Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-02-09
The Priyfieses Of Genius.

Boston Traveller.
There has been a great deal of namby-
pamby talk of late, called out with the
death of famous English novelist, with
regard to the "privileges of genius" in
making its own rules of life, whether those
are or are Not in defiance of the recognized
canons OF society. If, in speaking of a
mans personal life, We say that he was
immoral and that his influence was for
evil, we are told that he was great artist,
a great poet, or 4 great statesman, the re-
ply by many well-meaning people is deemed
sufficient. 1t is true. you cannot judge
men Of genius as you judge other men,
they say. and then regard compiacently
stories Of the widest excesses as atoned
for by great painting, a sOul-stirring
poem. or 4 famous stroke of state policy
We protest against this inane and perui-
ciOus view. A man or woman who Occu
pies a lofty position in the eyes of the
world is doubly responsible to society for
his OF her actions. He or she is looked
upon in certain sense rs an
example and insensibly, no doubt,
wclds untold influence. The young see
these exalted persons, and wOrshiping
their higher qualities as revealed in their
works, strive in their zeal to initiate them.
But the imitation ends in general with the
lower and baser faculties revealed in per.
sOnal life. Everyone remembers or has
heard how the ''Byronic " fever affected
young men of gener.tion ago. and
| knows that the turn-dOwn collar and
blase air were not the sole extent of it
contasion. So it is, to greater Or less
degree, with every person who wields a
mastery over society ut large. Stern
critics may proclaim that the
private life Of a great writer is
subject with which the public
has nothing to do, the public will have
something to do with it. 1t will sift every
action to the last grain it regards every
phase as in certain sense it's property,
and will exercise herculcan labor in ex
hausting every point of interest In pro.
portion as the person becomes more ex-
;ltcd the closer will he the inquiry it is
his punishment if he be unworthy; it is
his apotheosis if he be great. With this
clearly understood, the terrible RESPONSE
bil:ty Of genius may be realized, The
time is gone by when license and genius
were associated on inseparablc terms
There are cxcesses and mistakes
incident to the flush and hey
day OF youth, but society is grow.
ing wiser. Since the Elizabethan era,
with its wild immortality, we have had Mil.
tons and Wordsworths and the world is
beginning 20 realize that it is possible tC
be a poet without breaking every com
mandmcnt in the decalogue. We do not
wish to he understood as confounding the
criticism of a work of art with the criti
cislm of life. The two are utterly and for.
ever distinct. One may read ''Faust" with
ont recalling the unsavory facts with re
gard to the failings of it's author. To com.
prelend g Hamlet it is not necessary to
remember that Shakespeare was libertine
But when we look ut sins against society
and excuse them because those who com.
NIT them have produced works that sccie t.
is proud TO honor, we PROFOUND
theory which cannot be de
| Tended either Oh ethical Or aesthetic
grounds. Only the unthinking and the
ignorant, admiring in others faculties of
which they have no conceptions in them
selves, would care to take their stand upon
such :. proposition. The reader will prob
| ably apply these remarks to one who is
referred to in our opening sentence, one
! whose works VIC hold in the high
est honor as revelations of clarac-
ter and truth. For George Eliot,
the writer and the thinker, We have
the utmost reverence. But when the fail
ings of George Eliot, the woman, are bla-
Zoncd abroad as eXcusable because Of her
genius, we must protest and proclaim in
the wrong that class of men and women
| who foster such an idea either by words or
tacit :cIuiesccnce. There is one law alike,
for rich and pour, high and low. Where
tha: law is broken VIC may regard the
transgression with sorrow and with SYM
patily; VIC are not justified in pleading
for - the privileges of genius