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Experiments in Convalescence
"Thenyoudon’tthinktherewillbeanymorepermanentworldheroes?"
"Yes—inhistory—notinlife.Carlylewouldhavedifficultygettingmaterialforanewchapteron’TheHeroasaBigMan.’"
"Goon.I’magoodlistenerto-day."
"Peopletrysohardtobelieveinleadersnow,pitifullyhard.Butwenosoonergetapopularreformerorpoliticianorsoldierorwriterorphilosopher—aRoosevelt,aTolstoi,aWood,aShaw,aNietzsche,thanthecross-currentsofcriticismwashhimaway.MyLord,nomancanstandprominencethesedays.It’sthesurestpathtoobscurity.Peoplegetsickofhearingthesamenameoverandover."
"Thenyoublameitonthepress?"
"Absolutely.Lookatyou;you’reonTheNewDemocracy,consideredthemostbrilliantweeklyinthecountry,readbythemenwhodothingsandallthat.What’syourbusiness?Why,tobeasclever,asinteresting,andasbrilliantlycynicalaspossibleabouteveryman,doctrine,book,orpolicythatisassignedyoutodealwith.Themorestronglights,themorespiritualscandalyoucanthrowonthematter,themoremoneytheypayyou,themorethepeoplebuytheissue.You,Tomd’Invilliers,ablightedShelley,changing,shifting,clever,unscrupulous,representthecriticalconsciousnessoftherace—Oh,don’tprotest,Iknowthestuff.Iusedtowritebookreviewsincollege;Iconsidereditraresporttorefertothelatesthonest,conscientiousefforttopropoundatheoryoraremedyasa’welcomeadditiontoourlightsummerreading.’Comeonnow,admitit."
