not a Brown； not a Jones； not a Robinson； they are all names that one would stop and look at on a door…plate。 Now； imagine if PEPYS had tried to clamber somehow into the enclosure of poetry； what a blot would that word have made upon the list！ The thing was impossible。 In the first place a certain natural consciousness that men would have held him down to the level of his name； would have prevented him from rising above the Pepsine standard； and so haply withheld him altogether from attempting verse。 Next； the booksellers would refuse to publish； and the world to read them； on the mere evidence of the fatal appellation。 And now； before I close this section； I must say one word as to PUNNABLE names； names that stand alone； that have a significance and life apart from him that bears them。 These are the bitterest of all。 One friend of mine goes bowed and humbled through life under the weight of this misfortune； for it is an awful thing when a man's name is a joke； when he cannot be mentioned without exciting merriment； and when even the intimation of his death bids fair to carry laughter into many a home。
So much for people who are badly named。 Now for people who are TOO well named； who go top…heavy from the font； who are baptized into a false position； and find themselves beginning life eclipsed under the fame of some of the great ones of the past。 A man； for instance； called William Shakespeare could never dare to write plays。 He is thrown into too humbling an apposition with the author of HAMLET。 Its own name coming after is such an anti…climax。 'The plays of William Shakespeare'？ says the reader … 'O no！ The plays of William Shakespeare Cockerill；' and he throws the book aside。 In wise pursuance of such views； Mr。 John Milton Hengler； who not long since delighted us in this favoured town； has never attempted to write an epic； but has chosen a new path； and has excelled upon the tight…rope。 A marked example of triumph over this is the case of Mr。 Dante Gabriel Rossetti。 On the face of the matter； I should have advised him to imitate the pleasing modesty of the last…named gentleman； and confine his ambition to the sawdust。 But Mr。 Rossetti has triumphed。 He has even dared to translate from his mighty name…father； and the voice of fame supports him in his boldness。
Dear readers； one might write a year upon this matter。 A lifetime of comparison and research could scarce suffice for its elucidation。 So here； if it please you； we shall let it rest。 Slight as these notes have been； I would that the great founder of the system had been alive to see them。 How he had warmed and brightened； how his persuasive eloquence would have fallen on the ears of Toby； and what a letter of praise and sympathy would not the editor have received before the month was out！ Alas； the thing was not to be。 Walter Shandy died and was duly buried； while yet his theory lay forgotten and neglected by his fellow…countrymen。 But； reader； the day will come； I hope； when a paternal government will stamp out； as seeds of national weakness； all depressing patronymics； and when godfathers and godmothers will soberly and earnestly debate the interest of the nameless one； and not rush blindfold to the christening。 In these days there shall be written a 'Godfather's Assistant；' in shape of a dictionary of names； with their concomitant virtues and vices； and this book shall be scattered broadcast through the land； and shall be on the table of every one eligible for godfathership； until such a thing as a vicious or untoward appellation shall have ceased from off the face of the earth。
CRITICISMS CHAPTER I … LORD LYTTON'S 'FABLES IN SONG'
IT seems as if Lord Lytton； in this new book of his； had found the form most natural to his talent。 In some ways； indeed； it may be held inferior to CHRONICLES AND CHARACTERS； we look in vain for anything like the terrible intensity of the night…scene in IRENE； or for any such passages of massive and memorable writing as appeared； here and there； in the earlier work； and made it not altogether unworthy of its model； Hugo's LEGEND OF THE AGES。 But it becomes evident； on the most hasty retrospect； that this earlier work was a step on the way towards the later。 It seems as if the author had been feeling about for his definite medium； and was already； in the language of the child's game； growing hot。 There are many pieces in CHRONICLES AND CHARACTERS that might be detached from their original setting； and embodied； as they stand； among the FABLES IN SONG。
For the term Fable is not very easy to define rigorously。 In the most typical form some moral precept is set forth by means of a conception purely fantastic； and usually somewhat trivial into the bargain； there is something playful about it； that will not support a very exacting criticism； and the lesson must be apprehended by the fancy at half a hint。 Such is the great mass of the old stories of wise animals or foolish men that have amused our childhood。 But we should expect the fable； in company with other and more important literary forms； to be more and more loosely； or at least largely； comprehended as time went on； and so to degenerate in conception from this original type。 That depended for much of its piquancy on the very fact that it was fantastic： the point of the thing lay in a sort of humorous inappropriateness； and it is natural enough that pleasantry of this description should become less common； as men learn to suspect some serious analogy underneath。 Thus a comical story of an ape touches us quite differently after the proposition of Mr。 Darwin's theory。 Moreover； there lay； perhaps； at the bottom of this primitive sort of fable； a humanity； a tenderness of rough truths； so that at the end of some story； in which vice or folly had met with its destined punishment； the fabulist might be able to assure his auditors； as we have often to assure tearful children on the like occasions； that they may dry their eyes； for none of it was true。
But this benefit of fiction becomes lost with more sophisticated hearers and authors： a man is no longer the dupe of his own artifice； and cannot deal playfully with truths that are a matter of bitter concern to him in his life。 And hence； in the progressive centralisation of modern thought； we should expect the old form of fable to fall gradually into desuetude； and be gradually succeeded by another； which is a fable in all points except that it is not altogether fabulous。 And this new form； such as we should expect； and such as we do indeed find； still presents the essential character of brevity； as in any other fable also； there is； underlying and animating the brief action； a moral idea； and as in any other fable； the object is to bring this home to the reader through the intellect rather than through the feelings； so that； without being very deeply moved or interested by the characters of the piece； we should recognise vividly the hinges on which the little plot revolves。 But the fabulist now seeks analogies where before he merely sought humorous situations。 There will be now a logical nexus between the moral expressed and the machinery employed to express it。 The machinery； in fact； as this change is developed； becomes less and less fabulous。 We find ourselves in presence of quite a serious； if quite a miniature division of creative literature； and sometimes we have the lesson embodied in a sober； everyday narration； as in the parables of the New Testament； and sometimes merely the statement or； at most； the collocation of significant facts in life； the reader being left to resolve for himself the vague； troublesome； and not yet definitely moral sentiment which has been thus created。 And step by step with the development of this change； yet another is developed： the moral tends to become more indeterminate and large。 It ceases to be possible to append it； in a tag； to the bottom of the piece； as one might write the name below a caricature； and the fable begins to take rank with all other forms of creative literature； as something too ambitious； in spite of its miniature dimensions； to be resumed in any succinct formula without the loss of all that is deepest and most suggestive in it。
Now it is in this widest sense that Lord Lytton understands the term； there are examples in his two pleasant volumes of all the forms already mentioned； and even of another which can only be admitted among fables by the utmost possible leniency of construction。 'Composure；' 'Et Caetera；' and several more； are merely similes poetically elaborated。 So； too； is the pathetic story of the grandfather and grandchild： the child； having treasured away an icicle and forgotten it for ten minutes； comes back to find it already nearly melted； and no longer beautiful： at the same time； the grandfather has just remembered and taken out a bundle of love…letters； which he too had stored away in years gone by； and then long neglected； and； behold！ the letters are as faded and sorrowfully disappointing as the icicle。 This is merely a simile poetically worked out； and yet it is in such as these； and some others； to be mentioned further on； that the author seems at his best。 Wherever he has really written after the old model； there is something to be deprecated： in spite of all the spirit and freshness； in spite of his happy assumption of that cheerful acceptation of things as they are； which； rightly or wrongly； we come to attribute to the ideal fabulist； there is ever a sense as of something a little out of place。 A form of literature so very innocent and primitive looks a little over…written in Lord Lytton's conscious and highly…coloured style。 It may be bad taste； but sometimes we should prefer a few sentences of plain prose narration； and a little Bewick by way of tail…piece。 So that it is not among those fables that conform most nearly to the old model； but one had nearly said among those that most widely differ from it； that we find the most satisfactory examples of the author's manner。
In the mere matter of ingenuity； the metaphysical fables