The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-13
Apolcgia.

There Is a story, told Us in childhood
but none the less Of point in our later
wears. OF an old man and his son who
started to market to dispose OF Their dom
KEY, and who, during their progress by
irving to please everybody, but exposed
the nselves to continued ana varied an
/ imadversion and ridcule,, finally ending
by losing their donkey and having their
Journey for nothing. Doubtless the story
Is known to our readers; but we wish to
call their attention to its moral, Morals,
we should rather say, since for our pur-
+ pose it bears two lessons. In the first
place this parable shows the impossible
ity Of pleasing all tastes and the unde-
STABILITY of attempting to do SO. We
take leave to apply this moral TO our Of
fee as critic. If we are severe, we are
scariied for carping; if we are lenient,
our honesty is secuted. If We have the
misfortune to villipend the favorite au-
thor Of one reader, straishtway does that
reader hold us as a heather man and an
ignoramus: but it may be that, had we
bowed down at the feet OF said author
and lifted up our voice in praise, the
dearest friend of the reader referred TO
would have despised us for trucking to
popular taste. These be the perils and
pitfalls Of the reviewer
So in this wise we shall cen so our way
as we list. taking no thought of pleasing
this or that reader. but doing our duty
to the general public as we see it. We
honesty fails to please. we shall endeav-
or to bear the burden Of dspeasure. We
shall praise that which pleases u.s. blame
that which seems to US to deserve blame:
and at times it may be that we shall
even venture to raise the robe of popular
idols and show the feet of clay which IN.
hold them. In all these things we shall
walk the path as see it, paying no at
tention to the suggestions which are Of
fered for our guidance. We may-we
sha1l-make many errors; but we shall
make them. not be led into Them. And
this seems preferable thing.
The second lesson that we derive from
our parable is that Individual criticism,
by those who see but the superficial as
pect Of the thing criticised is of no worth
and is sure. il followed to result in alb
surdity. il not worse. The people who Of
sered their advice or made their COM
ment on the progress of the father and
son with their beast doubtless. did so in
all good faith and intent, but they did
not sufficiently consider the possible re-
suits of their structures. The loss of the
donkey was the logical outcome of the
attempt to follow the proffered advice of
the crowd, and was the consequence of
thoughuessly acting upon thoughtiess
advice. Therefore. to continue our appii-
cation of our parable, we must ask our
readers to remember that, while their
tastes In the aggregate are doubtless cor
rect, they would be unwise to ask or ex-
pect US to follow individual advice, to
guide ourselves by individual comment.
1t is our province to understand the
needs of the general; and if we are not
skilled to do this as well as to show the
truth OF need. we are untitled FOR our no.
sition: but We cannot. for fear of disas-
ter, guide ourselves IN our conduct of
this page by any Individual opinion. So
should we surely lose our donkey. that
animal-though not by parity of illustra-
tion-representing our value to the public
at large.
With this outline of our policy in mat
ters literary, ne leave the result of our
sditorshtp to speak for itself.
/ IMPERIAL LONDON. BY Arthur n
Beavan illustrated. J. AZ. Dent &
Co, London. Eng.
is a curious coincidence that your
& f'estewer upon his return from England
{ finds upon his desk Imperial London !. &
[ BY Arthur IL Beavan. This is a sunni
& tuously illustrated book of great inter-
sgt h author aptly says that ..the