Bohemian Society

Lydia Leavitt's "Bohemian Society" details an unusual gathering hosted by a cultivated lady who enjoys bringing together people with "ideas" at her country house. In this unique setting, diverse characters—The Dreamer, The Enthusiast, The Pessimist, The Optimist, The Artist, The Cynic, and The Philosopher—deliver monologues on Nature, morality, society, and happiness. The Dreamer recounts a pastoral Utopia corrupted by the introduction of education and commerce. The Enthusiast/Philanthropist champions the "religion of humanity" as the foundation of true faith, based on the simple lesson "Do unto others as you would they should do unto you," and condemns Phariseeism. The Pessimist asserts that civilisation fails to bring happiness, that life is a succession of disappointments, and that an impassable gulf separates the rich and the poor.

Elsewhere, The Optimist finds the key to a pleasant life in accepting the mixture of light and shadow, acting rather than procrastinating, and diligence. The Artist explains that authentic portraiture must go beyond mere likeness to capture the very soul, as illustrated by the quest for the perfect Madonna expression. The Cynic declares friendship a myth and society afflicted by "shoddyism and snobbishness," satirising crass displays of wealth and the pretentious obsession with ancestry. The Philosopher and Fatalist offer closing thoughts on rational investigation, the gradation of religion, and the irresistible hand of fate. The work is a rich tapestry of conflicting viewpoints, reflecting the key moral and philosophical debates of the late 19th-century American intelligentsia.