WhatImeanttosay，simply，isthatthequarter-decktrainingdoesnotprepareonesufficientlyforthereceptionofliterarycriticism。Onlythat，andnomore。Butthisdefectisnotwithoutgravity。Ifitbepermissibletotwist，invert，adapt（andspoil）M。AnatoleFrance’sdefinitionofagoodcritic，thenletussaythatthegoodauthorishewhocontemplateswithoutmarkedjoyorexcessivesorrowtheadventuresofhissoulamongstcriticisms。Farbefrommetheintentiontomisleadanattentivepublicintothebeliefthatthereisnocriticismatsea。Thatwouldbedishonest，andevenimpolite。Everythingcanbefoundatsea，accordingtothespiritofyourquest——strife，peace，romance，naturalismofthemostpronouncedkind，ideals，boredom，disgust，inspiration——andeveryconceivableopportunity，includingtheopportunitytomakeafoolofyourself——exactlyasinthepursuitofliterature。Butthequarter-deckcriticismissomewhatdifferentfromliterarycriticism。Thismuchtheyhaveincommon，thatbeforetheoneandtheothertheansweringback，asageneralrule，doesnotpay。
Yes，youfindcriticismatsea，andevenappreciation——Itellyoueverythingistobefoundonsaltwater——criticismgenerallyimpromptu，andalwaysvivavoce，whichistheoutward，obviousdifferencefromtheliteraryoperationofthatkind，withconsequentfreshnessandvigourwhichmaybelackingintheprintedword。Withappreciation，whichcomesattheend，whenthecriticandthecriticisedareabouttopart，itisotherwise。
Theseaappreciationofone’shumbletalentshasthepermanencyofthewrittenword，seldomthecharmofvariety，isformalinitsphrasing。Theretheliterarymasterhasthesuperiority，thoughhe，too，canineffectbutsay——andoftensaysitintheveryphrase——\"Icanhighlyrecommend。\"Onlyusuallyheusestheword\"We，\"therebeingsomeoccultvirtueinthefirstpersonplural，whichmakesitspeciallyfitforcriticalandroyaldeclarations。Ihaveasmallhandfuloftheseseaappreciations，signedbyvariousmasters，yellowingslowlyinmywriting-table’sleft-handdrawer，rustlingundermyreverenttouch，likeahandfulofdryleavespluckedforatendermementofromthetreeofknowledge。Strange！Itseemsthatitisforthesefewbitsofpaper，headedbythenamesofafewshipsandsignedbythenamesofafewScotsandEnglishshipmasters，thatIhavefacedtheastonishedindignations，themockeriesandthereproachesofasorthardtobearforaboyoffifteen;thatIhavebeenchargedwiththewantofpatriotism，thewantofsense，andthewantofhearttoo;thatIwentthroughagoniesofself-conflictandshedsecrettearsnotafew，andhadthebeautiesoftheFurcaPassspoiledforme，andhavebeencalledan\"incorrigibleDonQuixote，\"inallusiontothebook-bornmadnessoftheknight。
Forthatspoil！Theyrustle，thosebitsofpaper——somedozenoftheminall。Inthatfaint，ghostlysoundtherelivethememoriesoftwentyyears，thevoicesofroughmennownomore，thestrongvoiceoftheeverlastingwinds，andthewhisperofamysteriousspell，themurmurofthegreatsea，whichmusthavesomehowreachedmyinlandcradleandenteredmyunconsciousear，likethatformulaofMohammedanfaiththeMussulmanfatherwhispersintotheearofhisnew-borninfant，makinghimoneofthefaithfulalmostwithhisfirstbreath。IdonotknowwhetherIhavebeenagoodseaman，butIknowIhavebeenaveryfaithfulone。Andafterallthereisthathandfulof\"characters\"fromvariousshipstoprovethatalltheseyearshavenotbeenaltogetheradream。Theretheyare，brief，andmonotonousintone，butassuggestivebitsofwritingtomeasanyinspiredpagetobefoundinliterature。Butthen，yousee，Ihavebeencalledromantic。Well，thatcan’tbehelped。Butstay。IseemtorememberthatIhavebeencalledarealistalso。Andasthatchargetoocanbemadeout，letustrytoliveuptoit，atwhatevercost，forachange。Withthisendinview，Iwillconfidetoyoucoyly，andonlybecausethereisnooneabouttoseemyblushesbythelightofthemidnightlamp，thatthesesuggestivebitsofquarter-deckappreciationoneandallcontainthewords\"strictlysober。\"
DidIoverhearacivilmurmur，\"That’sverygratifying，tobesure\"？Well，yes，itisgratifying——thankyou。Itisatleastasgratifyingtobecertifiedsoberastobecertifiedromantic，thoughsuchcertificateswouldnotqualifyoneforthesecretaryshipofatemperanceassociationorforthepostofofficialtroubadourtosomelordlydemocraticinstitutionsuchastheLondonCountyCouncil，forinstance。Theaboveprosaicreflectionisputdownhereonlyinordertoprovethegeneralsobrietyofmyjudgmentinmundaneaffairs。Imakeapointofitbecauseacoupleofyearsago，acertainshortstoryofminebeingpublishedinaFrenchtranslation，aParisiancritic——IamalmostcertainitwasM。GustaveKahninthe\"Gil-Blas\"——givingmeashortnotice，summeduphisrapidimpressionofthewriter’squalityinthewordsunpuissantreveur。Sobeit！Whowouldcavilatthewordsofafriendlyreader？Yetperhapsnotsuchanunconditionaldreamerasallthat。IwillmakeboldtosaythatneitheratseanorashorehaveIeverlostthesenseofresponsibility。Thereismorethanonesortofintoxication。