What's Wrong with the World?

Our promises:

1. Our goal is to bring you high quality Christian publications at reasonable and affordable prices. Therefore all of our works are complete and unabridged unless specifically stated otherwise, which means that unlike some other independent publications you get what you see and pay for. No unplesant surprises.

2. We endeavour to bring you updated editions of classic works. Therefore this work is not a scan, but is a completely digitized version of the original.

3. Unlike, many other independently published works, our publications are easy to read. Therefore you won't find illegible, faded, poor quality photocopies here. Neither will you find poorly done OCR versions of those faded scans either, with illegible "words" that contain all kinds of strange characters like £, %, &, etc. Our publications have all been looked over and corrected by the human eye.

4. We can't promise perfection, but we're sure gonna try!

I originally called this book “What is Wrong,” and it would have satisfied your sardonic temper to note the number of social misunderstandings that arose from the use of the title. Many a mild lady visitor opened her eyes when I remarked casually, “I have been doing ‘What is Wrong’ all this morning.” And one minister of religion moved quite sharply in his chair when I told him (as he understood it) that I had to run upstairs and do what was wrong, but should be down again in a minute. Exactly of what occult vice they silently accused me I cannot conjecture, but I know of what I accuse myself; and that is, of having written a very shapeless and inadequate book, and one quite unworthy to be dedicated to you. As far as literature goes, this book is what is wrong, and no mistake.

It may seem a refinement of insolence to present so wild a composition to one who has recorded two or three of the really impressive visions of the moving millions of England. You are the only man alive who can make the map of England crawl with life; a most creepy and enviable accomplishment. Why then should I trouble you with a book which, even if it achieves its object (which is monstrously unlikely) can only be a thundering gallop of theory?

Well, I do it partly because I think you politicians are none the worse for a few inconvenient ideals; but more because you will recognise the many arguments we have had; those arguments which the most wonderful ladies in the world can never endure for very long. And, perhaps, you will agree with me that the thread of comradeship and conversation must be protected because it is so frivolous. It must be held sacred, it must not be snapped, because it is not worth tying together again. It is exactly because argument is idle that men (I mean males) must take it seriously; for when (we feel), until the crack of doom, shall we have so delightful a difference again? But most of all I offer it to you because there exists not only comradeship, but a very different thing, called friendship; an agreement under all the arguments and a thread which, please God, will never break.

Our promises:

1. Our goal is to bring you high quality Christian publications at reasonable and affordable prices. Therefore all of our works are complete and unabridged unless specifically stated otherwise, which means that unlike some other independent publications you get what you see and pay for. No unplesant surprises.

2. We endeavour to bring you updated editions of classic works. Therefore this work is not a scan, but is a completely digitized version of the original.

3. Unlike, many other independently published works, our publications are easy to read. Therefore you won't find illegible, faded, poor quality photocopies here. Neither will you find poorly done OCR versions of those faded scans either, with illegible "words" that contain all kinds of strange characters like £, %, &, etc. Our publications have all been looked over and corrected by the human eye.

4. We can't promise perfection, but we're sure gonna try!

I originally called this book “What is Wrong,” and it would have satisfied your sardonic temper to note the number of social misunderstandings that arose from the use of the title. Many a mild lady visitor opened her eyes when I remarked casually, “I have been doing ‘What is Wrong’ all this morning.” And one minister of religion moved quite sharply in his chair when I told him (as he understood it) that I had to run upstairs and do what was wrong, but should be down again in a minute. Exactly of what occult vice they silently accused me I cannot conjecture, but I know of what I accuse myself; and that is, of having written a very shapeless and inadequate book, and one quite unworthy to be dedicated to you. As far as literature goes, this book is what is wrong, and no mistake.

It may seem a refinement of insolence to present so wild a composition to one who has recorded two or three of the really impressive visions of the moving millions of England. You are the only man alive who can make the map of England crawl with life; a most creepy and enviable accomplishment. Why then should I trouble you with a book which, even if it achieves its object (which is monstrously unlikely) can only be a thundering gallop of theory?

Well, I do it partly because I think you politicians are none the worse for a few inconvenient ideals; but more because you will recognise the many arguments we have had; those arguments which the most wonderful ladies in the world can never endure for very long. And, perhaps, you will agree with me that the thread of comradeship and conversation must be protected because it is so frivolous. It must be held sacred, it must not be snapped, because it is not worth tying together again. It is exactly because argument is idle that men (I mean males) must take it seriously; for when (we feel), until the crack of doom, shall we have so delightful a difference again? But most of all I offer it to you because there exists not only comradeship, but a very different thing, called friendship; an agreement under all the arguments and a thread which, please God, will never break.