shame. How are we, or to come closer to the point, how is the average
juryman going to distinguish between these three things; between
advisable knowledge and corruptingly presented knowledge, and
unnecessary and undesirable knowledge? In practice, under the laws I
have sketched, it is quite probable the evil would flourish extremely,
and necessary information would be ruthlessly suppressed. Many of our
present laws and provisions for public decency do work in that manner.
The errand-boy may not look at the Venus de Medici, but he can cram his
mind with the lore of how "nobs" run after ballet girls, and why Lady X
locked the door. One can only plead here, as everywhere, no law, no
succinct statement can save us without wisdom, a growing general wisdom
and conscience, coming into the detailed administration of whatever law
the general purpose has made.

Beside our project for law and the state, it is evident there is scope
for the individual. Certain people are in a position of exceptional
responsibility. The Newsagents, for example, constitute a fairly strong
trade organization, and it would be easy for them to think of the boy
with a penny just a little more than they do. Unfortunately such
instances as we have had of voluntary censorship will qualify the
reader's assent to this proposition. Another objection may be urged to
this distinction between "adult" and general matter, and that is the
possibility that what is marked off and forbidden becomes mysterious
and attractive. One has to reckon with that. Everywhere in this field
one must go wisely or fail. But what is here proposed is not so much
the suppression of information as of a certain manner of presenting
information, and our intention is at the most delay, and to give the
wholesome aspect first.

Let us leave nothing doubtful upon one point; the suppression of