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it is an offence （one has to call it something； and I hope the word is
not harsh）； is some such harmless infraction of the moral law as white…
lying。
The much…perverted saying of Moliere； that he took his own where he found
it； is perhaps in the consciousness of those who appropriate the things
other people have rushed in with before them。 But really they seem to
need neither excuse nor defence with the impartial public if they are
caught in the act of reclaiming their property or despoiling the rash
intruder upon their premises。 The novelist in question is by no means
the only recent example； and is by no means a flagrant example。 While
the ratification of the treaty with Spain was pending before the Senate
of the United States； a member of that body opposed it in a speech almost
word for word the same as a sermon delivered in New York City only a few
days earlier and published broadcast。 He was promptly exposed by the
parallel…column system； but I have never heard that his standing was
affected or his usefulness impaired by the offence proven against him。 A
few years ago an eminent divine in one of our cities preached as his own
the sermon of a brother divine； no longer living； he； too； was detected
and promptly exposed by the parallel…column system； but nothing whatever
happened from the exposure。 Every one must recall like instances； more
or less remote。 I remember one within my youthfuller knowledge of a
journalist who used as his own all the denunciatory passages of
Macaulay's article on Barrere； and applied them with changes of name to
the character and conduct of a local politician whom he felt it his duty
to devote to infamy。 He was caught in the fact； and by means of the
parallel column pilloried before the community。 But the community did
not mind it a bit； and the journalist did not either。 He prospered on
amid those who all knew what he had done； and when he removed to another
city it was to a larger one； and to a position of more commanding
influence； from which he was long conspicuous in helping shape the
destinies of the nation。
So far as any effect from these exposures was concerned； they were as
harmless as those exposures of fraudulent spiritistic mediums which from
time to time are supposed to shake the spiritistic superstition to its
foundations。 They really do nothing of the kind； the table…tippings；
rappings； materializations； and levitations keep on as before； and I do
not believe that the exposure of the novelist who has been the latest
victim of the parallel column will injure him a jot in the hearts or
heads of his readers。
II。
I am very glad of it； being a disbeliever in punishments of all sorts。
I am always glad to have sinners get off； for I like to get off from my
own sins； and I have a bad moment from my sense of them whenever
another's have found him out。 But as yet I have not convinced myself
that the sort of thing we have been considering is a sin at all； for it
seems to deprave no more than it dishonors； or that it is what the
dictionary （with very unnecessary brutality） calls a 〃crime〃 and a
〃theft。〃 If it is either； it is differently conditioned； if not
differently natured； from all other crimes and thefts。 These may be more
or less artfully and hopefully concealed； but plagiarism carries
inevitable detection with it。 If you take a man's hat or coat out of his
hall； you may pawn it before the police overtake you； if you take his
horse out of his stable； you may ride it away beyond pursuit and sell it；
if you take his purse out of his pocket； you may pass it to a pal in the
crowd； and easily prove your innocence。 But if you take his sermon； or
his essay； or even his apposite reflection； you cannot escape discovery。
The world is full of idle people reading books； and they are only too
glad to act as detectives； they please their miserable vanity by showing
their alertness； and are proud to hear witness against you in the court
of parallel columns。 You have no safety in the obscurity of the author
from whom you take your own； there is always that most terrible reader；
the reader of one book； who knows that very author； and will the more
indecently hasten to bring you to the bar because he knows no other； and
wishes to display his erudition。 A man may escape for centuries and yet
be found out。 In the notorious case of William Shakespeare the offender
seemed finally secure of his prey； and yet one poor lady； who ended in a
lunatic asylum； was able to detect him at last； and to restore the goods
to their rightful owner； Sir Francis Bacon。
In spite； however； of this almost absolute certainty of exposure；
plagiarism goes on as it has always gone on； and there is no probability
that it will cease as long as there are novelists； senators； divines； and
journalists hard pressed for ideas which they happen not to have in mind
at the time； and which they see going to waste elsewhere。 Now and then
it takes a more violent form and becomes a real mania； as when the
plagiarist openly claims and urges his right to a well…known piece of
literary property。 When Mr。 William Allen Butler's famous poem of
〃Nothing to Wear〃 achieved its extraordinary popularity； a young girl
declared and apparently quite believed that she had written it and lost
the MS。 in an omnibus。 All her friends apparently believed so； too； and
the friends of the different gentlemen and ladies who claimed the
authorship of 〃Beautiful Snow〃 and 〃Rock Me to Sleep〃 were ready to
support them by affidavit against the real authors of those pretty
worthless pieces。
From all these facts it must appear to the philosophic reader that
plagiarism is not the simple 〃crime〃 or 〃theft〃 that the lexicographers
would have us believe。 It argues a strange and peculiar courage on the
part of those who commit it or indulge it； since they are sure of having
it brought home to them； for they seem to dread the exposure； though it
involves no punishment outside of themselves。 Why do they do it； or；
having done it； why do they mind it； since the public does not？ Their
temerity and their timidity are things almost irreconcilable； and the
whole position leaves one quite puzzled as to what one would do if one's
own plagiarisms were found out。 But this is a mere question of conduct；
and of infinitely less interest than that of the nature or essence of the
thing itself。
PURITANISM IN AMERICAN FICTION
The question whether the fiction which gives a vivid impression of
reality does truly represent the conditions studied in it； is one of
those inquiries to which there is no very final answer。 The most
baffling fact of such fiction is that its truths are self…evident；
and if you go about to prove them you are in some danger of shaking the
convictions of those whom they have persuaded。 It will not do to affirm
anything wholesale concerning them； a hundred examples to the contrary
present themselves if you know the ground； and you are left in doubt of
the verity which you cannot gainsay。 The most that you can do is to
appeal to your own consciousness； and that is not proof to anybody else。
Perhaps the best test in this