We had the same tastes in art and literature.

We were equally averse to whatever is too theatrical and also to whatever is not sufficiently so, to the commonplace and the too extravagant.

We both despised easy success and we understood each other wonderfully.

Gallet was not a musician, but he enjoyed and understood music, and he criticised with rare good taste.
Japan had recently been opened to Europeans.

Japan was fashionable; all they talked about was Japan, it was a real craze.