29 June–5 July 1863

My feeling about Henry James's book is that he is a certain Saul among the prophets. The logical basis of his book a certain pure and absolute theism : — there is but one actor in the Universe, — there is no self but devil; all must be surrendered to ecstasy of the present Deity. But the tone in which all this is taught is in perpetual contemptuous chiding and satire.