The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-15

Literature. considered rs a fine art, has
place apart some OF the most eminent >cl-
entiss Of orr time have preserved the advan-
tage Of a fascinating style and might have
achieved distinction M men of letters. But
work on biology the origin OF species, or the
development of political institutions. how
ever beautifully written. would not be classed
by q critic as "A work Of pure literature. Pure
literature 10 one Of the arts OF expression. It's
immediate business is not instruction, but
portruiurc. The literary man Is an artist who
attempts 10 reproduce, through the medium
of special FORM the impression which las
been made upon him by the spectacle Of ma
turc and human life. II he = II poet he Is re-
strcted in expression 10 certain fixed musical
measures Whether this restriction VIII
serve him with wings or impede nm win
chains, will depend upon his subject and ms
mood. Ii Is possible to force the most prOsalc
matter 10 trot in the harness Of
Pegasus: but something IN the gait VIII
inevitably betray the absence OF inspiration.
IL is true that Homer himself did not at times.
and il is certain that tho facility ot poetic
genius is not equally distributed through al
The hours Of the day; but when writer di.-
covers that his numbers never come unhid-
den he may be sure that he Is not iavoiite
81 the muse. We use the word genius with
ont the fear before our eyes az those who
deny the existence of The thing. There - no
true poet no true artist Of any sort. VINO .
not q genius that ia 10 -ay. he must have the
faculty of adapting Thought and feeling spOn-
tane0usly 10 the proper poetic form. IAt.e
j. also such thing ~ genus Tor prose. VI.
Jordan. who was surprised and delighted 10
learn that he had been talking prose all his
lie without the slightest suspicion OF the FACT,
may have congratulated himself too soon. A
conposition l. not prose simply because 10 -
not poetry. Prose. IN the critical sense, Is not
inchoate or am0phlc; It must have form, ana
statement must be transformed by style he
fore II can Justly claim the name OF prose
Everybody knows what Is meant by singing
Hat The singer may keep time and follow
the tune. but he viii sing fiat unless he hAs
the right pitch Just 50 one may write Hat
STYLE comprehends a certain elevation OF tone,
and without that there IS no charm III compo-
siton Many writers overleap the due bounds
OF art 10y taking too high pitch. though TINS
fault is less common than 10 used 10 be. Ia
preston should he level with feeling not
above il. The sophomore can conceive Of
nothing finer than display of pyrOtechnlcai
rhetoric. and he usually requires years 10 I'M
derstand how there can be any distinction III
that repose which marks the caste
OF the literary We're de Neres. Matthew
Arnold grieyed the Boston people oy
calling attention 10 what he consid-
cred fault in the prose OF
Mr. Emerson. He said that 1t lacked
good texture: that while Emerson said beauti-
ful things and profound things. there was no
continuity of warp and woof in his work.
That criticism was Just. but Emerson wrote
o. be thought. and his style Is the counterpart
OF his temperament Ii Is so good as II Is
that we would not have it otherwise. But all
th!- goes 20 illustrate what we mean by form
in prose. and 10 make good our assertion that
prose is not known merely by the absence OF
pOetic form. We intimated at the outset that
literature. whether poetry OF prose, has Its
own place in the realm of art, and we had
reference TO its subject-matter as well es to rs
form. What then. is the subject-matter OF
pure literature: To quote from Matthew Ar
mold again, it is the criticism Of life. The
phrase is vague, but there Is probably
none more definite and accurate. The high
est. completest criticism Is attained by ex-
preston through representation Science
and philosophy deal with the ways and means
| and with the ends of nature and life. Liter
| ature is content with life and nature in them
| selves depicts everything as 1t rs, counting
| even dream and fancy as parts OF the human
| lot; and this portraiture il IN effect silent
| Judgment. The novelist may teach and
| noralize. but so far he IS not an artist. We
| do not say that he should never teach OF
| moralize. but he must always be careful to
avoid an excess in that direction; nor do We
| Say that be should depict the whole OF ire
| aud nature. for that would be 10 mar the
| beauty of his work.-New Orleans Plcayune.