For good or evil, a line has been passed in our political history; and something that we have known all our lives is dead. I will take only one example of it: our politicians can no longer be caricatured.

The Party System was founded on one national notion of fair play. It was the notion that folly and futility should be fairly divided between both sides.

The old idea that the joke was not good enough for the company has been superseded by the new aristocratic idea that the company was not worthy of the joke. They have introduced an almost insane individualism into that one form of intercourse which is specially and uproariously communal. They have made even levities into secrets. They have made laughter lonelier than tears.

When once you have got hold of a vulgar joke, you may be certain that you have got hold of a subtle and spiritual idea.