Volume VII - Modernist Magazines Project

From "The Yellow Dwarf" 135taken this excellent maxim to heart is Mr. John Oliver Hobbes.His was the next book I directed an attack upon, after I hadbeaten my retreat from the impenetrable Manxman. But Ifound myself confronted with Pretentiousness at the very drawbridge.There fluttered a flag—I daresay, on my unsupportedtestimony, you could scarce believe it; but I can refer you to thebook itself, or (it has been advertised like a patent medicine) to itspublishers' advertisements, for corroboration—there fluttered aflag bearing this device—THE GODSSOME MORTALSANDLORD WICKENHAMBYJOHN OLIVERHOBBESThis, in Christian England ! And above it and below it werewonderful drawings, drawings of gods and goddesses and mortals -yand, at one side of it, another wonderful drawing, a drawing of anOwl.When I recovered my breath I turned to Chapter L, AnAristocratic Household^ and before I had reached the bottom ofthat short first page, here is the sort of sentence I had to face andvanquish : " The young girl who came forward seemed to havebeen whipped up into a fragile existence from the very cream oftenderness, love, and folly." It is doubtless very pretty, but doyou know what it means ? Anyhow, it has the great merit ofbeing Pretentious. I can see the Pressman-Critic, as his eyelights upon it. I can see him "sit up." I can hear him gasp,and