At sound of such immoral and unworthy teaching, Herminia's ardent
soul rose up in revolt within her. "Oh, no," she cried eagerly,
leaning across the table as she spoke. "I can't allow that plea.
It's degrading to Shelley, and to all true appreciation of the
duties of genius. Not less but more than most of us is the genius
bound to act up with all his might to the highest moral law, to be
the prophet and interpreter of the highest moral excellence. To
whom much is given, of him much shall be required. Just because
the man or woman of genius stands raised on a pedestal so far above
the mass have we the right to expect that he or she should point us
the way, should go before us as pioneer, should be more careful of
the truth, more disdainful of the wrong, down to the smallest
particular, than the ordinary person. There are poor souls born
into this world so petty and narrow and wanting in originality that
one can only expect them to tread the beaten track, be it ever so
cruel and wicked and mistaken. But from a Shelley or a George
Eliot, we expect greater things, and we have a right to expect
them.
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