Why The Interviewer Exists

Why do persons of notoriety admit the domestic interviewer? Probably a nuinber of reasons may bo assigned. The iost respecta ble is indolent good nature; it is ediier to say "yes" than "no;" to have tke tiles in your firepla-co described as "Persian," and, at the samè time, as the work of an Englishman, than to keep your drawing room for your acquaintances. This is the fairest plea for permitting your person and furniture to be exhibited to the suburban citizen who, honest man, probably never heard of you and cares very little about you. Again the patiënt may really like bet. ing talked about in public - may enjoy the idea of permitting all the world to know, as Mr. Allen says, "curious littlo details ■which might be left to your conscience, your cook and the commissioners of inland revenue." It is an odd taste, but it is possible that "the animáis enjoy it." The interviewed may pretend to eomplain, but may really rejoice. The public does not mind it, the patiënt is pleased, the interviewer earns his fee in tho way he has been inspired to choose. All this may be admitted, but the plea of --necessity cannot be admitted. Again, probably rnany of the patients thiuk an "intervieV" a good advertisement. They are brought beforo the public notice; tkerefore the public will reacl tlieir booki or buy their pictures. This is a sad mistake. The public which reads interviews knows nothing about the interviewed author and his works, cares nothing about them nor about ahything of the sort. "Here is gossip about somebody whose name I have seen in the papers," says the reader, so he reads the gossip, but there his interest ends. The theory of advertisement, of profit to accrue froni a little more of personal notoriety, is a blunder. The public of this kind cares to know that an anthor squints, weighs 12 stone 10 or has a broken nose, or uses a thick handled pen; but as to what he writes with that pen this Irind of public is serenely indifferent. Where, then, is the necessity for admitting the interviewer? Necessity there is none, but indolence, vanity, love of notoriety, are likely to keep the author of 'ütorviews in full employment. Mr. Blathwayt has added to his volume a defense of his art, in which he says practically that "Zenophon" interviewed "Sócrates." An author who talks of "Zenophon" falls a little short of the universal knowledge which it scems is necessary for the ideal viewer.