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people aroused out of a hypnotic sleep； wondering what they had
seen in the play to admire。
In the social world we are even more inconsistent； accepting with
tameness the most astonishing theories and opinions。 Whole circles
will go on assuring each other how clever Miss So…and…So is； or；
how beautiful they think someone else。 Not because these good
people are any cleverer； or more attractive than their neighbors；
but simply because it is in the air to have these opinions about
them。 To such an extent does this hold good； that certain persons
are privileged to be vulgar and rude； to say impertinent things and
make remarks that would ostracize a less fortunate individual from
the polite world for ever； society will only smilingly shrug its
shoulders and say： 〃It is only Mr。 So…and…So's way。〃 It is useless
to assert that in cases like these； people are in possession of
their normal senses。 They are under influences of which they are
perfectly unconscious。
Have you ever seen a piece guyed？ Few sadder sights exist； the
human being rarely getting nearer the brute than when engaged in
this amusement。 Nothing the actor or actress can do will satisfy
the public。 Men who under ordinary circumstances would be
incapable of insulting a woman； will whistle and stamp and laugh；
at an unfortunate girl who is doing her utmost to amuse them。 A
terrible example of this was given two winters ago at one of our
concert halls； when a family of Western singers were subjected to
absolute ill…treatment at the hands of the public。 The young girls
were perfectly sincere； in their rude way； but this did not prevent
men from offering them every insult malice could devise； and making
them a target for every missile at hand。 So little does the public
think for itself in cases like this； that at the opening of the
performance had some well…known person given the signal for
applause； the whole audience would； in all probability； have been
delighted and made the wretched sisters a success。
In my youth it was the fashion to affect admiration for the Italian
school of painting and especially for the great masters of the
Renaissance。 Whole families of perfectly inartistic English and
Americans might then he heard conscientiously admiring the ceiling
of the Sistine Chapel or Leonardo's Last Supper （Botticelli had not
been invented then） in the choicest guide…book language。
When one considers the infinite knowledge of technique required to
understand the difficulties overcome by the giants of the
Renaissance and to appreciate the intrinsic qualities of their
creations； one asks one's self in wonder what our parents admired
in those paintings； and what tempted them to bring home and adorn
their houses with such dreadful copies of their favorites。 For if
they appreciated the originals they never would have bought the
copies； and if the copies pleased them； they must have been
incapable of enjoying the originals。 Yet all these people thought
themselves perfectly sincere。 To…day you will see the same thing
going on before the paintings of Claude Monet and Besnard； the same
admiration expressed by people who； you feel perfectly sure； do not
realize why these works of art are superior and can no more explain
to you why they think as they do than the sheep that follow each
other through a hole in a wall； can give a reason for their
actions。
Dress and fashion in clothes are subjects above all others； where
the ineptitude of the human mind is most evident。 Can it be
explained in any other way； why the fashions of yesterday always
appear so hideous to us； … almost grotesque？ Take up an old album
of photographs and glance over the faded contents。 Was there ever
anything so absurd？ Look at the top hats men wore； and at the
skirts of the women！
The mother of a family said to me the other day： 〃When I recall the
way in which girls were dressed in my youth； I wonder how any of us
ever got a husband。〃
Study a photograph of the Empress Eugenie； that supreme arbiter of
elegance and grace。 Oh！ those bunchy hooped skirts！ That awful
India shawl pinned off the shoulders； and the bonnet perched on a
roll of hair in the nape of the neck！ What were people thinking of
at that time？ Were they lunatics to deform in this way the
beautiful lines of the human body which it should be the first
object of toilet to enhance； or were they only lacking in the
artistic sense？ Nothing of the kind。 And what is more； they were
convinced that the real secret of beauty in dress had been
discovered by them； that past fashions were absurd； and that the
future could not improve on their creations。 The sculptors and
painters of that day （men of as great talent as any now living）；
were enthusiastic in reproducing those monstrosities in marble or
on canvas； and authors raved about the ideal grace with which a
certain beauty draped her shawl。
Another marked manner in which we are influenced by circumambient
suggestion； is in the transient furore certain games and pastimes
create。 We see intelligent people so given over to this influence
as barely to allow themselves time to eat and sleep； begrudging the
hours thus stolen from their favorite amusement。
Ten years ago； tennis occupied every moment of our young people's
time； now golf has transplanted tennis in public favor； which does
not prove； however； that the latter is the better game； but simply
that compelled by the accumulated force of other people's opinions；
youths and maidens； old duffers and mature spinsters are willing to
pass many hours daily in all kinds of weather； solemnly following
an indian…rubber ball across ten…acre lots。
If you suggest to people who are laboring under the illusion they
are amusing themselves that the game； absorbing so much of their
attention； is not as exciting as tennis nor as clever in
combinations as croquet； that in fact it would be quite as amusing
to roll an empty barrel several times around a plowed field； they
laugh at you in derision and instantly put you down in their
profound minds as a man who does not understand 〃sport。〃
Yet these very people were tennis…mad twenty years ago and had
night come to interrupt a game of croquet would have ordered
lanterns lighted in order to finish the match so enthralling were
its intricacies。
Everybody has known how to play BEZIQUE in this country for years；
yet within the last eighteen months； whole circles of our friends
have been seized with a midsummer madness and willingly sat glued
to a card…table through long hot afternoons and again after dinner
until day dawned on their folly。
Certain MEMOIRES of Louis Fifteenth's reign tell of an
〃unravelling〃 mania that developed at his court。 It began by some
people fraying out old silks to obtain the gold and silver threads
from worn…out stuf