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the difference between good and bad. And at this rate they can never, after solving the political and social problem with success, go on to solve happily the human problem too, and thus at last to make their civilization full and interesting.
To sum up, then.
What really dissatisfies in American civilization is the want of the interesting, a want due chiefly to the want of those two great elements of the interesting, which are elevation and beauty.
And the want of these elements is increased and prolonged by the Americans being assured that they have them when they have them not. And it seems to me that what the Americans now most urgently require, is not so much a vast additional development of orthodox Protestantism, but rather a steady exhibition of cool and sane criticism by their men of light and leading over there.
And perhaps the very first step of such men should be to insist on having for America, and to create if need be, better newspapers.
To us, too, the future of the United States is of incalculable importance.
Already we feel their influence much, and we shall feel it more.
We have a good deal to learn from them; we shall find in them, also, many things to beware of, many points in which it is to be hoped our
Boston. De Wolfe, Fiske &c Co. 361 and 365 Washington Street. 1888.
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