superiors　of　the　foolish　souls　who　mock　them　…　better；　even
  misguided　efforts；　than　the　ignoble　stagnant　quagmire　of　slouch
  into　which　we　seem　to　be　slowly　descending。
  CHAPTER　9　…　Social　Suggestion
  THE　question　of　how　far　we　are　unconsciously　influenced　by　people
  and　surroundings；　in　our　likes　and　dislikes；　our　opinions；　and　even
  in　our　pleasures　and　intimate　tastes；　is　a　delicate　and　interesting
  one；　for　the　line　between　success　and　failure　in　the　world；　as　on
  the　stage　or　in　most　of　the　professions；　is　so　narrow　and　depends
  so　often　on　what　humor　one's　〃public〃　happen　to　be　in　at　a
  particular　moment；　that　the　subject　is　worthy　of　consideration。
  Has　it　never　happened　to　you；　for　instance；　to　dine　with　friends
  and　go　afterwards　in　a　jolly　humor　to　the　play　which　proved　so
  delightful　that　you　insist　on　taking　your　family　immediately　to　see
  it；　when　to　your　astonishment　you　discover　that　it　is　neither
  clever　nor　amusing；　on　the　contrary　rather　dull。　　Your　family　look
  at　you　in　amazement　and　wonder　what　you　had　seen　to　admire　in　such
  an　asinine　performance。　　There　was　a　case　of　suggestion！　　You　had
  been　influenced　by　your　friends　and　had　shared　their　opinions。　　The
  same　thing　occurs　on　a　higher　scale　when　one　is　raised　out　of　one's
  self　by　association　with　gifted　and　original　people；　a　communion
  with　more　cultivated　natures　which　causes　you　to　discover　and
  appreciate　a　thousand　hidden　beauties　in　literature；　art　or　music
  that　left　to　yourself；　you　would　have　failed　to　notice。　　Under
  these　circumstances　you　will　often　be　astonished　at　the　point　and
  piquancy　of　your　own　conversation。　　This　is　but　too　true　of　a
  number　of　subjects。
  We　fondly　believe　our　opinions　and　convictions　to　be　original；　and
  with　innocent　conceit；　imagine　that　we　have　formed　them　for
  ourselves。　　The　illusion　of　being　unlike　other　people　is　a　common
  vanity。　　Beware　of　the　man　who　asserts　such　a　claim。　　He　is　sure　to
  be　a　bore　and　will　serve　up　to　you；　as　his　own；　a　muddle　of　ideas
  and　opinions　which　he　has　absorbed　like　a　sponge　from　his
  surroundings。
  No　place　is　more　propitious　for　studying　this　curious　phenomenon；
  than　behind　the　scenes　of　a　theatre；　the　last　few　nights　before　a
  first　performance。　　The　whole　company　is　keyed　up　to　a　point　of
  mutual　admiration　that　they　are　far　from　feeling　generally。　　〃The
  piece　is　charming　and　sure　to　be　a　success。〃　　The　author　and　the
  interpreters　of　his　thoughts　are　in　complete　communion。　　The　first
  night　comes。　　The　piece　is　a　failure！　　Drop　into　the　greenroom　then
  and　you　will　find　an　astonishing　change　has　taken　place。　　The　Star
  will　take　you　into　a　corner　and　assert　that；　she　〃always　knew　the
  thing　could　not　go；　it　was　too　imbecile；　with　such　a　company；　it
  was　folly　to　expect　anything　else。〃　　The　author　will　abuse　the　Star
  and　the　management。　　The　whole　troupe　is　frankly　disconcerted；　like
  people　aroused　out　of　a　hypnotic　sleep；　wondering　what　they　had
  seen　in　the　play　to　admire。
  In　the　social　world　we　are　even　more　inconsistent；　accepting　with
  tameness　the　most　astonishing　theories　and　opinions。　　Whole　circles
  will　go　on　assuring　each　other　how　clever　Miss　So…and…So　is；　or；
  how　beautiful　they　think　someone　else。　　Not　because　these　good
  people　are　any　cleverer；　or　more　attractive　than　their　neighbors；
  but　simply　because　it　is　in　the　air　to　have　these　opinions　about
  them。　　To　such　an　extent　does　this　hold　good；　that　certain　persons
  are　privileged　to　be　vulgar　and　rude；　to　say　impertinent　things　and
  make　remarks　that　would　ostracize　a　less　fortunate　individual　from
  the　polite　world　for　ever；　society　will　only　smilingly　shrug　its
  shoulders　and　say：　〃It　is　only　Mr。　So…and…So's　way。〃　　It　is　useless
  to　assert　that　in　cases　like　these；　people　are　in　possession　of
  their　normal　senses。　　They　are　under　influences　of　which　they　are
  perfectly　unconscious。
  Have　you　ever　seen　a　piece　guyed？　　Few　sadder　sights　exist；　the
  human　being　rarely　getting　nearer　the　brute　than　when　engaged　in
  this　amusement。　　Nothing　the　actor　or　actress　can　do　will　satisfy
  the　public。　　Men　who　under　ordinary　circumstances　would　be
  incapable　of　insulting　a　woman；　will　whistle　and　stamp　and　laugh；
  at　an　unfortunate　girl　who　is　doing　her　utmost　to　amuse　them。　　A
  terrible　example　of　this　was　given　two　winters　ago　at　one　of　our
  concert　halls；　when　a　family　of　Western　singers　were　subjected　to
  absolute　ill…treatment　at　the　hands　of　the　public。　　The　young　girls
  were　perfectly　sincere；　in　their　rude　way；　but　this　did　not　prevent
  men　from　offering　them　every　insult　malice　could　devise；　and　making
  them　a　target　for　every　missile　at　hand。　　So　little　does　the　public
  think　for　itself　in　cases　like　this；　that　at　the　opening　of　the
  performance　had　some　well…known　person　given　the　signal　for
  applause；　the　whole　audience　would；　in　all　probability；　have　been
  delighted　and　made　the　wretched　sisters　a　success。
  In　my　youth　it　was　the　fashion　to　affect　admiration　for　the　Italian
  school　of　painting　and　especially　for　the　great　masters　of　the
  Renaissance。　　Whole　families　of　perfectly　inartistic　English　and
  Americans　might　then　he　heard　conscientiously　admiring　the　ceiling
  of　the　Sistine　Chapel　or　Leonardo's　Last　Supper　（Botticelli　had　not
  been　invented　then）　in　the　choicest　guide…book　language。
  When　one　considers　the　infinite　knowledge　of　technique　required　to
  understand　the　difficulties　overcome　by　the　giants　of　the
  Renaissance　and　to　appreciate　the　intrinsic　qualities　of　their
  creations；　one　asks　one's　self　in　wonder　what　our　parents　admired
  in　those　paintings；　and　what　tempted　them　to　bring　home　and　adorn
  their　houses　with　such　dreadful　copies　of　their　favorites。　　For　if
  they　appreciated　the　originals　they　never　would　have　bought　the
  copies；　and　if　the　copies　pleased　them；　they　must　have　been
  incapable　of　enjoying　the　originals。　　Yet　all　these　people　thought
  themselves　perfectly　sincere。　　To…day　you　will　see　the　same　thing
  going　on　before　the　paintings　of　Claude　Monet　and　Besnard；　the　same
  admiration　expressed　by　people　who；　you　feel　perfectly　sure；　do　not
  realize　why　these　works　of　art　are　superior　and　can　no　more　explain
  to　you　why　they　think　as　they　do　than　the　sheep　that　follow　each
  other　through　a　hole　in　a　wall；　can　give　a　reason　for　their
  actions。
  Dress　and　fashion　in　clothes　are　subjects　above　all　others；　where
  the　ineptitude　of　the　human　mind　is　most　evident。　　Can　it　be
  explained　in　any　other　way；　why　the　fashions　of　yesterday　always
  appear　so　hideous　to　us；　…　almost　grotesque？　　Take　up　an　old　album
  of　photographs　and　glance　over　the　faded　contents。　　Was　there　ever
  anything　so　absurd？　　Look　at　the　top　hats　men　wore；　and　at　the
  skirts　of　the　women！
  The　mother　of　a　family　said　to　me　the　other　day：　〃When　I　recall　the
  way　in　which　girls　were　dressed　in　my　youth；　I　wonder　how　any　of　us
  ever　got　a　husband。〃
  Study　a　photograph　of　the　Empress　Eugenie；　that　supreme　arbiter　of
  elegance　and　grace。　　Oh！　those　bunchy　hooped　skirts！　　That　awful
  India　shawl　pinned　off　the　shoulders；　and　the　bonnet　perched　on　a
  roll　of　hair　in　the　nape　of　the　neck！　　What　were　people　thinking　of
  at　that　time？　　Were　they　lunatics　to　deform　in　this　way　the
  beautiful　lines　of　the　human　body　which　it　should　be　the　first
  object　of　toilet　to　enhance；　or　were　they　only　lacking　in　the
  artistic　sense？　　Nothing　of　the　kind。　　And　what　is　more；　they　were
  convinced　that　the　real　secret　of　beauty　in　dress　had　been
  discovered　by　them；　that　past　fashions　were　absurd；　and　that　the
  future　could　not　improve　on　their　creations。　　The　sculptors　and
  painters　of　that　day　（men　of　as　great　talent　as　any　now　living）；
  were　enthusiastic　in　reproducing　those　monstrosities　in　marble　or
  on　canvas；　and　authors　raved　about　the　ideal　grace　with　which　a
  certain　beauty　draped　her　shawl。
  Another　marked　manner　in　which　we　are　influenced　by　circumambient
  suggestion；　is　in　the　transient　furore　certain　games　and　pastimes
  create。　　We　see　intelligent　people　so　given　over　to　this　influence
  as　barely　to　allow　themselves　time　to　eat　and　sleep；　begrudging　the
  hours　thus　stolen　from　their　favorite　amusement。
  Ten　years　ago；　tennis　occupied　every　moment　of　our　young　people's
  time；　now　golf　has　transplanted　tennis　in　public　favor；　which　does
  not　prove；　however；　that　the　latter　is　the　better　game；　but　simply
  that　compelled　by　the　accumulated　force　of　other　people's　opinions；
  youths　and　maidens；　old　duffers　and　mature　spinsters　are　willing　to
  pass　many　hours　daily　in　all　kinds　of　weather；　solemnly　following
  an　indian…rubber　ball　across　ten…acre　lots。
  If　you　suggest　to　people　who　are　laboring　under　the　illusion　they
  are　amusing　themselves　that　the　game；　absorbing　so　much　of　their
  attention；　is　not　as　exciting　as　tennis　nor　as　clever　in
  combinations　as　croque