New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-18
".
THE CRITIC.

With what a sense OF health and simplicity
and truth this comes athwart thu twaddle that
Is commonly produced on the subject. 1t shows
admirably the movement Of Jowett's mind. and
shows. too, the wholesome tendency Of his tenn
permanent. His criticism everywhere-and these
volumes are full Of it-takes the same nvgorat-
ing tone. Scholar he was. he remained also.
as has been shown. a man OF affairs a man OF
the world, and his judgments upon his contempo-
raries reveal the same penetration which marks
his commentaries on ancient writer's Not being
infalible, he could arrive at some dubious con-
illusions. Arnold" he says, lis too hippant to
be a prophet; his argument of the meaning of
words from their etymology Is fallacious and a
most Phlstne sort of fallacy." description
of Literature and Dogma as fppant Is as
suredly quaint. And he Is hardly just to Shell
ley, saying that it would be impossible to make
a decent honorable man out Of him, and ap-
parently. keeping out Of temper with him
poet, unconsciously but definitely, for that very
reason. II do not myself think Shelley great
poet" he confesses. ut seems TO me that the
value of poetry is to be judged of, not by fanci-
full associations Of nature, but by the true hui
man interest which it arouses, as in Shakespeare
or Burns and that 1t should be conversant with
the highest, not the lowest. side of man." There
pathy. But the reader will find few of these
lapses in Jowett's criticism. Usually he was
right, unerringly Witness his estimate of Car
lyle, an estimate which 1t is difficult to resist
My friends here talk to me great deal about
CARLYLE whom they saw in the winter. / can't
say altogether like him; a man of genius. and
in some respects the first man living an indie
pendent man. tender-hearted man-the most
graphic of all painters. though In an irregular.
ma gic-lantern way. Yet. on the other hand, L
man totally regardless OF truth. totally without
admiration OF any active goodness-a self-con-
Trajectory man, who investigates facts with the
most extraordinary care, in order to prove his
own preconceived notions He has stirred up
the minds Of young men Chose impressionable
beings), but not really elevated them. 1 know
that he can say things with a tenderness and
power in conversation that no one else attains
But this does not atone at all to me for his ut
ter recklessness and his habit of expressing his
own personal fancies in the likeness of intellect
ual truths IL / were engaged In any work more
than usually good (Which never shall bel,
know that he would be the first person to utter
a powerful sneer, and If | were seeking to know
the truth he would ridicule the very notion OF
an "homunculus' discovering the truth. don't
think that he has any real insight, but only n
great power OF painting and embossing ana
crystallizing scenes. real or imaginary. Nor IS
he a great doer nor even great artist
The fragments of ineptitude in this are only
equalled by the flashes Of absolutely final crti-
cism That assumption OF what Carlyle would
have for the man who brought him "a work more
than usually good" may seem severe To the point
of being savage, but It nevertheless wears an
aspect Of absolute truth. So also. and more con-
tinuously. does this passage on Macaulay: His
conversation does not give you a high idea OF
his intellect. He strikes one rather as fine old
fellow very hearty and simple. but excellent at
monoogue,' with a most sincere and genuine
pleasure in hearing himself talk In power OF
mind he Is very inferior to Gladstone. but more
straightforward. with TO ins and outs. "
Browning he read with strong distaste for the
poets obscurity. but with delight In some OF his
qualities. and strewn through these volumes
there are opinions Of Tennyson, Fitzgerald. MAJ