xtreme emotion, it is
not tiresome, and, at the worst, it satisfies a convention which has
not done very much harm. Now on what logical ground can we expect
people who were nourished on a literature which is at all events
hearty even when it chances to be stupid--on what grounds can the
organisers of improvement expect an English man or woman to take a
sudden fancy to the diaphanous ghosts of the new American fiction? I
dislike out-of-the-way words, and so perhaps, instead of "diaphanous
ghosts," I had better say "transparent wraiths," or "marionettes of
superfine manufacture," or anything the reader likes that implies
frailty and want of human resemblance. It all comes to the same thing;
the individuals who recommend a change of literature as they might
recommend a change of air do not know the constitutions of the
patients for whom they prescribe. It has occurred to me that a
delightful comedy scene might be witnessed if one of the badgered folk
who are to be "raised" were to say on a sudden, "In the name of
goodness, how do you know that my literature is not better than yours?
Why should I not raise you? When you tell me that these nicely-dressed
ladies and gentlemen, who only half say anything they want to say and
who never half do anything, are polished and delightful, and so on, I
grant that they are so to you, and I do not try to upset your
judgment. But your judgment and my taste are two very different
things; and, when I use my taste, I find your heroes and heroines very
consummate bores; so I shall keep to my own old favourites." Who could
blame the person who uttered those very awkward protests? The question
to me is--Who need most to be dealt with--those who are asked to learn
some new thing, or those who have learned the new thing and show signs
that they would be better if they could forget it? I should not have
much hesitation in giving an answer.

Then, as to public amusements, we have to look quite as closely and
distrustfully at the action of the reformers as we have at the action
of the kind gentlefolk who are going to give us "Daniel Deronda" and
the highly entertaining works of Mr. William Deans Howells in place of
the dear welcome stories that pass away the long hours. Let it be
understood that I do not wish to say one word likely to be construed
into a jeer at real culture; but I must, as a matter of mercy, say
something in defence of those who cannot understand or win emotions
from such things a