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〃But in a wof；〃 said my friend； instantly adopting it； 〃my author
insinuates that the fashion of payment tempts you to verbosity； while in
an ad the conditions oblige you to the greatest possible succinctness。
In one case you are paid by the word； in the other you pay by the word。
That is where the adsmith stands upon higher moral ground than the
wofsmith。〃
〃I should think your author might have written a recent article in
'The …； reproaching fiction with its unhallowed gains。〃
〃If you mean that for a sneer； it is misplaced。 He would have been
incapable of it。 My author is no more the friend of honesty in
adsmithing than he is of propriety； He deprecates jocosity in
apothecaries and undertakers； not only as bad taste； but as bad business；
and he is as severe as any one could be upon ads that seize the attention
by disgusting or shocking the reader。
〃He is to be praised for that； and for the other thing； and I shouldn't
have minded his criticising the ready wofsmith。 I hope he attacks the
use of display type； which makes our newspapers look like the poster…
plastered fences around vacant lots。 In New York there is only one paper
whose advertisements are not typographically a shock to the nerves。〃
〃Well；〃 said my friend； 〃he attacks foolish and ineffective display。〃
〃It is all foolish and ineffective。 It is like a crowd of people trying
to make themselves heard by shouting each at the top of his voice。
A paper full of display advertisements is an image of our whole congested
and delirious state of competition； but even in competitive conditions it
is unnecessary； and it is futile。 Compare any New York paper but one
with the London papers； and you will see what I mean。 Of course I refer
to the ad pages； the rest of our exception is as offensive with pictures
and scare heads as all the rest。 I wish your author could revise his
opinions and condemn all display in ads。〃
〃I dare say he will when he knows what you think；〃 said my friend； with
imaginable sarcasm。
III。
〃I wish；〃 I went on； 〃that he would give us some philosophy of the
prodigious increase of advertising within the last twenty…five years； and
some conjecture as to the end of it all。 Evidently； it can't keep on
increasing at the present rate。 If it does； there will presently be no
room in the world for things； it will be filled up with the
advertisements of things。〃
〃Before that time； perhaps；〃 my friend suggested； 〃adsmithing will have
become so fine and potent an art that advertising will be reduced in
bulk； while keeping all its energy and even increasing its
effectiveness。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 I said； 〃some silent electrical process will be contrived； so
that the attractions of a new line of dress…goods or the fascination of a
spring or fall opening may be imparted to a lady's consciousness without
even the agency of words。 All other facts of commercial and industrial
interest could be dealt with in the same way。 A fine thrill could be
made to go from the last new book through the whole community； so that
people would not willingly rest till they had it。 Yes； one can see an
indefinite future for advertising in that way。 The adsmith may be the
supreme artist of the twentieth century。 He may assemble in his grasp；
and employ at will； all the arts and sciences。〃
〃Yes；〃 said my friend； with a sort of fall in his voice； 〃that is very
well。 But what is to become of the race when it is penetrated at every
pore with a sense of the world's demand and supply？〃
〃Oh； that is another affair。 I was merely imagining the possible
resources of invention in providing for the increase of advertising while
guarding the integrity of the planet。 I think； very likely； if the thing
keeps on； we shall all go mad； but then we shall none of us be able to
criticise the others。 Or possibly the thing may work its own cure。 You
know the ingenuity of the political economists in justifying the egotism
to which conditions appeal。 They do not deny that these foster greed and
rapacity in merciless degree； but they contend that when the wealth…
winner drops off gorged there is a kind of miracle wrought； and good
comes of it all。 I never could see how； but if it is true； why shouldn't
a sort of ultimate immunity come back to us from the very excess and
invasion of the appeals now made to us； and destined to be made to us
still more by the adsmith？ Come； isn't there hope in that？〃
〃I see a great opportunity for the wofsmith in some such dream；〃 said my
friend。 〃Why don't you turn it to account？〃
〃You know that isn't my line； I must leave that sort of wofsmithing to
the romantic novelist。 Besides； I have my well…known panacea for all the
ills our state is heir to； in a civilization which shall legislate
foolish and vicious and ugly and adulterate things out of the possibility
of existence。 Most of the adsmithing is now employed in persuading
people that such things are useful； beautiful； and pure。 But in any
civilization they shall not even be suffered to be made； much less
foisted upon the community by adsmiths。〃
〃I see what you mean；〃 said my friend； and he sighed gently。 〃I had much
better let you write about spring。〃
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PLAGIARISM
A late incident in the history of a very widespread English novelist；
triumphantly closed by the statement of his friend that the novelist had
casually failed to accredit a given passage in his novel to the real
author； has brought freshly to my mind a curious question in ethics。
The friend who vindicated the novelist； or； rather； who contemptuously
dismissed the matter； not only confessed the fact of adoption； but
declared that it was one of many which could be found in the novelist's
works。 The novelist； he said； was quite in the habit of so using
material in the rough； which he implied was like using any fact or idea
from life； and he declared that the novelist could not bother to answer
critics who regarded these exploitations as a sort of depredation。 In a
manner he brushed the impertinent accusers aside； assuring the general
public that the novelist always meant； at his leisure； and in his own
way； duly to ticket the flies preserved in his amber。
I。
When I read this haughty vindication； I thought at first that if the case
were mine I would rather have several deadly enemies than such a friend
as that； but since； I have not been so sure。 I have asked myself upon a
careful review of the matter whether plagiarism may not be frankly
avowed； as in nowise dishonest； and I wish some abler casuist would take
the affair into consideration and make it clear for me。 If we are to
suppose that offences against society disgrace the offender； and that
public dishonor argues the fact of some such offence； then apparently
plagiarism is not such an offence； for in even very flagrant cases it
does not disgrace。 The dictionary； indeed； defines it as 〃the crime of
literary theft〃； but as no penalty attaches to it； and no lasting shame；
it is hard to believe it either a crime or a theft； and the offence； if
it is an offence （one has to call it something； and I hope the word is
not harsh）； is