AN INDEFENSIBLE CHARGE 81 



British, American, and Continental, men fol- 

 lowing every branch of science ; and yet, with this 

 wide experience, I do not know a single one to 

 whom the author's words could bo fairly applied. 

 Speaking for myself, if I may venture upon what, 

 in the circumstances is not a piece of unnecessary 

 egotism, I would gratefully record the refresh- 

 ment and delight which I have ever found in the 

 works of the English poets. I allude to it, because 

 one who keenly feels this pleasure only too easily 

 detects and is chilled by the want of appreciation 

 of it in others. I should not indeed be surprised 

 if the author's charge against scientific men were 

 true of certain students of literature, men who 

 seem to have triumphed over our conventional 

 tests in the letter so exacting, so heedless of 

 the spirit by means of a knack or trick, and 

 emerge victorious without any perceptible trace 

 of refinement or of interest in any subject, even 

 their own. Such men compare unfavourably 

 with one of our greatest professional exponents 

 of the most difficult of all games, who confessed 

 that, although he did not really care for golf, he 

 was devoted to poaching. 



In this protest, which I have felt it my duty to 

 make, I do not in any way question the author's 

 good faith. It is evident in every line, while the 

 article, when not concerned with the supposed 

 tastes of scientific men, shows great breadth of 

 view and keen penetration. The extraordinary 

 misstatements are due in the first place to the 



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