+-------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber’s note: | | | |Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | | | +-------------------------------------------------+ FREE OPINIONS FREELY EXPRESSED CONSTABLE’S NEW 6/- NOVELS _ROBERT W. CHAMBERS._ IN SEARCH OF THE UNKNOWN. _JOHN FOX_ (_Author of “The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come”_). CRITTENDEN. _MRS. STEPNEY RAWSON._ TALES OF RYE TOWN. _ERNEST GLANVILLE._ A ROUGH REFORMER. _UNA L. SILBERRAD._ THE WEDDING OF THE LADY OF LOVELL. _HELEN H. COLVILL._ THE STEPPING STONE. _MRS. COMYNS CARR._ JOHN FLETCHER’S MADONNA. _MAY SINCLAIR._ THE DIVINE FIRE. LONDON: ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO. LTD. FREE OPINIONS FREELY EXPRESSED ON Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct By MARIE CORELLI AUTHOR OF “GOD’S GOOD MAN” “TEMPORAL POWER” “BARABBAS” “THE MASTER CHRISTIAN” ETC LONDON ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO LTD 1905 BUTLER & TANNER, THE SELWOOD PRINTING WORKS, FROME, AND LONDON. A Toi, Sauvage! “Si vous voulez combattre, Il faut croire d’abord; Il faut que le lutteur Affirme la justice; Il faut, pour le devoir Qu’il s’offre au sacrifice, Et qu’il soit le plus pur, S’il n’est pas le plus fort.” EUGÈNE MANUEL. CONTENTS PAGE A VITAL POINT OF EDUCATION 1 THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESS 14 “PAGAN LONDON” 29 A QUESTION OF FAITH 38 UNCHRISTIAN CLERICS 68 THE SOCIAL BLIGHT 79 THE DEATH OF HOSPITALITY 89 THE VULGARITY OF WEALTH 98 AMERICAN WOMEN IN ENGLAND 117 THE AMERICAN BOUNDER 128 COWARD ADAM 143 ACCURSËD EVE 152 “IMAGINARY” LOVE 162 THE ADVANCE OF WOMAN 169 THE PALM OF BEAUTY 185 THE MADNESS OF CLOTHES 195 THE DECAY OF HOME LIFE IN ENGLAND 207 SOCIETY AND SUNDAY 233 THE “STRONG” BOOK OF THE ISHBOSHETH 245 THE MAKING OF LITTLE POETS 252 THE PRAYER OF THE SMALL COUNTRY M.P. 262 THE THANKSGIVING OF THE SMALL COUNTRY M.P.’S WIFE 267 THE VANISHING GIFT 273 THE POWER OF THE PEN 292