I am in a somewhat critical position and time. Don't make any mistake about it. Small as I am, I have mountains to lift; and if you do not realize it, you cannot help it, but can only get your fingers crushed. Only your fingers--mind! but that will hurt more than you think.
I. Society. Civilized society conspires to starve certain men to death. It must do so in self-defence. There _are_ privileged men; I may become one yet.
II. I have down on me the Church. By Church, you must not think of the Roman, Greek, Episcopalian, etc., persuasions,--but all Christendom supporting missionary societies, and opposing free-thinking in every shape. Do not be deceived by a few kindly notes about my work from religious sources. They are genuine,--but they signify absolutely nothing against the great dead weight of more orthodox opinion. As Professor Huxley says, no man can tell the force of a belief until he has had the experience of fighting it. Good! Church and Society together are pretty vigorous, you will acknowledge.
III. The English and American Press in combination,--the press that represents critical opinion in London as well as in New York. Don't mistake the meaning of notices. All, or nearly all, are managed by the publishers. The policy is to praise the work--because that brings advertisements. Society, Church, Press--that means a big combination, rather. On my side I have a brave American naval officer--and the present good will of the Japanese Government, which has been vaguely aware that my books have been doing some good.
Now you may say, "How important the little mite thinks himself,--the cynosure of the world!" But that would be hasty thinking. I am pretty much in the position of a book-keeper known to have once embezzled, or of a man who has been in prison, or of a prostitute who has been on the street. These are, none of them, you will confess, _important_ persons. But what keeps them in their holes? Society, Church, and public opinion--the Press. No man is too small to get the whole world's attention _if_ he does certain things. Talent signifies nothing. Talent starves in the streets, and dies in the ginhouse. Talent helps no one not in some way independent of society. _Temporarily_, I _am_ thus independent.