the angel and the author-第3章

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him。　　It　transpired　it　was　a　hat　she　rather　fancied　herself　in。　　He　
peeped　round　the　corner　while　we　were　talking；　the　hat　in　his　hand。　　
He　held　it　out　to　her；　but　she　took　no　notice　of　him。　　I　gathered　the　
incident　was　closed；　and　went　my　way；　but　turned　a　few　steps　further　
on；　curious　to　witness　the　end。　　Step　by　step　he　approached　nearer；　
looking　a　little　ashamed　of　himself；　but　still　she　wept；　her　face　
hidden　in　her　arm。

He　was　not　expecting　it：　　to　all　seeming　she　stood　there　the　
personification　of　the　grief　that　is　not　to　be　comforted；　oblivious　
to　all　surroundings。　　Incautiously　he　took　another　step。　　In　an　
instant　she　had　〃landed〃　him　over　the　head　with　a　long　narrow　wooden　
box　containing；　one　supposes；　pencils　and　pens。　　He　must　have　been　a　
hard…headed　youngster；　the　sound　of　the　compact　echoed　through　the　
valley。　　I　met　her　again　on　my　way　back。

〃Hat　much　damaged？〃　I　inquired。

〃Oh；　no；〃　she　answered；　smiling；　〃besides；　it　was　only　an　old　hat。　　
I've　got　a　better　one　for　Sundays。〃

I　often　feel　philosophical　myself；　generally　over　a　good　cigar　after　
a　satisfactory　dinner。　　At　such　times　I　open　my　Marcus　Aurelius；　my　
pocket　Epicurus；　my　translation　of　Plato's　〃Republic。〃　　At　such　times　
I　agree　with　them。　　Man　troubles　himself　too　much　about　the　
unessential。　　Let　us　cultivate　serenity。　　Nothing　can　happen　to　us　
that　we　have　not　been　constituted　by　Nature　to　sustain。　　That　foolish　
farm　labourer；　on　his　precarious　wage　of　twelve　shillings　a　week：　　
let　him　dwell　rather　on　the　mercies　he　enjoys。　　Is　he　not　spared　all　
anxiety　concerning　safe　investment　of　capital　yielding　four　per　
cent。？　　Is　not　the　sunrise　and　the　sunset　for　him　also？　　Many　of　us　
never　see　the　sunrise。　　So　many　of　our　so…termed　poorer　brethen　are　
privileged　rarely　to　miss　that　early　morning　festival。　　Let　the　
daemon　within　them　rejoice。　　Why　should　he　fret　when　the　children　cry　
for　bread？　　Is　it　not　in　the　nature　of　things　that　the　children　of　
the　poor　should　cry　for　bread？　　The　gods　in　their　wisdom　have　
arranged　it　thus。　　Let　the　daemon　within　him　reflect　upon　the　
advantage　to　the　community　of　cheap　labour。　　Let　the　farm　labourer　
contemplate　the　universal　good。



CHAPTER　III



＇Literature　and　the　Middle　Classes。＇

I　am　sorry　to　be　compelled　to　cast　a　slur　upon　the　Literary　
profession；　but　observation　shows　me　that　it　still　contains　within　
its　ranks　writers　born　and　bred　in；　and　moving　amidstif；　without　
offence；　one　may　put　it　bluntlya　purely　middle…class　environment：　　
men　and　women　to　whom　Park　Lane　will　never　be　anything　than　the　
shortest　route　between　Notting　Hill　and　the　Strand；　to　whom　Debrett's　
Peerage　gilt…edged　and　bound　in　red；　a　tasteful…looking　volume
ever　has　been　and　ever　will　remain　a　drawing…room　ornament　and　not　a　
social　necessity。　　Now　what　is　to　become　of　these　writersof　us；　if　
for　the　moment　I　may　be　allowed　to　speak　as　representative　of　this　
rapidly…diminishing　yet　nevertheless　still　numerous　section　of　the　
world　of　Art　and　Letters？　　Formerly；　provided　we　were　masters　of　
style；　possessed　imagination　and　insight；　understood　human　nature；　
had　sympathy　with　and　knowledge　of　life；　and　could　express　ourselves　
with　humour　and　distinction；　our　pathway　was；　comparatively　speaking；　
free　from　obstacle。　　We　drew　from　the　middle…class　life　around　us；　
passed　it　through　our　own　middle…class　individuality；　and　presented　
it　to　a　public　composed　of　middle…class　readers。

But　the　middle…class　public；　for　purposes　of　Art；　has　practically　
disappeared。　　The　social　strata　from　which　George　Eliot　and　Dickens　
drew　their　characters　no　longer　interests　the　great　B。　P。　Hetty　
Sorrell；　Little　Em'ly；　would　be　pronounced　〃provincial；〃　a　Deronda　or　
a　Wilfer　Family　ignored　as　〃suburban。〃

I　confess　that　personally　the　terms　〃provincial〃　and　〃suburban；〃　as　
epithets　of　reproach；　have　always　puzzled　me。　　I　never　met　anyone　
more　severe　on　what　she　termed　the　〃suburban　note〃　in　literature　than　
a　thin　lady　who　lived　in　a　semi…detached　villa　in　a　by…street　of　
Hammersmith。　　Is　Art　merely　a　question　of　geography；　and　if　so　what　
is　the　exact　limit？　　Is　it　the　four…mile　cab　radius　from　Charing　
Cross？　　Is　the　cheesemonger　of　Tottenham　Court　Road　of　necessity　a　
man　of　taste；　and　the　Oxford　professor　of　necessity　a　Philistine？　　I　
want　to　understand　this　thing。　　I　once　hazarded　the　direct　question　
to　a　critical　friend：

〃You　say　a　book　is　suburban；〃　I　put　it　to　him；　〃and　there　is　an　end　
to　the　matter。　　But　what　do　you　mean　by　suburban？〃

〃Well；〃　he　replied；　〃I　mean　it　is　the　sort　of　book　likely　to　appeal　
to　the　class　that　inhabits　the　suburbs。〃　　He　lived　himself　in　
Chancery　Lane。

＇May　a　man　of　intelligence　live；　say；　in　Surbiton？＇

〃But　there　is　Jones；　the　editor　of　The　Evening　Gentleman；〃　I　argued；　
〃he　lives　at　Surbiton。　　It　is　just　twelve　miles　from　Waterloo。　　He　
comes　up　every　morning　by　the　eight…fifteen　and　returns　again　by　the　
five…ten。　　Would　you　say　that　a　book　is　bound　to　be　bad　because　it　
appeals　to　Jones？　　Then　again；　take　Tomlinson：　　he　lives；　as　you　are　
well　aware；　at　Forest　Gate　which　is　Epping　way；　and　entertains　you　on　
Kakemonos　whenever　you　call　upon　him。　　You　know　what　I　mean；　of　
course。　　I　think　'Kakemono'　is　right。　　They　are　long　things；　they　
look　like　coloured　hieroglyphics　printed　on　brown　paper。　　He　gets　
behind　them　and　holds　them　up　above　his　head　on　the　end　of　a　stick　so　
that　you　can　see　the　whole　of　them　at　once；　and　he　tells　you　the　name　
of　the　Japanese　artist　who　painted　them　in　the　year　1500　B。C。；　and　
what　it　is　all　about。　　He　shows　them　to　you　by　the　hour　and　forgets　
to　give　you　dinner。　　There　isn't　an　easy　chair　in　the　house。　　To　put　
it　vulgarly；　what　is　wrong　with　Tomlinson　from　a　high　art　point　of　
view？

〃There's　a　man　I　know　who　lives　in　Birmingham：　　you　must　have　heard　
of　him。　　He　is　the　great　collector　of　Eighteenth　Century　caricatures；　
the　Rowlandson　and　Gilray　school　of　things。　　I　don't　call　them　
artistic　myself；　they　make　me　ill　to　look　at　them；　but　people　who　
understand　Art　rave　about　them。　　Why　can't　a　man　be　artistic　who　has　
got　a　cottage　in　the　country？〃

〃You　don't　understand　me；〃　retorted　my　critical　friend；　a　little　
irritably；　as　I　thought。

〃I　admit　it；〃　I　returned。　　〃It　is　what　I　am　trying　to　do。〃

〃Of　course　artistic　people　live　in　the　suburbs；〃　he　admitted。　　〃But　
they　are　not　of　the　suburbs。〃

〃Though　they　may　dwell　in　Wimbledon　or　Hornsey；〃　I　suggested；　〃they　
sing　with　the　Scotch　bard：　　'My　heart　is　in　the　South…West　postal　
district。　　My　heart　is　not　here。'〃

〃You　can　put　it　that　way　if　you　like；〃　he　growled。

〃I　will；　if　you　have　no　objection；〃　I　agreed。　　〃It　makes　life　easier　
for　those　of　us　with　limited　incomes。〃

The　modern　novel　takes　care；　however；　to　avoid　all　doubt　upon　the　
subject。　　Its　personages；　one　and　all；　reside　within　the　half…mile　
square　lying　between　Bond　Street　and　the　Parka　neighbourhood　that　
would　appear　to　be　somewhat　densely　populated。　　True；　a　year　or　two　
ago　there　appeared　a　fairly　successful　novel　the　heroine　of　which　
resided　in　Onslow　Gardens。　　An　eminent　critic　observed　of　it　that：　　
〃It　fell　short　only　by　a　little　way　of　being　a　serious　contribution　
to　English　literature。〃　　Consultation　with　the　keeper　of　the　cabman's　
shelter　at　Hyde　Park　Corner　suggested　to　me　that　the　〃little　way〃　the　
critic　had　in　mind　measures　exactly　eleven　hundred　yards。　　When　the　
nobility　and　gentry　of　the　modern　novel　do　leave　London　they　do　not　
go　into　the　provinces：　　to　do　that　would　be　vulgar。　　They　make　
straight　for　〃Barchester　Towers；〃　or　what　the　Duke　calls　〃his　little　
place　up　north〃localities；　one　presumes；　suspended　somewhere　in　
mid…air。

In　every　social　circle　exist　great　souls　with　yearnings　towards　
higher　things。　　Even　among　the　labouring　classes　one　meets　with　
naturally　refined　natures；　gentlemanly　persons　to　whom　the　loom　and　
the　plough　will　always　appear　low；　whose　natural　desire　is　towards　
the　dignities　and　graces　of　the　servants'　hall。　　So　in　Grub　Street　we　
can　always　reckon　upon　the　superior　writer　whose　temperament　will　
prompt　him　to　make　respectful　study　of　his　betters。　　A　reasonable　
supply　of　high…class　novels　might　always　have　been　depended　upon；　the　
trouble　is　that　the　public　now　demands　that　all　stories　must　be　of　
the　upper　ten　thousand。　　Auld　Robin　Grey　must　be　Sir　Robert　Grey；　
South　African　millionaire；　and　Jamie；　the　youngest　son　of　the　old　
Earl；　otherwise　a　cultured　public　can　take　no　interest　in　the　ballad。　　
A　modern　nursery　rhymester　to　succeed　would　have　to　write　of　Little　
Lord　Jack　and　Lady　Jill　ascending　one　of　the　many　beautiful　eminences　
belonging　to　the　ancestral　estates　of　their　parents；　bearing　between　
them；　on　a　silver　rod；　an　exquisitely　painted　Sevres　vase　filled　with　
ottar　of　roses。

I　take　up　my　fourpenny…halfpenny　magazine。　　The　heroine　is　a　youthful　
Duchess；　her　husband　gambles　with　thousand…pound　notes；　with　the　
result　that　they　are　reduced　to　living　on　the　first　floor　of　the　
Carlton　Hotel。　　The　villain　is　a　Russian　Prince。　　The　Baronet　of　a　
simpler　age　has　been　unable；　poor　fellow；　to　keep　pace　with　the　
times。　　What　self…respecting　heroine　would　abandon　her　husband　and　
children　for　sin　and　a　paltry　five　thousand　a　year？　　To　the　heroine　
of　the　pastto　the　clergyman's　daughter　or　the　lady　artisthe　was　
dangerous。　　The　modern　heroine　misbehaves　herself　with　nothing　below　
Cabinet　rank。

I　turn　to　something　less　pretentious；　a　weekly　periodical　that　my　
wife　tells　me　is　the　best　authority　she　has　come　across　on　blouses。　　
I　find　in　it　what　once　upon　a　time　would　have　been　called　a　farce。　　
It　is　now　a　〃drawing…room　comedietta。　　All　rights　reserved。〃　　The　
dramatis　personae　consist　of　the　Earl　of　Danbury；　the　Marquis　of　
Rottenborough　（with　a　past）；　and　an　American　heiressa　character　
that　nowadays　takes　with　lovers　of　the　simple　the　place　formerly　
occupied　by　〃Rose；　the　miller's　daughter。〃

I　sometimes　wonder；　is　it　such　teaching　as　that　of　Carlyle　and　
Tennyson　that　is　responsible　for　this　present　tendency　of　literature？　　
Carlyle　impressed　upon　us　that　the　only　history　worth　consideration　
was　the　life　of　great　men　and　women；　and　Tennyson　that　we　〃needs　must　
love　the　highest。〃　　So　literature；　striving　ever　upward；　ignores　
plain　Romola　for　the　Lady　Ponsonby　de　Tompkins；　the　provincialisms　of　
a　Charlotte　Bronte　for　what　a　certain　critic；　born　before　his　time；　
would　have　called　the　〃doin's　of　the　hupper　succles。〃

The　British　Drama　has　advanced　by　even　greater　bounds。　　It　takes　
place　now　exclusively　within　castle　walls；　andwhat　Messrs。　Lumley　&　
Co。's　circular　would　describe　as〃desirable　town　mansions；　suitable　
for　gentlemen　of　means。〃　　A　living　dramatist；　who　should　know；　tells　
us　that　drama　does　not　occur　in　the　back　parlour。　　Dramatists　have；　
it　has　been　argued；　occasionally　found　it　there；　but　such　may　have　
been　dramatists　with　eyes　capable　of　seeing　through　clothes。

I　once　wrote　a　play　which　I　read　to　a　distinguished　Manager。　　He　said　
it　was　a　most　interesting　play：　　they　always　say　that。　　I　waited；　
wondering　to　what　other　manager　he　would　recommend　me　to　take　it。