Mecaenas Twiddledee, hast thou any notion
what a Man of Genius is? Genius is 'the inspired gift of God.'
It is the clearer presence of God Most High in a man. Dim,
potential in all men; in this man it has become clear, actual.
So says John Milton, who ought to be a judge; so answer him the
Voices of all Ages and all Worlds. Wouldst thou commune with
such a one,--_be_ his real peer then: does that lie in thee?
Know thyself and thy real and thy apparent place, and know him
and his real and his apparent place, and act in some noble
conformity therewith. What! The star-fire of the Empyrean shall
eclipse itself, and illuminate magic-lanterns to amuse grown
children? He, the god-inspired, is to twang harps for thee, and
blow through scrannel-pipes; soothe thy sated soul with visions
of new, still wider Eldorados, Houri Paradises, richer Lands of
Cockaigne? Brother, this is not he; this is a counterfeit, this
twangling, jangling, vain, acrid, scrannel-piping man. Thou dost
well to say with sick Saul, "It is naught, such harping!"--and in
sudden rage grasp thy spear, and try if thou canst pin such a one
to the wall. King Saul was mistaken in his man, but thou art
right in thine. It is the due of such a one: nail him to the
wall, and leave him there. So ought copper shillings to be
nailed on counters; copper geniuses on walls, and left there for
a sign!--

I conclude that the Men of Letters too may become a 'Chivalry,'
an actual instead of a virtual Priesthood, with result
immeasurable,--so soon as there is nobleness in themselves for
that. And, to a certainty, not sooner! Of intrinsic Valetisms
you cannot, with whole Parliaments to help you, make a Heroism.
Doggeries never so gold-plated, Doggeries never so escutcheoned,
Doggeries never so diplomaed, bepuffed, gas-lighted, continue
Doggeries, and must take the fate of such.

Chapter VIII

The Didactic

Certainly it were a fond imagination to expect that any preaching
of mine could abate Mammonism; that Bobus of Houndsditch will
love his guineas less, or his poor soul more, for any preaching
of mine! But there is one Preacher who does preach with effect,
and gradually persuade all persons: his name is Destiny, is
Divine Providence, and his Sermon the inflexible Course of
Things. Experience does take dreadfully high school-wages; but
he teaches like no other!

I revert to Friend Prudence the good Quaker's refusal of 'seven
thousand pound