It must be conceded that
there are a few persons who really have read the 'Rambler,' a work, of
course, I am merely using as a type of its class. In their young days
it was used as a schoolbook, and thought necessary as a part of polite
education; and as they have read little or nothing since, it is only
reasonable that they should stick to their colours. Indeed, the French
satirist's boast that he could predicate the views of any man with
regard to both worlds, if he were only supplied with the simple data of
his age and his income, is quite true in the general with regard to
literary taste. Given the age of the ordinary individual--that is to
say of the gentleman 'fond of books, but who has really no time for
reading'--and it is easy enough to guess his literary idols. They are
the gods of his youth, and, whether he has been 'suckled in a creed
outworn' or not, he knows no other. These persons, however, rarely give
their opinion about literary matters, except on compulsion; they are
harmless and truthful. The tendency of society in general, on the other
hand, is not only to praise the 'Rambler' which they have not read, but
to express a noble scorn for those who have read it and don't like it.

I remember, as a young man, being greatly struck by the independence of
character exhibited by Miss Bronte in a certain confession she made in
respect to Miss Austen's novels. It was at a period when everybody
professed to adore them, and especially the great-guns of literature.
Walter Scott thought more highly of the genius of the author of
'Mansfield Park' even than of that of his favourite, Miss Edgeworth.
Macaulay speaks of her as though she were the Eclipse of
novelists--'first, and the rest nowhere'--though his opinion, it is
true, lost something of its force from the contempt he expressed for
'the rest,' among whom were some much better ones. Dr. Whewell, a very
different type of mind, had 'Mansfield Park,' I believe, read to him on
his death-bed. And, indeed, up to the present date, some
highly-cultured persons of my acquaintance take the same view. They may
be very possibly right, but that is no reason why the people who have
never read Miss Austen's novels--and very few have--should ape the
fashion. Now, the authoress of 'Jane Eyre' did not derive much pleasure
from the perusal of the works of the other Jane. 'I know it's very
wrong,' she modestly said, 'but the fact is I can't read them. They
have not got story enou