Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-10-23
The Literary Critic.
From the Nineteenth Century.

The professional reviewer is one
whose junction is to appraise every
thing. He must be able to write what
are-surely not without touch of latent
satire-called leaders" on every con-
celvable topic, on the shortest possible
notice. He must have learned the art
either of praising or condemning new
book, or new picture, a piece of music,
the latest speech of public man, or the
policy of united cabinet in few smart
sentences. There are scores of men
whose profession this is, and most of
them would probably admit that what
they say depends on the brief they
hold. Now, of course, every political
party must have its organ Of opinion,
its representative paper, and no one
can object to the most rabid criticism
of the speeches of our public men
by the daily press; just as these same
speeches are critically dealt with at
the moment in debate on the
floor OF the House. But what one does
object to, and has right to condemn, is
the perversiOn of the meaning of a
speaker or writer through prejudice
Or unin1ormed criticism. There is
scarcely any political virtue that raises
its possessor to a higher level than the
habitual self-restraint which develops
toward opponents. To be scrupulously
just to an ANTAGONIST in controversy is q
virtue of the highest magnitude. I'm
fortunately, however. the maxim Cali
is fair in war" is sometimes extended
both to political and literary contro-
versy, so as to set Justice at naught and
to confuse the real issue at stake. In
estimating literary work, a critic of the
type | re er to will almest in the same
time he takes to cut the pages Of
book knock off an article upon it-a
book which may have taken years to
write, but of which the critic takes the
measure in as many minutes-a book,
besides, which lie does not think of
reading, but only of reviewing. 1t is
this practice of looking. through
a habit of overlooking and,
therefore, demonstrating it throughout
that is the bane of much of our re-
viewing. The art of rapid writing is,
like other arts, one that can be easily
acquired; and much of it is excellent in
proportion to its rapidity No one
would maintain that reviewing is likely
to be admirable merely because of the
length of time it takes, or would object
to spend il the result be thorough. On
the other hand, the haste of our mod
ern lie has introduced Geographic
spirit into almost ali our writing. Too
often it lacks the calm, the strength.
and the suggestiveness that are the nat
ural product of leisure and deliberation.
The rapid journalistic criticism, which
is applied with admirable ease and
adroitness by experts to political
speeches and the action of cabinets
is sometimes extended to the
literary work of those who may
be the chief authorities in their
several departments, and the result is
that the critics, themselves in the dark,
accuse one author of ignorance of ele-
mentary facts: another, 1.-The latchet of
whose shoe they are not worthy to I'M
loose" they call slovenly; third, who
may be far in advance of his sge, they
censure as not Up to date, etc. Such
critics will review book on any topic,
whether acquainted with it or not, Just
assothers learn to practice the art of ex-
animation on subjects of which they are
wholly Ignorant; and both fulfill their
junction with great cleverness, sanqfroid
and self-satisfaction. The worst of it is,
that these reviewers sometimes write
extremely readable articles-articles
which, because OF their cleverness, ex-
ercise an influence quite disproportion-
ate to their merit