I am afraid I must offer an apology rather than an excuse. The fact
is that I was in a very awkward position. My previous work, Erewhon,
had failed to give satisfaction to certain ultra-orthodox Christians,
who imagined that they could detect an analogy between the English
Church and the Erewhonian Musical Banks. It is inconceivable how
they can have got hold of this idea; but I was given to understand
that I should find it far from easy to dispossess them of the notion
that something in the way of satire had been intended. There were
other parts of the book which had also been excepted to, and
altogether I had reason to believe that if I defended Christianity in
my own name I should not find Erewhon any addition to the weight
which my remarks might otherwise carry. If I had been suspected of
satire once, I might be suspected again with no greater reason.
Instead of calmly reviewing the arguments which I adduced, The Rock
might have raised a cry of non tali auxilio. It must always be
remembered that besides the legitimate investors in Christian stocks,
if so homely a metaphor may be pardoned, there are unscrupulous
persons whose profession it is to be bulls, bears, stags, and I know
not what other creatures of the various Christian markets. It is all
nonsense about hawks not picking out each other's eyes--there is
nothing they like better. I feared The Guardian, The Record, The
John Bull, etc., lest they should suggest that from a bear I now
turned bull with a view to an eventual bishopric. Such insinuations
would have impaired the value of The Fair Haven as an anchorage for
well-meaning people. I therefore resolved to obey the injunction of
the Gentile Apostle and avoid all appearance of evil, by dissociating
myself from the author of Erewhon as completely as possible. At the
moment of my resolution JOHN PICKARD OWEN came to my assistance; I
felt that he was the sort of man I wanted, but that he was hardly