Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-02
Just Criticism.

a Just Crlt1cl6m ID as rare d lining oS
roses in winter Now and then the bur-
dened press. with notices of lectures and
literary works, may sometimes find just
echo through these channels, but how
often are newspapers and magazine criti-
cisms made by the caprice or fancy Of the
reporter, who is called upon by virtue OF
the Office he holds and the respect to be
shown the donors Of literary productions,
to pass criticism upon prose and poetry,
romance or history, with perhaps taste
for only one of these, and therefore in
competent to Judge of but one. For this
reason lectures are not always truthfully,
although honestly reported. What is
poetry in a lecture reported tonight, will
be prose to the reporter tomorrow night.
Is the fact apparent that the editors-in-
chief of our leading newspapers, employ
distinct and competent judges, fitted by
nature to scrutinize every beauty as well
as every defect in this lecture or that
poetry rehearsed. We think not from re-
ports of literary efforts waited upon every
breeze.
The present system of applauding every
thing which happens along, is doing its
fearful work in giving tone and character
to the literature of the present day,
giving strength and hope 70 the most
abased of public characters. 1t is this
species of applause which emboldens Sur
raft to appear before the world in vindi'
cation of plot which was the foulest Of
earth, and what is stranger still, he has
found listners and applauders to his har'
rangues. A band of men and sometimes
women, (be it to their shame black their
faces in imitation of an inferior race, and
appear for the edifcation of superior
and refined audience - sometimes as
ARTISTS of the frat order. "Don't fail
to hear them" And what is the result
a white man BACKED up is the pro
foundest thing afost, and it will not as
tonish mankind very much if Congress
should ere long make an appropriation Of
burnt cork for the use of members just
before important legislation, and those
members, who by nature don't need it,
shall be allowed stipend for the use
thereof.
1t is the highest type of honor in the
critic who declares against the quasi
orator, or renders praise where praise is
justly due. We are often led to praise
the literary effort of hero of the late re-
bellion, not because it is highly meritorius,
but rather remember in such criticism his
noble record on the CORY field. An in
telligent audience would of course know
that such criticism was incorrect, but
rendered for personal or partizan motive
Wesmust, however, remember that all are
not true critics, and must rely upon cor
rect reports for standards of criticism.
But the question arises, how shall we
know when criticism is intelligently rem
dered? We cannot know unless we know
the competency Of the critic. or the merit
of the work criticized. If Longfellow
should pronounce a poem meritorius, or
Agazssiz work on Geology as worthy OF
patronage or adoption, we could accept
these reports as standards of correctness
Therefore, we say, standard of true
criticism cannot be attained unless that
standard be attained by actual and I'M
mistakable knowledge of things reported.
The tendency of the age is to f4tter, and
true merit lost in the treacherous ocean OF
praise. If truthful criticism could be
rendered, true merit would raise its gil
gsntin form md assert a recognised right
JEM