We publish elsewhere a letter from an American correspondent, Mr.
H. M. Watts, who calls attention to the "glittering absur- dities" perpetrated by some British observers of American life. No one regrets it more than we do when America is either misunderstood or misjudged, but on the whole we are inclined to say that the comments of independent scribes, whether in America or in this country, do not much matter. Very often what is intended humorously is taken seriously ; it is sometimes the commentator who is misjudged by his readers. But apart from that, we are never tempted to allow much weight to highly unofficial utterances. When a well-known public man, or anyone acting for the moment in a public capacity, misuses his responsible position to say anything injurious about a country he is visiting, it is a grave lapse and one which should be immediately visited upon him. He has shown himself unfitted to bear his responsibility.
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