The First “Growl”

“And so, my boy:

“The contemporary writer of whom I began to speak was just a ‘writer’ like all the rest there, and nothing particular in himself.

“Once when he had finished some book or other, he began to think what he should write about next, and with this in view, he decided to look for some new ‘idea’ in the books contained in his what is called ‘library,’ such as every writer there is bound to have.

“As he was looking, a book called ‘the Gospels’ happened to fall into his hands.

“ ‘The Gospels’ is the name given there to a book once written by certain persons called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John about Jesus Christ, a Messenger from our ENDLESSNESS to that planet.

“This book is widely circulated among those three-centered beings there who nominally exist according to the indications of this Messenger.

“This book having chanced to fall into this writer’s hands, the thought suddenly entered his head: Why should not I also make a ‘Gospel’?

“From investigations I had to make for quite different needs of mine, it turned out that he then further deliberated as follows:

“Am I any worse than those ancient barbarians, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Johnnie?

“At least I am more “cultured” than they ever were; and I can write a much better “gospel” for my contemporaries.

“And very decidedly it is necessary to write just a “Gospel” because the contemporary people called “English” and “American” have a great weakness for this book, and the rate of exchange of their pounds and dollars is “not half bad” just now.’