Final Acknowledgments
Atlas,—Your correspondent proposes that “Mr. Jones, R.A.” is not R.A.—but A.R.A.
The World, Mar. 30, 1892.
You know these things, Atlas—perhaps he is right, and curiously microscopic—for surely here we have “a difference without a distinction!”
However, R.A. or A.R.A., and, in my opinion he deserves to be both, I personally owe Mr. Jones a friendly gratitude which I am pleased to acknowledge; for rare indeed is the courage with which, on the first public occasion, he sacrificed himself, in the face of all-astounded etiquette, and future possible ridicule, in order to help write the history of another.
These things we like to remember, Atlas, you and I—the bright things, the droll things, the charming things of this pleasant life—and here, too, in this lovely land they are understood—and keenly appreciated.
As to those others—alas! I am afraid we have done with them. It was our amusement to convict—they thought we cared to convince!
Allons! They have served our wicked purpose—Atlas, we “collect” no more.
“Autres gens, autres mœurs.”
Paris, March 26, 1892.
FINIS