a preface by Professor George Saintsbury (surely a respectable
mandarin), under the title, "The Harlot's Progress." The man of taste
asked, "Have you read the book?" "No," said the manager. "Have you read
any of Balzac's novels?" "No," said the manager. "Do you prohibit
Galsworthy's 'Man of Property'?" "No," said the manager. "Have you read
it?" "No," said the manager. "Do you prohibit Jacob Tonson's last novel?"
"No," said the manager. "Have you read it?" "No," said the manager.
"Well," said the man of taste, "you'd better read one or two of these
later writers, and then think over the Balzac question." The manager
discreetly replied that he would consult the principal proprietor. The
next morning "The Harlot's Progress," in two volumes, was sent round from
the library.

* * * * *

But imagine it! Imagine one of the largest circulating libraries in the
world, in the year 1909, refusing to supply an established, world-admired,
classical work of genius because its title contains the word "harlot"! In
no other European capital, nor in any American capital, could such a
monstrously idiotic and disgusting thing happen. It is so preposterous
that one cannot realize it all at once. I am a tremendous admirer of
England. I have lived too long in foreign parts not to see the fineness
of England. But in matters of hypocrisy there is really something very
wrong with this island, and the atmosphere of this island is thick enough
to choke all artists dead. You can walk up and down the Strand and see
photographs of celebrated living harlots all over the place. You can buy
them on picture post cards for your daughter. You can see their names even
on the posters of high-class weekly papers. You can entertain them at the
most select fashionable restaurants. Indeed, the shareholders of
fashionable restaurants would look very blue without the said harlots.
(Only they aren't called harlots.) But if you desire to read a masterpiece
of social fiction, some mirror of crass stupidity in a circulating library
will try to save you from yourself.

* * * * *

[_24 Feb. '10_]

Up Yorkshire way the opponents of freedom have been dealing some effective
blows at the Libraries Censorship. They doubtless imagine that they have
been supporting the Libraries Censorship; but they are mistaken. Hull has
distinguished itself. It is a strange, interesting place. I only set foot
in it once; the