Bache.] ^O 



Mankind is subject to epidemic crazes of anticipation, admira- 

 tion and repudiation. The Mississippi Scheme and the South-Sea 

 Bubble, blown to hugest dimensions by the breath of millions, 

 sailed upward until burst by continued puffs of praise. Within 

 a very short period Brown-Sequard, who did not even claim that 

 which the public attributed to him, was raised heavenward, then 

 dropped to earth. Koch was most wisely moderate in statement ; 

 all to no purpose when the imagination of the public set sense 

 aflame. Even tulips, two centuries ago, and orchids, but yester- 

 day, have each had with the proverbial dog their little exalted 

 day ; that of the dog, as no longer individual, but collective in 

 popular admiration, reigning at present throughout the whole 

 Anglo-Saxon world. In what an unaesthetic general atmosphere 

 of judgment of excellence we live we must perceive upon reflection 

 that, through jaqueminots, la France, and other types, it took 

 fashion at last to find out, and that but lately, the beauty of 

 the rose. But this especially modern development of factitious 

 rapture is not in the real interest of anything good, least of all 

 in that of cultivating popular taste for art. The best interests of 

 that cultivation lie in appreciative recognition of greatness, 

 though careful discrimination and frankest acknowledgment of 

 imperfections as well as merits in a work of art, while at bottom 

 thankfulness is felt for the gift that has been added to the sum of 

 blessings. It is not ennobling to kiss with equal fervor the clay 

 feet and the golden brow of our idol. Gladly let us welcome him 

 among our household gods ; remembering, however, that after all, 

 he is human, but all the more lovable for being so. Let us avoid 

 lauding his imperfections, as did Mr. Moulton, when he claimed 

 merit even for the obscurity of Browning, because, as he said, it 

 arises " from excessive sight." The defense is inadmissible ; for 

 art depends upon perspective, upon rigid selection, involving 

 therefore exclusion, converging upon finest limitation, resulting 

 in ideal form evolved from void. He who in literature strives at 

 any time to include, or does inadvertently include, in the treat- 

 ment of a theme, more in quantity or in quality than its develop- 

 ment can symmetrically combine, has not then successfully 

 raised the sleeping angel from the block of marble. Virgil, with 

 excessive requirement of his own exquisite skill, well understood 

 the demands of the highest art, when he willed that at his death 

 the work which he had not yet published should perish ; for he 



