New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-18


plea for the accordance of greater important, -
Iiterature in schools and collegesa plea winch eu'a
tional experience no less than that OF active "io )"
the world long since justified. His remarks Oh '''S
are so sound that shall quote a le" instance
Despite the fact that language Is taught " Pio"'
inently in our secondary schools ana ooh'SSs' - "
,omentable to note how generally 1t Is tauen' as
language only, quite apart from us inioi ",'"''
Quality 1t is thus that it comes to pass ta' s''c'S
Who may have spent the best part OF Their early He
~, ,inouisc stsdy are comparatively dehceht III na'
p,ase OF training which is spechcanS MURRAY
devoid are they, Often of literary dlscer''"o" '""'
they NAV be grammarians verbal CRITICS. """>'''o
commentators and accepted authorities III ha''c'S VI
TOW, and structure and yet be in no sense cultured
ON literary Ine,-n no true sense. men OF letters We
,oointon that language itself cannot he properly
taught apart from its innermOSt literary NE tnd'
whatever place may be assigned 10 so''n'c' p,""o'
ophy or philology, in any course OF nnucrs'"u"
study a place of equal prominence Is 10 DC aSS'e"
10 studies that literary. our hst'"'o"' "
learning should be what they purpor 10 pe-l'''"''
institutions Every college should be- as such' an
ao,n,,v,edged literary centre, home OF taste ana
culture An attractive resort for authors ana Schoo
of training from which shall issue, IN each su'oe''
year a body of imbued with literary i''p"''
and determined TO advance, III every possible way, Wv
literary interests of the Nation" IL Is Tor tic 0"nes
IN take hold of and push this work. however Inv
ards
in their hands. They ought TO- II they no "o' '''
,ho ceneral level in this branch OF learning
Having vndicated the claims OF literary S'"u'' anu
especially of English literary studies rio's'''
HINT proceeds to examine two various lie AIRY s"'
dividing them for convenience OF analysls I'M" inv
Intellectual the Literary, the Iupassioncu ' fop'
the Critical the Poetic. the satwch ana 'hc
,r,,roorous STYLES. A chapter on Matthew Arnold
ro,ish STYLE and one on Emerson'S English
stvlc- follow and the volume concludes with an cN
cellent chapter independent Literary '"ue"'"''
This summary will serve to indicate the scope OIL INC
book We may add that the several styles examine"
ro illustrated at the close of each chapter. by eX
,,octs from, several authors. Necessarily the mar
nrrnose Of such work is didactic, and also oi
neccsstv il is addressed largely to the develop
ment and stimulation OF young mHhlg'h'oS' III"
ground covered being so extensive that aoefua'oN
10 treat ii almost separate volume oi o"'h
wouId have been required. The fundamental question
whether it is possible to teach any particular sNie
bv rre or rote will of course rccur here H. ~
professor Hunt in common with most time scholar
asserts the definition Of Button Is correct-the sNle
that is to say, is the man-it would seem nearly "opo
less TO find a means of communicating what from H.
very nature must be incommunicable. HtHe' DUH
the literary manifestation of cerebral processes OF
of thought to use a less materiali>tc expression
will inevitably follow and show forth the idos ncr
sizes of the individual IT is in effect the outward cN
hbition of character and intellect. As such IL par
takes of all that diTerentiateS the author from the
rest Of mankind. The great authors OF the world
have not been made but born. man by taking
thought and by carefully studying example, Of good
STYLE may perhaps penetrate the secret Of mcld
and face expression. just as poor speaker can b'
digent practice attain to ecquence of kind bni
STYLE will always be controlled by two vital Influences
namely brain-calbre and temperament. No amount
Of study could enable the innately dull or stupid
man to write well; could even clear Intelligence
make much Roadway against sluggish temperament
There must be penetrating intellect ana an
energetic and sensitive temperament, III 'ohDlhd
tion to produce the really good style.
Professor Hunt has analysed the various forms OF
STYLE with much judgment and Determinations some
times however, il is rather difficult 10 agree with his
classicatons. For instance who would have thought
of George Eliot as being writer without humor
Who again, would venture 10 deny humor Altogether
10 Matthew Arnold And who wonld consider Carlyle
=. fair tvpe Of the humorous writer snch estimate
az these are indeed not frequent is il possible q
assert dogmatcalv that even they ar without some
warrant The general drift OF George Eliot Writ
ings is no doubt anything but hnmoron~ Mattie"
Arnold did not often approach the point OF minor
reached in his figure Of the three Lord >hacshurv>
and Carlyle in some % his earlier writing notably
sartor Resartus"-dd unbend himself esimly. In
so wide literary survey involving the Justification
of so great a number of authors il is 70 De expected
that some groupings should DE or le-s Opcn u
question but this cannot affect the general vtue ana
effect of the work. Too much praise can hardly be
given TO the spirit Of Professor Hunts book more
over which is thoroughly manly. and instinct through
out with an earnest cndeavor 70 LIT literary studes
10 a higher plane, and t. impress upon The student
their dignity and importance and the necessity OF
bringing 10 them the best and pure,t principles and
purposes. The plea for freedom OF judgment Iu
literature which in the concluding chapter l.
directly in point. Literary conventions are no doubt
as hndcrng as other conventions, If tamcly accepted,
though in literature the tendency toward ndc
pendence is certainly more marked than IN some
departments OF human activity. The tyranny Of the
past over the prcscnt-thc grasp Of the dead hand
as il might be termcd-haS always been one o: the
strongest obstacles progress in thought. II j.
the analogue Of that other tyranny which weigh,
down large portion Of every living community
the apprehension of Mrs Grundy. TO seek u throw
of the influence Of the past in matters Of opinion
solely because IT is the influence Of the pi Is not
justifable but when good reason car De shown. as
in the discovery Of new evidence. in the clearing
away Of old and prciudices. for changing Nc"a
10 matter how strongly fortified by long acceptance.
it is the duty Of the conscientious man OF letters u
show that he la, the courage Of his convictions
AS Professor Hunt observes: Every student OF
letters owes it to himself after duly regarding the
opinions of Others to reach and defend his own con
illusions Any other would bcgct within him
the worst form Of mental dependence and savish
Difference to tradition. Better to err on the SIDE
Of an undue reliance upon individual research and
reflection in matters style and criticism than on
the side OF unthinking acceptance Of existing
theories and beliefs" COrncwall Lewis essay
"The Influence of Authority in Matters Of Opinion
might be consulted with profit in the development and
Illustration Of this text. The subject j, of
auence for. as Professor Hunt says, The spirit Of
mental and literary servility is by dead.
and in this minimizing age. often threatens TO crush
out all that is nOblcst and best" 1t j. true too. that
in no republic is freedom Of thought essential
a. in that Of letters. In one j, there greater
need Of declaration of Independence against all
intellectual tyranny The whole of this chapter j.
weghty and the two preceding ones Matthew
Arnold's style and that OF Emerson. will be found
the whole well reasoned and judciOus, though some
may think that Aruod is sOmcw hat undcrestmated
and his best points. insuffcicntly recognized. The
volume is characterized by insight breadth Of view,
1.,.o-a ~ nrnnarainn dnlicaflY and