There was a time when it was customary to call Germans deep by way of distinction; but now that the most successful type of new Germanism is covetous of quite other honours, and perhaps misses smartness in all that has depth, it is almost opportune and patriotic to doubt whether we did not formerly deceive ourselves with that commendation: in short, whether German depth is not at bottom something different and worse and something from which, thank God, we are on the point of successfully ridding ourselves.