Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/261

 THE "STRONG" BOOK OF THE ISHBOSHETH

There are two trite sayings in common use with us all—one is: "Circumstances alter cases," which is English; the other is: "Autres temps, autres mœurs," which is French. But there lacks any similar epigrammatic expression to convey the complete and curious change of meaning, which by a certain occult literary process becomes gradually attached to quite ordinary words of our daily speech. "Strong," for instance, used to mean strength. It means it still, I believe, in the gymnasium. But in very choice literary circles it means "unclean." This is strange, but true. For some time past the gentle and credulous public has remained in childlike doubt as to what was really implied by a "strong" book. The gentle and credulous public has been under the impression that the word "strong" used by the guides, philosophers, and friends who review current fiction in the daily Press, meant a powerful style, a vigorous grip, a brilliant way of telling a captivating and noble story. But they have, by slow and painful degrees, found out their mistake in this direction, and they know now that a "strong" book means a nasty subject indeli