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Agnes Repplier (1855 - 1950) was a highly respected American essayist, whose elegant and thoughtful writings were very influential among readers. "Americans and Others" collected together fourteen of her delightful and insightful essays. Here is a brief excerpt from the essay, 'The Chill of Enthusiasm', which should go to some extent to reveal the flavor of her thought : "There is no aloofness so forlorn as our aloofness from an uncontagious enthusiasm, and there is no hostility so sharp as that aroused by a fervor which fails of response. Charles Lamb's 'D__n him at a hazard', was the expression of a natural and reasonable frame of mind with which we are all familiar, and which, though admittedly unlovely, is in the nature of a safeguard. If we had no spiritual asbestos to protect our souls, we should be consumed to no purpose by every wanton flame. If our sincere and restful indifference to things which concern us not were shaken by every blast, we should have no available force for things which concern us deeply. If eloquence did not sometimes make us yawn, we should be besotted by oratory. And if we did not approach new acquaintances, new authors, and new points of view with life-saving reluctance, we should never feel that vital regard which, being strong enough to break down our barriers, is strong enough to hold us for life. The worth of admiration is, after all, in proportion to the value of the thing admired, - a circumstance overlooked by the people who talk much pleasant nonsense about sympathy, and the courage of our emotions, and the open and generous mind." ************************************** TITLE : Americans and Others. / AUTHOR : Agnes Repplier (1855 - 1950) / IMPRINT : Houghton, Mifflin and Company. / PLACE : Boston and New York. / PRESS : The Riverside Press, Cambridge. / DATE : 1912. / EDITION : First Edition. / PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION : Trade hardcover; 298 pages; approximately 4 3/4" x 7"; drab cloth with tile, etc. lettered in gilt on spine and front board; title page printed with publisher's device; top edge gilt CONTENTS : - A Question of Politeness / - The Mission of Humour / - Goodness and Gayety / - The Nervous Strain / - The Girl Graduate / - The Estranging Sea / - Travellers' Tales / - The Chill of Enthusiasm / - The Temptation of Eve / - "The Greatest of These is Charity" / - The Customary Correspondent / - The Benefactor / - The Condescension of Borrowers / - The Grocer's Cat **************************************** CONDITION: - NEAR VERY GOOD - EXTERIOR - Boards display moderate weathering and surface rub; there is a bit of staining, smudging and scuffing; edge wear is moderate (shelf wear to bottom, and bumped corner tips); spine extremities are compressed and display fraying ; title on spine and front still fairly bright. Text- block edges are toned but clean - gilt top displays light scuffing and is somewhat dulled. / BINDING- Solid - the leaves open widely enough that the binding thread is exposed at a few points, stopping short of outright cracking - however, no leaves are detached or loose, and the text remains fairly solid and unshaken, if a bit lax in the case. / INTERIOR - A previous owners has signed their name in pencil on the front paste-down ( L. H. Stanford) - An inscription is written in ink on the front fly-leaf ("This book is cherished by its owner. -- Above not written for Ada!). Scattered small smudges and spots, a few edge dents or creases - basically clean and presentable throughout. It's a handsome mid-Edwardian Era book of delightful essays.
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