The San Francisco call., 1895-12-22


Hamilton W. Mabie, who is probably
the most widely known and scholarly of
American literary critics, in a recent in
terview gives us some interesting thoughts
concerning criticism.
"Criticism, says Mr.. Mabie, "has many
different uses. There is the criticism
which aims simply to give an account of a
book at the moment of its appearance, for
the information and guidance of those
who want to know what books to read
that is legitimate criticism; but it is
purely temporary in its character Great
criticism, practiced by such men as Goethe,
Colendge and Matthew Arnold, attempts
s not only TO give US an estimate of a mans
work, but 20 show US his SOUL
In this connection Mr.. Mabie seems to
make a distinction that is not generally
observed between the function of literary
criticism and literary Interpretation. To
the general mind these two functions seem
so nearly identical as not to be susceptible
Of separation. Literature should be its
own Interpretation is the dictum OF
the literalists, but high literary interpreta-
ton should include something more than
an analysis of a writer's work. 1t should
show US wherein that writer holds.
wherein he rejects, in his own individu-
ality, those general principles of char
.acter, dogma, belief and disbelieving that
make up what we call life. 1t must give
US, again to quote Mr. Mabie mot only
definite impression of the mans value as
writer, but must also make US see his
q relation to the larger world of which he is
a part"
To most minds even in this cultured age
the attitude OF criticism implies one of an
tagonism. The author is read not so dis
tinctly TO learn what he has done as to
point out how he might have done some
other thing or have done this one differ
emily. There is too little in our modern
criticism OF what may be termed intellect
ual hospitality. This characteristic is par
ticularly noticeable in the attitude of most
of those who write of art, spelling it with a
capital A, toward what is called the novel
with purpose. After having. had a con-
siderable vogue it is Just now being de-
spised and rejected Of men as the aYowed
enemy of life.
In the best sense of that phrase. however,
every great novel is a novel with a pur-
pose, and that purpose the understanding
and the revelation of life. Nature-life
itself - is a constant serious study
of and running commentary upon itself.
We can have no great and serious study
OF any series of phenomena in human ex-
perience without directly resulting bene-
fit. The tragedy of existence, even sui
fered Yicariously, has distinct purifying
effect upon the emotions. This is as true
in our day as ii was in the time of Aris-
totle, and it is mainly with the tragedies
of existence that our great novels, with or
without avowed purpose, deal.
The critics to the contrary notWith-
standing, ayowed purpose is not 1ncom-
patible with art. Our modern literature is
so closely related to our modern life, our
books are so much part and parcel of the
very facts OF existence, that the tendencies
motives, impulses and purposes of one are
OF necessity included in the other. We
cannot separate life ana art, nor can we, as
our exclusive critics seem determined 10
do, make the less include the greater in
our presentation of them. The sea reflects
the starry heavens no more clearly than
real literature must reflect the lives, pas
sious emotions and struggles toward per-
fection of the people who are producing
it. We may find Mrs. Humphry Ward
tiresome, most of us do. but we may not
deny that no one of her books has failed TO
give US a distinct picture of a distinct
phase of human life. Had not her work
done this it would never have arrested the
attention OF the people of two lands
Life is, after all, greater thing than art,
and the function of the critic, of either one
or the other, is one OF Interpretation rather
than of description. What book means,
for what it stands in the record of a peo-
ple's growth and the relation of the author
TO that growth, are after all the funda-
mental facts regarding the work.