PUNCH,
OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
Vol. 100.
May 16, 1891.
MR. PUNCH'S PRIZE NOVELS.
No. XVII.—GASPS.
(By OLPH SCHREION, Author of "Screams," "The Allegory of an Asian Ranche.")
["You will perceive," writes the Author of the following story, "that this is allegorical, but it is not by any means necessary that you should understand it. The chief charm of allegorical writing is its absolute freedom from the trammels of convention. You write something large and vague, with any amount of symbols thrown in. The words flow quite easily; you cover scores of pages. Then you read it over again next morning. If you understand it so little as to think some other fellow must have written it, you may be quite certain it is an allegory. When you print it, your public reads into it all kinds of mysterious and morbid religious emotions, and confused misinterpretations of life-problems, and everybody tacks on his own special explanation. That being so, it is quite unnecessary for you to explain things—which saves a great deal of trouble. The plan is an excellent one. Try it.—Yours, allegorically, O.S.">[