[A] Mr. C. E. Montague writes as follows of the origin of his novel
_A Hind Let Loose_, a witty satire of newspaper life: “It arose from
much study--in the course of my daily work--of the editorial articles
of the best-reputed English papers. I found that they consisted,
to a wonderfully large percentage, of certain stock expressions of
positiveness, dislike and contempt. These, I noticed, were so general
that they constantly recurred in all sorts of discussions on various
subjects, and the fancy took me that their use could be carried further
and further until all reference to any particular topic vanished and
nothing but quite general positiveness remained, the Olympian mentality
and temper just going on asserting themselves for assertion’s sake.”
[B] There is a very able book called _The Gospel According to Judas_,
written by a professor at a Western college, which has circulated
in MS. among publishers for ten years, without yet finding one who
is willing to take a chance on its very remarkable wit and uniquely
original conception of the New Testament story. I have often wondered
whether it will ever get printed.