Page:Sarah Sheppard - L. E. L.pdf/126

 "'Why, mine is a dispassionate appeal to the reason of the public; my object is to convince.'

"'As if you ever convinced people by reason.'

"'But I feel it is a duty I owe to the public,' said the author.

"'Good Lord! why, my dear sir, what duty do you owe to the public? The only duty you owe is to me, your publisher. It is your duty to write what will sell, and, I tell you, reasons are unmarketable commodities.'

"'What would you have me do?' sighed Maynard, in a desponding tone.

“‘Why, pepper and salt your reasons; your pamphlet has talent, but talent is like a cucumber,—nothing without the dressing; you must be more personal.’

"'I detest personalities,' said Walter.

"'And I detest nonsense,' said the other; 'and I also detest works that wont sell. You mean to make scribbling your business?'

"'I am,' replied our young poet, 'anxious to devote my feeble services to the cause of literature.'

"'Here, take your pamphlet again; there is good material in it, but it requires the making up.'

"Walter took up his manuscript with an embarrassed and mortified air. He had written with all the enthusiasm of a patriot of one-and-twenty, who believes and who hopes; suddenly, his high profession of faith, his earnest appeal to the noblest principles, was changed into a mere question of business. Moreover, in his secret soul he despised the plan proposed; but what could he do? His forlorn garret rose visibly before him; he could not even pay its rent for the coming week. It was the first conflict between the expedient and the ideal. For the first time a bitter