een used, so far as I know. I like the word "letters."
How much better "a man of letters" than "a literary man"! And apropos of
that, when was the word "literature" first used in our modern sense
to signify a body of writing? In Johnson's day it was pretty much the
equivalent of our "culture." You remember his saying, "It is surprising
how little literature people have." His dictionary, I believe, defines
the word as "learning, skill in letters"--nothing else.'

It was characteristic of Yule to dwell with gusto on little points such
as this; he prosed for a quarter of an hour, with a pause every now and
then whilst he kept his pipe alight.

'I think Letters wouldn't be amiss,' he said at length, returning to
the suggestion which he wished to keep before Marian's mind. 'It would
clearly indicate our scope. No articles on bimetallism, as Quarmby
said--wasn't it Quarmby?'

He laughed idly.

'Yes, I must ask Jedwood how he likes the name.'

Though Marian feared the result, she was glad when Jasper made up his
mind to write to her father. Since it was determined that her money
could not be devoted to establishing a review, the truth ought to be
confessed before Yule had gone too far in nursing his dangerous hope.
Without the support of her love and all the prospects connected with it,
she would hardly have been capable of giving a distinct refusal when her
reply could no longer be postponed; to hold the money merely for her own
benefit would have seemed to her too selfish, however slight her faith
in the project on which her father built so exultantly. When it was
declared that she had accepted an offer of marriage, a sacrifice of that
kind could no longer be expected of her. Opposition must direct itself
against the choice she had made. It would be stern, perhaps relentless;
but she felt able to face any extremity of wrath. Her nerves quivered,
but in her heart was an exhaustless source of courage.

That a change had somehow come about in the girl Yule was aware. He
observed her with the closest study day after day. Her health seemed
to have improved; after a long spell of work she had not the air of
despondent weariness which had sometimes irritated him, sometimes
made him uneasy. She was more womanly in her bearing and speech, and
exercised an independence, appropriate indeed to her years, but such
as had not formerly declared itself The question with her father
was whether these things resulted simply from her cons