society has its centre amongst the educated Jews. They are most
generous hosts, and it is their pleasure to gather round them an
aristocracy of genius. The aristocracy that is perfectly happy without
genius would as a rule not enter a Jew's house; though the poorer
members of the aristocracy often marry a Jew's daughter. Where there
is inter-marriage some social intercourse is presumably inevitable.
But the social crusade against Jews is carried on in Germany to an
extent we do not dream of here. The Christian clubs and hostels
exclude them, Christian families avoid them, and Christian insults are
offered to them from the day of their birth. "What do you use t