James spends some time discouraging what he thinks the director's predilection of the novel might be and presents an overview of James's own perspective:
- do something from your point of view
- an ounce of example is worth a ton of generalities
- do something with the great art and the great form
- do something with life
- see the actual or imaginative... and... paint it.
He expands on point of view:
- any point of view is interesting that is a direct impression of life
- You each have an impression coloured by your individual conditions
- Make that into a picture... framed by your own person wisdom, your glimpse of the American world
- The field is vast for freedom, for study, for observation, for truth.
On life, he writes:
- Consider life directly and closely
- [don't] be put off with mean and puerile falsities
- be conscientious about it.
- It is infinitely large, various and comprehensive.
- Every sort of mind will find what it [the mind?] look for in it [presumably life].
- Whereby, the novel becomes truly multifarious and illustrative.
On liberty, he writes:
- give [liberty?] its head and let it range.
- nothing but freedom can refresh [the English novel] and restore its self respect.
