The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-15

shallow. He would be too big and
blind and stupid to see that you onlv
use the narrative to hide wonderful.
deep down truths, which l can't helm
thinking odd that you know so we'll
at yor age. Sometimes 1 think that Won
hide them too carefully-that you are
too subtle for the ordinary intellect to
follow"
mo, no" cried out; "I do not write
for the stupid. / am always glad when
they see nothing in me. The fools fiat
ter me by not comprehending. 1 am al
ways pleased when they cry me down.
They are painting their own natural
portraits for my especial delectation, SO
exquisitely yet so unconsciously that
feel it is almost sin to be amused.
1 feel as ashamed as when laugh at
the mishap of drunkard. There is
nothing you know so humiliating as to
be praised by the wayfaring man;
nothing so f1attering as to have him
pass you by in ignorance"
DR.. Nordau laughed his big German
laugh.
II begin to understand you," he said.
But 1 cannot help thinking that you
do not fiatter your American readers
when you purposely bait your traps for
the fools and then sit back-laughing
when you hear the trap spring"
II don't. You are giving me credit
for malice and I am not malicious.
write the story-or rather. have some
big truth to present, and 1 write a
story to cover it up, the way you slip
pill into spoonful of jelly and they
swallow it and are cured without
knowing how. I deal in capsule litera-
ture. l furnish the story. l don't fur
nish brains to my readers. And to the
credit of the rank and file of American
Hnfinf1 Il cnf hot
month, not once in six months, do I
find ponderous pedant who holds up
my gauzy plots and says: Behold, I
find nothing here to interest great
brain like mine!' We Americans claim
to be the great fiction readers and fic-
ton buyers of the world, you know"
You have the right spirit" he said.
Where would 1 be If L had taken to
heart the criticisms of degenerates on
Degeneration? Like you, sit back and
laugh at them for holding hand mir
ror up to their faces and unconsciousIy
crying out: I see fool To understand
great truths, and great truths are sell
dom pOpular-one must bring a willing
mind. Yet how often it is that the very
sick one wishes most to help are the
ones who refuse, either from conceit
or stupidity, to believe and be healed.
The saviors of your country are the
try of the world at present. Whether
we admit it or not, all nations are
watching you. The rest of the world
cannot live without you. Russia is the
only country on earth which could go
to war without your assistance. You
must feed Europe. Your men are the
financiers of the world and your wo-
men rule and educate and are the sa-
viors of the men. Therefore to my
mind In he
civilization to-day is the great body
of the American women. You little
know your power. You seem to have
got the ear of the American woman,
and the only advice 1 have to give
you is to be more bold. Don't be too
afraid of being pedantic. You are
too subtle. You bury your truths some
times too deeply. The busy are too
busy to dig for it, and the stupid do
not know it is there"
Il think Degeneration is the most
wonderful book ever written" Jimmie
broke in at this point, as if unable to
keep silent any longer. Then he looked
deeply embarrassed at DIR. Nordaus
hearty laughter.
Thank you a thousand times" he
said; "such a decided opinion I sell
dom hear. Your great country was the
first to appreciate and read it. l have
but who love ME and whom 1 love.
They often write to me-"
And beg autographs and photo
graphs of you," I said.
"Oh, yes; but it is very easy to do
what they ask. But one curious thing
strikes me about America. See, here
on my book shelves 1 have books writ
ten explaining the government Of all
countries in all languages-all coun-
tries, that is to say, except America
Why has no one ever written such
one about the United Statesc''
Jimmie pricked up his ears as this
phase of the conversation came home
to him. He forgot his awe and said
Whats the matter with Bryce"
DR.. Nordau looked puzzled. He is a
practicing physician.
whats the matter with Bryce7" he
repeated.
Jimmie blushed.
Haven't you read 'Bryce's Common
wealth." I broke in to give Jimmie
time to get on his legs again.
us there a book written on Ameri-
can government by an American that
I never heard Off" asked Nordau OF
Jimmie.
well, Bryce is an Englishman, but
ne knows more about America, than
any American know" answered jim
would like to read it,"
In all the conversations I ever had
with Max Nordau he spent most Of the
time in trying to be a help and
benefit to me- The physician In him
was always at the front. His aim was
healing and only regret that their In
innate personality prevents me from
relating them word for word, as they
would interest and benefit all women
quite as much as they did me.
The differences between these two
great leaders of thought-these two
great reformers Nordau and Tolstol'
is the theme of many learned discus
sions,and admits many different points
of view.
To me they present this aspect. Toll
Tolstoi like Goethe. is an interesting
combination of genius and hypocrisy
He breaches unselfishness while NM
self the embodiment of self. Max NOT
dau is his anthithesis. Nordau gives
with generous enthusiasm-of his time,
his learning, his genius, most of ALL OF
himself.
Tolsto fastens himself upon each
newcomer politely. like a courteous
leech sucks him dry and then writes
Max Nordau, like Shakespeare, ap-
serbs humanity as a whole,
Tolstoi considers the Bible the most
dramatic work ever written and turns
this knowledge of the worlds demand
for religion TO theatrical account. TOT
stoi is outwardly a Christian, Nordau
outwardly a pagan.
TT II -. - NNd