SincethenthecenturiesinEnglandhaveachievedsomethingdifferent；
andsomethingwhich，fortunately，isperfectlyeasytostate。Thereisnodoubtaboutwhatwehavedone。Wehavekepttheinequality，butwehavedestroyedthesecurity。Themanisnottiedtotheland，asinserfdom；noristhelandtiedtotheman，asinapeasantry。Therichmanhasenteredintoanabsoluteownershipoffarmsandfields；and(inthemodernindustrialphrase)hehaslockedouttheEnglishpeople。Theycanonlyfindanacretodigorahousetosleepinbyacceptingsuchcompetitiveandcrueltermsashechoosestoimpose。
Well，whatwouldhappenthen，overthelargerpartsoftheplanet，partsinhabitedbysavages？Savages，ofcourse，wouldhuntandfish。ThatretreatfortheEnglishpoorwasperceived；andthatretreatwascutoff。
GamelawsweremadetoextendoverdistrictsliketheArcticsnowsortheSahara。TherichmanhadpropertyoveranimalshehadnomoredreamedofthanagovernorofRomanAfricahaddreamedofagiraffe。Heownedallthebirdsthatpassedoverhisland:hemightaswellhaveownedallthecloudsthatpassedoverit。IfarabbitranfromSmith\'slandtoBrown\'sland，itbelongedtoBrown，asifitwerehispetdog。
Thelogicalanswertothiswouldbesimple:AnyonestungonBrown\'slandoughttobeabletoprosecuteBrownforkeepingadangerouswaspwithoutamuzzle。
Thusthepoormanwasforcedtobeatrampalongtheroadsandtosleepintheopen。Thatretreatwasperceived；andthatretreatwascutoff。
AlandlessmaninEnglandcanbepunishedforbehavingintheonlywaythatalandlessmancanbehave:forsleepingunderahedgeinSurreyoronaseatontheEmbankment。Hissinisdescribed(withahideoussenseoffun)asthatofhavingnovisiblemeansofsubsistence。
Thelastpossibility，ofcourse，isthatuponwhichallhumanbeingswouldfallbackiftheyweresinkinginaswamporimpaledonaspikeordesertedonanisland。Itisthatofcallingoutforpitytothepasser-
by。Thatretreatwasperceived；andthatretreatwascutoff。AmaninEnglandcanbesenttoprisonforaskinganothermanforhelpinthenameofGod。
Youhavedoneallthesethings，andbysodoingyouhaveforcedthepoortoservetherich，andtoservethemonthetermsoftherich。Theyhavestilloneweaponleftagainsttheextremesofinsultandunfairness:thatweaponistheirnumbersandthenecessityofthosenumberstotheworkingofthatvastandslavishmachine。Andbecausetheystillhadthislastretreat(whichwecalltheStrike)，becausethisretreatwasalsoperceived，therewastalkofthisretreatbeingalsocutoff。Whereupontheworkmenbecamesuddenlyandviolentlyangry；andstruckatyourBoardsandCommitteeshere，there，andwherevertheycould。Andyouopenedonthemtheeyesofowls，andsaid，\"Itmustbethesunshine。”
Youcouldonlygoonsaying，\"Thesun，thesun。”ThatwaswhatthemaninIbsensaid，whenhehadlosthiswits。
THEWRONGINCENDIARY
IstoodlookingattheCoronationProcession——ImeantheoneinBeaconsfield；nottheratherelephantineimitationofitwhich，Ibelieve，hadsomesuccessinLondon——andIwasseriouslyimpressed。MostofmylifeispassedindiscoveringwithadeathlysurprisethatIwasquiteright。NeverbeforehaveIrealisedhowrightIwasinmaintainingthatthesmallareaexpressestherealpatriotism:thesmallerthefieldthetallerthetower。Therewerethingsinourlocalprocessionthatdidnot(onemightevenreverentlysay，couldnot)occurintheLondonprocession。
Oneofthemostprominentcitizensinourprocession(forinstance)hadhisfaceblacked。Anotherrodeonaponywhichworepinkandbluetrousers。IwasnotpresentattheMetropolitanaffair，andthereforemyassertionissubjecttosuchcorrectionastheeyewitnessmayalwaysoffertotheabsentee。ButIbelievewithsomefirmnessthatnosuchfeaturesoccurredintheLondonpageant。
ButitisnotofthelocalcelebrationthatIwouldspeak，butofsomethingthatoccurredbeforeit。Inthefieldbeyondtheendofmygardenthematerialsforabonfirehadbeenheaped；ahillofeverykindofrubbishandrefuseandthingsthatnobodywants；brokenchairs，deadtrees，rags，shavings，newspapers，newreligions，inpamphletform，reportsoftheEugenicCongress，andsoon。Allthisrefuse，materialandmental，itwasourpurposetopurifyandchangetoholyflameonthedaywhentheKingwascrowned。Thefollowingisanaccountoftheratherstrangethingthatreallyhappened。Idonotknowwhetheritwasanysortofsymbol；butInarrateitjustasitbefell。
InthemiddleofthenightIwokeupslowlyandlistenedtowhatI
supposedtobetheheavycrunchingofacart-wheelalongaroadofloosestones。Thenitgrewlouder，andIthoughtsomebodywasshootingoutcartloadsofstones；thenitseemedasiftheshockwasbreakingbigstonesintopieces。ThenIrealisedthatunderthissoundtherewasalsoastrange，sleepy，almostinaudibleroar；andthatontopofiteverynowandthencamepigmypopslikeabattleofpennypistols。ThenIknewwhatitwas。Iwenttothewindow；andagreatfirelightflungacrosstwomeadowssmotemewhereIstood。\"Oh，myholyaunt，\"Ithought，\"they\'vemistakentheCoronationDay。”
AndyetwhenIeyedthetransfiguredsceneitdidnotseemexactlylikeabonfireoranyritualillumination。Itwastoochaotic，andtooclosetothehousesofthetown。Allonesideofacottagewaspaintedpinkwiththegiantbrushofflame；thenextside，bycontrast，waspaintedasblackastar。Alongthefrontofthisranablackeningrimorrampartedgedwitharestlessredribbonthatdancedanddoubledanddevouredlikeascarletsnake；andbeyonditwasnothingbutadeathlyfulnessoflight。
Iputonsomeclothesandwentdowntheroad；allthedullorstartlingnoisesinthatdinofburninggrowinglouderandlouderasIwalked。Theheaviestsoundwasthatofanincessantcrackingandcrunching，asifsomegiantwithteethofstonewasbreakingupthebonesoftheworld。I
hadnotyetcomewithinsightoftherealheartandhabitatofthefire；
butthestrongredlight，likeanunnaturalmidnightsunset，powderedthegrayestgrasswithgoldandflushedthefewtalltreesuptothelastfingersoftheirfoliage。Behindthemthenightwasblackandcavernous；
andonecouldonlytracefaintlytheashenhorizonbeyondthedarkandmagicWiltonWoods。AsIwent，aworkmanonabicycleshotaroodpastme；thenstaggeredfromhismachineandshoutedtometotellhimwherethefirewas。IansweredthatIwasgoingtosee，butthoughtitwasthecottagesbythewood-yard。Hesaid，\"MyGod!\"andvanished。
AlittlefartheronIfoundgrassandpavementsoakingandflooded，andtheredandyellowflamesrepaintedinpoolsandpuddles。Beyondweredimhuddlesofpeopleandasmalldistantvoiceshoutingoutorders。Thefire-engineswereatwork。Iwentonamongtheredreflections，whichseemedlikesubterraneanfires；Ihadasingularsensationofbeinginaveryimportantdream。Oddlyenough，thiswasincreasedwhenIfoundthatmostofmyfriendsandneighbourswereentangledinthecrowd。Onlyindreamsdoweseefamiliarfacessovividlyagainstablackbackgroundofmidnight。Iwasgladtofind(fortheworkmancyclist\'ssake)thatthefirewasnotinthehousesbythewood-yard，butinthewood-yarditself。
Therewasnofearforhumanlife，andthethingwasseeminglyaccidental；
thoughthereweretheusualuglywhispersaboutrivalryandrevenge。
ButforallthatIcouldnotshakeoffmydream-druggedsoulaswollen，tragic，portentoussortofsensation，thatitallhadsomethingtodowiththecrowningoftheEnglishKing，andthegloryortheendofEngland。ItwasnottillIsawthepuddlesandtheashesinbroaddaylightnextmorningthatIwasfundamentallycertainthatmymidnightadventurehadnothappenedoutsidethisworld。
ButIwasmorearrogantthantheancientEmperorsPharaohorNebuchadnezzar；forIattemptedtointerpretmyowndream。Thefirewasfeedinguponsolidstacksofunusedbeechorpine，grayandwhitepilesofvirginwood。Itwasanorgyofmerewaste；thousandsofgoodthingswerebeingkilledbeforetheyhadeverexisted。Doors，tables，walking-
sticks，wheelbarrows，woodenswordsforboys，DutchdollsforgirlsI
couldhearthecryofeachuncreatedthingasitexpiredintheflames。
AndthenIthoughtofthatothernobletowerofneedlessthingsthatstoodinthefieldbeyondmygarden；thebonfire，themountainofvanities，thatismeantforburning；andhowitstooddarkandlonelyinthemeadow，andthebirdshoppedonitscornersandthedewtouchedandspangleditstwigs。AndIrememberedthattherearetwokindsoffires，theBadFireandtheGoodFirethelastmustsurelybethemeaningofBonfire。AndtheparadoxisthattheGoodFireismadeofbadthings，ofthingsthatwedonotwant；buttheBadFireismadeofgoodthings，ofthingsthatwedowant；likeallthatwealthofwoodthatmighthavemadedollsandchairsandtables，butwasonlymakingahuelessash。
AndthenIsaw，inmyvision，thatjustastherearetwofires，sotherearetworevolutions。AndIsawthatthewholemadmodernworldisaracebetweenthem。Whichwillhappenfirst——therevolutioninwhichbadthingsshallperish，orthatotherrevolution，inwhichgoodthingsshallperishalso？Oneistheriotthatallgoodmen，eventhemostconservative，reallydreamof，whenthesneershallbestruckfromthefaceofthewell-fed；whenthewineofhonourshallbepoureddownthethroatofdespair；whenweshall，sofarastothesonsoffleshispossible，taketyrannyandusuryandpublictreasonandbindthemintobundlesandburnthem。Andtheotheristhedisruptionthatmaycomeprematurely，negatively，andsuddenlyinthenight；likethefireinmylittletown。
Itmaycomebecausethemerestrainofmodernlifeisunbearable；andiniteventhethingsthatmendodesiremaybreakdown；marriageandfairownershipandworshipandthemysteriousworthofman。Thetworevolutions，whiteandblack，areracingeachotherliketworailwaytrains；Icannotguesstheissue……butevenasIthoughtofit，thetallestturretofthetimberstoopedandfalteredandcamedowninacataractofnoises。Andthefire，findingpassage，wentupwithaspoutlikeafountain。Itstoodfarupamongthestarsforaninstant，ablazingpillarofbrassfitforapaganconqueror，sohighthatonecouldfancyitvisibleawayamongthegoblintreesofBurnhamoralongtheterracesoftheChilternHills。
THEFREEMAN
Theideaoflibertyhasultimatelyareligiousroot；thatiswhymenfinditsoeasytodieforandsodifficulttodefine。Itrefersfinallytothefactthat，whiletheoysterandthepalmtreehavetosavetheirlivesbylaw，manhastosavehissoulbychoice。RuskinrebukedColeridgeforpraisingfreedom，andsaidthatnomanwouldwishthesuntobefree。Itseemsenoughtoanswerthatnomanwouldwishtobethesun。SpeakingasaLiberal，IhavemuchmoresympathywiththeideaofJoshuastoppingthesuninheaventhanwiththeideaofRuskintrottinghisdailyroundinimitationofitsregularity。JoshuawasaRadical，andhisastronomicalactwasdistinctlyrevolutionary。Forallrevolutionisthemasteringofmatterbythespiritofman，theemergenceofthathumanauthoritywithinuswhich，inthenoblewordsofSirThomasBrowne，\"owesnohomageuntothesun。”
Generally，themoralsubstanceoflibertyisthis:thatmanisnotmeantmerelytoreceivegoodlaws，goodfood:orgoodconditions，likeatreeinagarden，butismeanttotakeacertainprincelypleasureinselectingandshapinglikethegardener。PerhapsthatisthemeaningofthetradeofAdam。Andthebestpopularwordsforrenderingtherealideaoflibertyarethosewhichspeakofmanasacreator。Weusetheword\"make\"aboutmostofthethingsinwhichfreedomisessential，asacountrywalkorafriendshiporaloveaffair。Whenaman\"makeshisway\"throughawoodhehasreallycreated，hehasbuiltaroad，liketheRomans。Whenaman\"makesafriend，\"hemakesaman。Andinthethirdcasewetalkofaman\"makinglove，\"asifhewere(as，indeed，heis)
creatingnewmassesandcoloursofthatflamingmaterialanawfulformofmanufacture。Initsprimaryspiritualsense，libertyisthegodinman，or，ifyouliketheword，theartist。
InitssecondarypoliticalsenselibertyisthelivinginfluenceofthecitizenontheStateinthedirectionofmouldingordeflectingit。Menaretheonlycreaturesthatevidentlypossessit。Ontheonehand，theeaglehasnoliberty；heonlyhasloneliness。Ontheotherhand，ants，bees，andbeaversexhibitthehighestmiracleoftheStateinfluencingthecitizen；butnoperceptibletraceofthecitizeninfluencingtheState。Youmay，ifyoulike，calltheantsademocracyasyoumaycallthebeesadespotism。ButIfancythatthearchitecturalantwhoattemptedtointroduceanartnouveaustyleofant-hillwouldhaveacareerascurtandfruitlessasthecelebratedbeewhowantedtoswarmalone。Theisolationofthisideainhumanityisakintoitsreligiouscharacter；butitisnoteveninhumanitybyanymeansequallydistributed。
TheideathattheStateshouldnotonlybesupportedbyitschildren，liketheant-hill，butshouldbeconstantlycriticisedandreconstructedbythem，isanideastrongerinChristendomthananyotherpartoftheplanet；strongerinWesternthanEasternEurope。Andtouchingthepureideaoftheindividualbeingfreetospeakandactwithinlimits，theassertionofthisidea，wemayfairlysay，hasbeenthepeculiarhonourofourowncountry。FormypartIgreatlyprefertheJingoismofRuleBritanniatotheImperialismofTheRecessional。IhavenoobjectiontoBritanniarulingthewaves。Idrawthelinewhenshebeginstorulethedryland——andsuchdamnablydrylandtoo——asinAfrica。AndtherewasarealoldEnglishsincerityinthevulgarchorusthat\"Britonsnevershallbeslaves。”Wehadnoequalityandhardlyanyjustice；butfreedomwewerereallyfondof。AndIthinkjustnowitisworthwhiletodrawattentiontotheoldoptimisticprophecythat\"Britonsnevershallbeslaves。”
ThemereloveoflibertyhasneverbeenatalowerebbinEnglandthanithasbeenforthelasttwentyyears。NeverbeforehasitbeensoeasytoslipsmallBillsthroughParliamentforthepurposeoflockingpeopleup。
Neverwasitsoeasytosilenceawkwardquestions，ortoprotecthigh-
placedofficials。TwohundredyearsagoweturnedouttheStuartsratherthanendangertheHabeasCorpusAct。TwoyearsagoweabolishedtheHabeasCorpusActratherthanturnouttheHomeSecretary。Wepassedalaw(whichisnowinforce)thatanEnglishman\'spunishmentshallnotdependuponjudgeandjury，butuponthegovernorsandjailerswhohavegotholdofhim。Butthisisnottheonlycase。Thescornoflibertyisintheair。AnewspaperisseizedbythepoliceinTrafalgarSquarewithoutawordofaccusationorexplanation。TheHomeSecretarysaysthatinhisopinionthepoliceareverynicepeople，andthereisanendofthematter。AMemberofParliamentattemptstocriticiseapeerage。
TheSpeakersayshemustnotcriticiseapeerage，andtherethematterdrops。
Politicalliberty，letusrepeat，consistsinthepowerofcriticisingthoseflexiblepartsoftheStatewhichconstantlyrequirereconsideration，notthebasis，butthemachinery。Inplainerwords，itmeansthepowerofsayingthesortofthingsthatadecentbutdiscontentedcitizenwantstosay。HedoesnotwanttospitontheBible，ortorunaboutwithoutclothes，ortoreadtheworstpageinZolafromthepulpitofSt。Paul\'s。Thereforetheforbiddingofthesethings(whetherjustornot)isonlytyrannyinasecondaryandspecialsense。
Itrestrainstheabnormal，notthenormalman。Butthenormalman，thedecentdiscontentedcitizen，doeswanttoprotestagainstunfairlawcourts。Hedoeswanttoexposebrutalitiesofthepolice。HedoeswanttomakegameofavulgarpawnbrokerwhoismadeaPeer。Hedoeswantpubliclytowarnpeopleagainstunscrupulouscapitalistsandsuspiciousfinance。Ifheisruninfordoingthis(ashewillbe)hedoeswanttoproclaimthecharacterorknownprejudicesofthemagistratewhotrieshim。Ifheissenttoprison(ashewillbe)hedoeswanttohaveaclearandcivilisedsentence，tellinghimwhenhewillcomeout。Andtheseareliterallyandexactlythethingsthathenowcannotget。Thatisthealmostcloyinghumourofthepresentsituation。Icansayabnormalthingsinmodernmagazines。ItisthenormalthingsthatIamnotallowedtosay。IcanwriteinsomesolemnquarterlyanelaboratearticleexplainingthatGodisthedevil；IcanwriteinsomeculturedweeklyanaestheticfancydescribinghowIshouldliketoeatboiledbaby。
ThethingImustnotwriteisrationalcriticismofthemenandinstitutionsofmycountry。
ThepresentconditionofEnglandisbrieflythis:ThatnoEnglishmancansayinpublicatwentiethpartofwhathesaysinprivate。Onecannotsay，forinstance，that——ButIamafraidImustleaveoutthatinstance，becauseonecannotsayit。Icannotprovemycase——becauseitissotrue。
THEHYPOTHETICALHOUSEHOLDER
Wehavereadofsomecelebratedphilosopherwhowassoabsent-mindedthathepaidacallathisownhouse。Myownabsent-mindednessisextreme，andmyphilosophy，ofcourse，isthemarvelofmenandangels。ButI
neverquitemanagedtobesoabsent-mindedasthat。Someyardsatleastfrommyowndoor，somethingvaguelyfamiliarhasalwayscaughtmyeye；
andthusthejokehasbeenspoiled。OfcourseIhavequiteconstantlywalkedintoanotherman\'shouse，thinkingitwasmyownhouse；myvisitsbecamealmostmonotonous。Butwalkingintomyownhouseandthinkingitwasanotherman\'shouseisaflightofpoeticdetachmentstillbeyondme。
Somethingofthesensationsthatsuchanabsent-mindedmanmustfeelI
reallyfelttheotherday；andverypleasantsensationstheywere。Thebestpartsofeveryproperromancearethefirstchapterandthelastchapter；andtoknockatastrangedoorandfindanicewifewouldbetoconcentratethebeginningandendofallromance。
Minewasamilderandslighterexperience，butitsthrillwasofthesamekind。ForIstrolledthroughaplaceIhadimaginedquitevirginandunvisited(asfarasIwasconcerned)，andIsuddenlyfoundIwastreadinginmyownfootprints，andthefootprintswerenearlytwentyyearsold。
Itwasoneofthosestretchesofcountrywhichalwayssuggestsanalmostunnaturaldecay；thicketsandheathsthathavegrownoutofwhatwereoncegreatgardens。Gardenflowersstillgrowthereaswildflowers，asitsaysinsomegoodpoeticcoupletwhichIforget；andthereissomethingsingularlyromanticanddisastrousaboutseeingthingsthatweresolongahumanpropertyandcarefightingfortheirownhandinthethicket。Onealmostexpectstofindadecayeddog-kennel；withthedogevolvedintoawolf。
Thisdesolategarden-landhadbeeneveninmyyouthscrappilyplannedoutforbuilding。Thehalf-builtoremptyhouseshadappearedquitethreateninglyontheedgeofthisheathevenwhenIwalkedoverityearsagoandalmostasaboy。Iwasastonishedthatthebuildinghadgonenofarther；Isupposesomebodywentbankruptandsomebodyelsedislikedbuilding。ButIremember，especiallyalongonesideofthistangleorcoppice，thattherehadoncebeenarowofhalf-builthouses。Thebrickofwhichtheywerebuiltwasasortofplainpink；everythingelsewasablindingwhite；thehousessmokedwithwhitedustandwhitesawdust；andonmanyofthewindowswererubbedthoseroundroughdisksofwhitewhichalwaysdelightedmeasachild。Theylookedlikethewhiteeyesofsomeblindgiant。
Icouldseethecrude，parchedpink-and-whitevillasstill；thoughIhadnotthoughtatallofthemforaquarterofmylife；andhadnotthoughtmuchofthemevenwhenIsawthem。ThenIwasanidle，buteageryouthwalkingoutfromLondon；nowIwasamostreluctantlybusymiddle-agedperson，cominginfromthecountry。Youth，Ithink，seemsfartheroffthanchildhood，foritmadeitselfmoreofasecret。Likeaprenatalpicture，distant，tiny，andquitedistinct，IsawthisheathonwhichI
stood；andIlookedaroundforthestringofbright，half-bakedvillas。
Theystillstoodthere；buttheywerequiterussetandweather-stained，asiftheyhadstoodforcenturies。
IrememberedexactlywhatIhaddoneonthatdaylongago。Ihadhalfslidonamirydescent；itwasstillthere；alittlelowerIhadknockedoffthetopofathistle；thethistleshadnotbeendiscouraged，butwerestillgrowing。IrecalleditbecauseIhadwonderedwhyoneknocksoffthetopsofthistles；andthenIhadthoughtofTarquin；andthenIhadrecitedmostofMacaulay\'sVIRGINIAtomyself，forIwasyoung。AndthenIcametoatatterededgewheretheverytufthadwhitenedwiththesawdustandbrick-dustfromthenewrowofhouses；andtwoorthreegreenstarsofdockandthistlegrewspasmodicallyabouttheblindingroad。
IrememberedhowIhadwalkedupthisnewone-sidedstreetallthoseyearsago；andIrememberedwhatIhadthought。Ithoughtthatthisredandwhiteglaringterraceatnoonwasreallymorecreepyandmorelonesomethanaglimmeringchurchyardatmidnight。Thechurchyardcouldonlybefulloftheghostsofthedead；butthesehouseswerefulloftheghostsoftheunborn。Andamancanneverfindahomeinthefutureashecanfinditinthepast。Iwasalwaysfascinatedbythatmediaevalnotionoferectingarudelycarpenteredstageinthestreet，andactingonitamiracleplayoftheHolyFamilyortheLastJudgment。AndI
thoughttomyselfthateachoftheseglaring，gaping，newjerry-builtboxeswasindeedaricketystageerectedfortheactingofarealmiracleplay；thathumanfamilythatisalmosttheholyone，andthathumandeaththatisneartothelastjudgment。
Forsomefoolishreasonthelasthousebutoneinthatimperfectrowespeciallyhauntedmewithitshollowgrinandemptywindow-eyes。
Somethingintheshapeofthisbrick-and-mortarskeletonwasattractive；
andtherebeingnoworkmenabout，Istrolledintoitforcuriosityandsolitude。Igave，withallthesky-deepgravityofyouth，abenedictionuponthemanwhowasgoingtolivethere。IevenrememberthatfortheconvenienceofmeditationIcalledhimJamesHarrogate。
AsIreflecteditcrawledbackintomymemorythatIhadmildlyplayedthefoolinthathouseonthatdistantday。Ihadsomeredchalkinmypocket，Ithink，andIwrotethingsontheunpaperedplasterwalls；
thingsaddressedtoMr。Harrogate。AdimmemorytoldmethatIhadwrittenupinwhatIsupposedtobethedining-room:
JamesHarrogate，thankGodformeat，Theneatandeatandeatandeat，orsomethingofthatkind。Ifaintlyfeelthatsomelongerlyricwasscrawledonthewallsofwhatlookedlikeabedroom，somethingbeginning:
Whenlayingwhatyoucallyourhead，OHarrogate，uponyourbed，andthereallmymemorydislimnsanddecays。ButIcouldstillseequitevividlytheplainplasteredwallsandtherude，irregularwriting，andtheplaceswheretheredchalkbroke。Icouldseethem，Imean，inmemory；forwhenIcamedownthatroadagainafterasixthofacenturythehousewasverydifferent。
Ihadseenitbeforeatnoon，andnowIfounditinthedusk。Butitswindowsglowedwithlightsofmanyartificialsorts；oneofitslowsquarewindowsstoodopen；fromthisthereescapeduptheroadastreamoflamplightandastreamofsinging。Somesortofgirl，atleast，wasstandingatsomesortofpiano，andsingingasongofhealthysentimentalisminthathousewherelongagomyblessinghaddiedonthewindandmypoemsbeencoveredupbythewallpaper。IstoodoutsidethatlamplithouseatduskfullofthosethoughtsthatIshallneverexpressifIlivetobeamillionanybetterthanIexpressedtheminredchalkuponthewall。ButafterIhadhoveredalittle，andwasabouttowithdraw，amadimpulseseizedme。Irangthebell。Isaidindistinctaccentstoaverysmartsuburbanmaid，\"DoesMr。JamesHarrogatelivehere？\"
Shesaidhedidn\'t；butthatshewouldinquire，incaseIwaslookingforhimintheneighbourhood；butIexcusedherfromsuchexertion。Ihadonemoment\'simpulsetolookforhimallovertheworld；andthendecidednottolookforhimatall。
THEPRIESTOFSPRING
ThesunhasstrengthenedandtheairsoftenedjustbeforeEasterDay。
Butitisatroubledbrightnesswhichhasabreathnotonlyofnoveltybutofrevolution，Therearetwogreatarmiesofthehumanintellectwhowillfighttilltheendonthisvitalpoint，whetherEasteristobecongratulatedonfittinginwiththeSpring——ortheSpringonfittinginwithEaster。
Theonlytwothingsthatcansatisfythesoulareapersonandastory；
andevenastorymustbeaboutaperson。Thereareindeedveryvoluptuousappetitesandenjoymentsinmereabstractionslikemathematics，logic，orchess。Butthesemerepleasuresofthemindarelikemerepleasuresofthebody。Thatis，theyaremerepleasures，thoughtheymaybegiganticpleasures；theycanneverbyamereincreaseofthemselvesamounttohappiness。Amanjustabouttobehangedmayenjoyhisbreakfast；especiallyifitbehisfavouritebreakfast；andinthesamewayhemayenjoyanargumentwiththechaplainaboutheresy，especiallyifitishisfavouriteheresy。Butwhetherhecanenjoyeitherofthemdoesnotdependoneitherofthem；itdependsuponhisspiritualattitudetowardsasubsequentevent。Andthateventisreallyinterestingtothesoul；becauseitistheendofastoryand(assomehold)theendofaperson。