MR. CAXTON (not seeming to heed the interruption).—“A book that will sell; a book that will prop up the fall of prices; a book that will distract your mind from its dismal apprehensions, and restore your affection to your species and your hopes in the ultimate triumph of sound principles—by the sight of a favourable balance at the end of the yearly accounts. It is astonishing what a difference that little circumstance makes in our views of things in general. I remember when the bank in which Squills had incautiously left L1000 broke, one remarkably healthy year, that he became a great alarmist, and said that the country was on the verge of ruin; whereas you see now, when, thanks to a long succession of sickly seasons, he has a surplus capital to risk in the Great Western, he is firmly persuaded that England was never in so prosperous a condition.”
MR. SQUILLS (rather sullenly).—“Pooh, pooh.”
MR. CAXTON.—“Write a book, my son,—write a book. Need I tell you that Money or Moneta, according to Hyginus, was the mother of the Muses? Write a book.”
BLANCHE and my MOTHER (in full chorus).—“O yes, Sisty, a book! a book! you must write a book.”
“I am sure,” quoth my Uncle Roland, slamming down the volume he had just concluded, “he could write a devilish deal better book than this; and how I come to read such trash night after night is more than I could possibly explain to the satisfaction of any intelligent jury, if I were put into a witness-box, and examined in the mildest manner by my own counsel.”
MR. CAXTON.—“You see that Roland tells us exactly what sort of a book it shall be.”
PISISTRATUS.—“Trash, sir?”
MR. CAXTON.—“No,—that is, not necessarily trash; but a book of that class which, whether trash or not, people can’t help reading. Novels have become a necessity of the age. You must write a novel.”
PISISTRATUS (flattered, but dubious).-“A novel! But every subject on which novels can be written is preoccupied. There are novels of low life, novels of high life, military novels, naval novels, novels philosophical, novels religious, novels historical, novels descriptive of India, the Colonies, Ancient Rome, and the Egyptian Pyramids. From what bird, wild eagle, or barn-door fowl, can I
“‘Pluck one unwearied plume from Fancy’s wing?’”