“No—I’m afraid there isn’t. We know too little about genius as yet.”
“But, professor,” said Thyrsis, “you are a critic—you write books of criticism. And that’s the one question a critic has to answer.”
“Yes, I know,” said Prof. Osborne.
“And yet, when you face the issue, you give up.”
“It has generally taken a long time to decide such a matter,” was the professor’s reply.
“Yes, it has,” said the other; “and meantime the man is starved out.”
There was a pause. “You have never had any such experience yourself?” asked Thyrsis. “Of inspiration, I mean.”
“No,” was the answer. “I couldn’t pretend to.”
“So your judgments are never from first-hand knowledge?”
The professor hesitated. “I am dealing with you frankly—-” he began.