The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-25
Criticism Made Ensy.

George Eliot says, somewhere, that the
country folk In OUTLYING English shres have he
come less interesting since they have learned to
read aud write. In the last century their hort
ION was narrow, but they turned a keen. shrewd
eye ON II. and YOU could always learn some
thing from them Now they talk more and think
less. No doubt facilitie- for borrowing ideas
tend to paralyze the habit u reflection, and
when we cite the distinctive features Of the
present age We ought to discriminate between
the vanity OF seeming to know, which has come
to be well-nieh universal and the honest craving
for knowledge. which Is still rare enough Pub
fishers do not need to lie informed which OF the
two passions Is the better customer. SO large "A
proportions indeed, Of the books now printed ia
England belongs To the parasitic forms Of litera-
ture that Mchelet believed the day WAS not far
distant when Englshmen would write nothing
but reviews OF course nobody pretends that
secondhand opinions may not sometimes be
better than none. Whether they are letter or
worse than none depends on the subject matter.
II Is doubtless, one Of the triumphs Of the time
that the fruits 81 investigation I'm ose applled
sciences which bear directly on our well being
are speedily and widely distributed But what
Is gained by assimating few odds and ends Of
literary crltlclsmg
The volume before Us. Representative Names
in NE History " English Literature. by II.
II. MORGAN, belongs TO class OF books which
can hardly subserye any useful purpose. II is
not biographical dictionary OF authors-that
place Is hlled. IL Is substantially compa.,;
lum OF correct ~ opinions set .orth I'm sue
cleht and easily remembered FORM. and should
be classed with manual. Of behavior A. an aid
~ i"'''o ''"'e'S.,ion on literary topics To
'"e ''''' MI" IS the authors mentioned such
""'N = either supertluous or harmful-super-
nous If he has framed some notions for him
self, harmful II It deter him from framing any
The book, however, is not intended for such
persons. When the compiler In his preface
promises To answer "thc various rational que,-
tons which might be asked about an author as
an author the reader understands perfec Ny
what Is meant Here Is means offered him Of
acquiring, with very little labor, the semhlance
of familiarity with literature, and Of avoiding
the disclosure Of gross ignorance in the society
Of educated people. For instance, II Fielding Is
referred 10, he may say glibly; "Ah, yes the
prose Homer Of human nature and pass ON
to other topics with which, thanks to Mr. Nor
gan. he is equally conversant.
II is incredible what wet blanket to genial
intercourse is this vulgar arectation Of being
ct" well informed We Incline to think the me-
dieyal contempt for clerkly learning was bot
ter and Drawer thing. AT all events a conscious.
candid ignorance Is one of the most healthfu
and hopeful Of mental statcs and WHO'S not re-
freshed and captyated by anothers frank
avowal that he docs not know this or that
thor, or has never read some famous book Such
an admission is like buZlc-cal to your own
wits, and you bestir yourself to set on your best
before one who is strong enough 10 confess
weakness. II is a safe rule that those who ac-
knowledge plenty Of gaps in their knowledge
are in the way To I'LL up some OF them, while
they who CLOAK their shortcomings will never
mend them II is so much easier, a. sheridan
said, To say YOU have seen the Pyramids than to
visit them. ON the whole, we do not think il
likely that any man Of intellectual honesty will
care to enrich his library with Mr. Morgan
Representative Men but we do not doubt
that amateurs Of "oulturc' of the school Of
MIR. silas Wegg may mud it an auxiliary.