The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-22
OUR LITERARY BUDGET.
The Romantic and Classical Element IN
English Literature.
MIXED QUALITIES OF THE POETS.
A Writer Nav lie Romantic and Liberal In
Youth and Conservative in AGe-This was
the Case with Chaucer and Milton

In brief and general terms this paper VIII
discuss the two essential tendencies IN art as
they show themselves IN English literature
These two essential tendencies we call roman
tic and classical. or liberal and conservative,
and we shall find them in notion and reaction.
creating and DESTROYING throughout the MS
tory Of English artistic performance. IL VIII
give reason and foundation to our Work 10 sec
that these two tendencies in art are express
sions Of a dualism in human nature, making
two kinds of people. two parties IN govern
ment, two phases of society. habits OF e1pres-
sion. views of God and general ideas OF tn"
world. Remembering that the words are low
ing and literary. not fixed and mathematician
this dualism may beunderstood by puttinglrto
contrast the following expressions: La" ano
liberty; conservative and liberal fashion ana
unconventionality. correctness and looseness;
Cavalier and Puritan: realism and ldeallsm;
Greek and Christian. aTtiicialitya and natural
ness: a small ideal perfectly accomplished
and a great ideal incapable OF perfect attain
ment. Roughly speaking. these are opposing
tendencies IN character and activity. They
are in constant conflict. tending TO s%upplant
each other. Each movement, after its crea-
tive phase. goes naturally toward excess. and
q redress OF balance becomes necessary. This
fact makes that alienation Of phases that
SECURES tue llIs OF society ana human aCnieNe- J
ment. These two varieties of general human
feeling show themselves in individuals. in the
running likes and dislikes of society and
IN the larger movements of nations and
ages. They are especially apparent in those
times of advancing civilization in which man
is creative. when he IS embodyinghis best mo
tiyes and strongest experiences IN art forms.
OF course, being manifestation OF life and
personality. they are never found in man or
art IN any hard and absolute form. but are
flowing tendencies. infinitely complex. and
modified by conditions and exceptions az in
everything else in the variety Of actual hu-
man life. For example. a man may be
romantic IN some things and conservative in
others. This is true of Chaucer. Milton,
Wordsworth and Tennyson. and very com
monty IN people about us. Again. one tend
ency may p~redOminate in n man Of ace. while
the other Is present tocOnditiOn. modify, give
color or completely to the general state. Or.
one may be romantic and liberal IN youth and
conservative In age. This is easily observed
IN ordinary men. and we think il natural and
reasonable. Generally the predominance Of
feeling and work in a man. nation or ago IL
one or the other and this gives Us the right
to name and classify them. to watch eagerly
the coming and going Of the tendency
and 10 look in literature for expressions Of
these noticeable facts IN mans experience.
These two tendencies. then. make our move :
ments and schools OF literature. The princi-
pie OF development and life in it is that a
romantlc and liberal movement does its crea- E
tive work and then tends to excess and abuse l
and begets a reaction toward law and correct q
ness. this classical and conservative spirit. u
after It's good work IS done. tends toward an !
abuse IN ~formality and deafness. and begetsa Z
toward life, nature, freedom. and .
he creation OF new forms of art. II can q
% seen readily that the perfect i'm !,
pulse for individual life and for art -
would be the rightly proportioned union !.
i these two tendencies, the acceptance of '
he good principle in each and the avoidance II
4 the natural excess and evil Of each. We II
hould then have a liberty wisely regulated. q:
n ordered activity, an energy nObly con- o.
rolled" we should have impulse and natu- u
life, serving with delight the laws of NOR "a
lity and art. and we should realize tho "a
conception Of perfection in which y
race: proportion. business and moderation ~
re added 70 substance and strength OF mate ~
al. Such a union is ideally possible. but. u
ecause of imperfections and lack Of balance 0l
human nature and because of the difficult IL
es OF good work. 1t is never completely at u
lned.-Professor W. ID. McClintock, in the u
for November. IL