152 THE EULOGY OF RICHARD JEFFERIES. 



novels at any time with no more regret than 

 that this scene or that picture was not longer. 

 As the writer never took any interest in his 

 own characters one understands that as 

 clearly as if it was proclaimed upon the 

 house-tops so none of his readers can be 

 expected to feel any interest. It is the old, 

 old story. In any kind of art it matters not 

 what if you wish your readers to weep, you 

 must first be constrained to weep yourself. 

 Many other reasons might be produced for 

 showing that Jefferies could never have been 

 a successful novelist; but these may suffice. 



Meantime, the wonder remains. How could 

 the same hand write the coarse and clumsy 

 " Scarlet Shawl " which was shortly to give 

 the world such sweet and delicate work, so 

 truthful, so artistic, so full of fine feeling? 

 How could that be possible? Indeed, one 

 cannot altogether explain it. Collectors of 

 Jefferies' books unless they are mere col- 

 lectors who want to have a complete set will 

 do well to omit the early novels. They belong 

 to that class of book which quickly becomes 

 scarce, but never becomes rare. 



