Interesting to see this both in the "Public Domain Review" and here on HN. Lee was writing in the aftermath of the outbreak of WWI and upset with how the intern

Interesting to see this both in the "Public Domain Review" and here on HN. Lee was writing in the aftermath of the outbreak of WWI and upset with how the international culture she knew growing up in Europe during the mid 19th century was destroyed by the rise of nationalism. Perhaps fortunately, she didn't live to see WWII, which would have depressed her even more. Now that we seem to be entering into another period of nationalism, Lee's work is sadly relevant again.