The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-20
OUR LITERARY BUDGET,
Hen Turning to Poetry for Consolation and
Interpretation.
mr., LREoLDS REPLY TO CARLYLE
prosassor Dewey, of Andover, Says That the
world Has Fallen Upon an Age OF Tri'iai.
ties and Piatitudcs- Literary Notes.

ties and Platttudos-Litefhry &~o'o''
Not q creed mistaken" mot dogma IN
questioned every tradition threatening to dis
solve"-this :is Matthew Arnolds counter
phrase to Carlyle's "Our relations al an III
ouiry and doubt" In q world OF disinte-
grated intelligence and broken authority.
Arnold sees men moro and more turning TO
poetry for stay. for consolation, for interpfe-
tstion. There is absence Of any coherent So
cial faith and order; there is doubt whether
any theory of life at once valuable ana verina-
bic true TO intelligence and worthy 10 the
emotion, is any longer possible. anu yvs ,rvi
is also demand for authority and for lnstruc :.
ton. We may say science IS yerihable put u
lacks syrnpathy. consolation, humanity IL
does not afford instruction where instruction
is mos. wanted-in tho ordering OF HE.
What once afforded all this, says Mr..
Arnold, has lost its hold as truth; IL
no longer appeals yeri1abiy 10 us. Inns
does not inspire, docs not aid; that which
once gave stay and interpretation is no longer
true. La poetry men find wide interpreta-
ton OF life. noble ideas about life and also
kind sympathy with all its colored moods.
with all phases of its movement, Keen feel
ing, wide sympathy, noble ideas, serious
emotion. are found there. What more do we
want What more natural than. in the diff
Guilty of our times men turning to poetry'for
Guidance. We may we'll believe that poetry
Is moro and mere becoming our religion and
orr philosophy. Hore let us also add Their.
is no. need to ask if this or that be scientific
cally true. For poetry the idea is OF the
thing. all else is illusion. For poetry the idea
is the fact.n We have the thought of MattheH
ali
it, Shall we make bold TO criticise the posi-
ton? Spite OF the clear insight OF this great
critic shall we venture TO say that his insight
was essentially limited in range that he saw
but a small part of the forces really at work
in modern thought? | think none desire that
poetry shall not be more and more the venice
of serious thought and ennobling emotion;
that II shall not moro and more convey gen.
uine and helpful Interpretation OF life. Abset
omen. We have fallen too much on days OF
trivial subjects, ornate treatment. cheap senti-
ment and artificial imagery not 10 sympa-
thize with all that Mr.. Arnold says
about the high calling OF poetry. We
cannot too often turn to the idea that
its purpose il TO deepen tho sense OF
what is worthy. of what is permanent IN life,
The question only presses the more earnestly
How is poetry to interpret valuable meanings
of life, how TO animate TO the execution OF
them how is it to be kept from the evils that
threaten II. from tne ltlNuiouS tho PYLE u1'.
the artificial? Can it do all this, If it is not
backed and sustained by something which
commends itself to the intelligence? Call
this something what you Will theology, phll-
osophy. or theory of life. how can poetry pre-
serve its genuineness and It's sustaining force,
if il cut loose from all yerlhable account OF the
universe? Who shall keep the keeper |
know of but one answer. Truth, and
truth alone. can do this. And confess DO
not understand how that can be true Tor
the imagination, for the emotions, winch IL
not also true for intelligence. IL Is easy 10
disparage science. il is easy 70 laugh at phi
losophy. with its reasoning about causatioh
and finite and infinite being" Both are re,
mote enough from our immediate spiritual
and ethical interests. Face TO face with the
supreme question concerning the right or der
ING of life they seem ludicrOusly insufficient.
But. after all. science means only knowledge
philosophy only love of wisdom, only the
essay at reaching the meaning OF this expert
ence of ours. | cannot believe That the at
tempt to know truth, to grasp the meaning OF
experience, is remote from conduct, from tue
ideals and aspirations of life. La the WORDS Oh
CARLYLE. | verify my own convictions BELIEF,
indeed. is the beginning and first condition OF
all spiritual force whatsoever: only so lar AS
Imagination is believed can there be any use
or even any enjoyment of it." The lmaglna-
ton rests upon belief: it is from belief that II
gets its cue to stay. to interpret, its consola-
ton. If there is belief in the high and serl-
Gus values of the universe, with what glory
shall not the Imagination portray and inspire
life. what consolatons shall not issue from
il But let intelligence lose this belief IN
the meaning and worthiness of experience
and poetry is but the triekng out otilluslons
the devising Of articles. can well compre-
bend that poetry may deliver truth with
personal and passionate force. which Is be-
yond the reach OF theory painting IN gray
on gray. Indeed. it is the emotional
kindling of reality which is the true
province of poetry 1t is because, amid the
conventionalities and make believes of our
ordinary life. poetry flashes home to us some,
of the gold which is at the very heart and
core of our everyday existence, that poetry
has itspower TO sustainus its sympathy 70 en-
hearten us. Now science and philosophy how
ever technical and remote in form andmethod
are the workings If the one self-sarne spirit
in its communing with this same world.
There are. indeed, diyersities of operation.
And il the advantage in dlrectness and uni
versatility of appeal, in wealth and compass
sionateness Of garb.is upon the side of poetry.
let lls remen Der that. after all. the advantage
upon the side of method and stand are
with the side of science and philosophy.-Pro
lessor John Dewey, in the Andover Review
for August.