It
would occur to you that it must have been naturally curly."
"It is the Irish blood flowing in his veins," I told them. "He must
always be 'agin the Government.'"
"We ought to be grateful to him," remarked the Philosopher. "What
can be more uninteresting than an agreeable conversation I mean, a
conversation--where everybody is in agreement? Disagreement, on the
other hand, is stimulating."
"Maybe that is the reason," I suggested, "why modern society is so
tiresome an affair. By tabooing all difference of opinion we have
eliminated all zest from our intercourse. Religion, sex, politics--
any subject on which man really thinks, is scrupulously excluded
from all polite gatherings. Conversation has become a chorus; or,
as a writer wittily expressed it, the pursuit of the obvious to no
conclusion. When not occupied with mumbling, 'I quite agree with
you'--'As you say'--'That is precisely my opinion'--we sit about and
ask each other riddles: 'What did the Pro-Boer?' 'Why did Julius
Caesar?'"
"Fashion has succeeded where Force for centuries has failed," added
the Philosopher.
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