As the door closed behind him, Musgrave said with a wink, "I am
afraid my story has rather disgusted our young transcendentalist.
He has no pleasure in a wholesome row; he thinks the whole thing
vulgar--and I believe he is probably right; but I can't live on his
level, though I am sure it is very fine and all that."
"But what do you really think of his work?" I said. "It is very
promising, isn't it?"
"Yes," said Musgrave reflectively, "that is just what it is--he has
got a really fine literary gift; but he is too uncompromising.
Idealism in art is a deuced fine thing, and every now and then
there comes a man who can keep it up, and can afford to do so. But
what Herries does not understand is that there are two sides to
art--the theory and the practice. It is just the same with a lot of
things--education, for instance, and religion. But the danger is
that the theorists become pedantic. They get entirely absorbed in
questions of form, and the plain truth is that however good your
form is, you have got to get hold of your matter too.
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