New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-19

page some Of MIR. HarriSOns suggestions toward
the formation Of good style, but. wise as they
are his initial dictum Is the wsest OF all-the
student should trouble himself as little pos
sle about style.
The specialist is becoming bore. We mean
the mar who has written a novel Of sea life. for
example, and is consequently Urged to dis
course in print upon every new novel or the
same sort TO begin with. he is talking about
hated rival. which is itself provocative Of Sus-
pic.on besides being in bad taste Then out OF
the funcs, Of his technical knowledge ne be-
comes not only cautious -criti"iSine solcmnly
obscure and undressing details but talks
Jargon which only his fellow specialists can IN
dcrsiani Worst OF all, he wears an air Of being
really authoritative and this mpcrlincnc" Of his
has been supported hy the thousands " short
sighted readers. who think that II the author Of
~ Romance OF Wh.icchIpel" writes review
OF some one ciSc's "komancc Of Mulberry Bend"
It must necessarily De- a masterpiece Of insight
and Interpretation. As a matter OF fact, ii is as
likely Is not 10 be- fiat nOnScnSe The worthless
criticism OF most artists has been attributed TO
The tendency Of each one 10 compare his com
panion's work with his own. Noyclists are in
the same boat and rs the art OF criticism is the
art Of putting thing to the test 0f one alb
stract standard based Oh acquaintance with in
Vulnerable concrete examples their "Specalized'
views rarely have more than the irrelevant sig
nicancc VI appearing over popular signatures.
The bcsiowal of n pension upon Mr.. William
Ernest Henley is chiefly interesting because he
is exactly the Kind Of author whom the Govern
ment would have been expected 10 ignore. He
IS impcraStic enough in his political views. il
s. true, but it is doubtful if he would have So
cured HE pension without the special ntcrvcn
ton Of some one with more unconventional
taste in letters thln Lord aSbury cyinrcs in
his public appointments NJ any rate The Prime
Minister was responsible for Alfred Ausiin's
characterization into a Poet Laureate. The
same man could hardly have been the advocate
OF Mr. Henley for official patronage. and il is
probably true. as reported. that Mr.. Bilfour en-
gnccrcd the placing Of the latters name On the
pension list 1t needed the intellectual modcrnity
and the courage which We attributed 10 him. be
cause Mr.. Henley is anything but type Of the
literary responsibility beloved Of the taxpayer
and the Government. He is tn" apostle of the
new frInkncSs in literature; a whole school Of
free and easy critics has gathered round him.
to talk brazcnly where others lacking in their
strength" are content to use tact and sense
of the dignity Of letters. one can imagine the
official who has TO do with the pension list send
Ing Mr. Henley his dole just after reading some
of the notes on Byron or Burns, and murmur
Ing. as he shakes his head lorlornly I'VE never
sent anything to gentleman Ike this before"
The situation is a little drol Nevertheless it is
n good sign. Every enc must rejoice in Mr..
Hcncy's good fortune; ia the first place, be
rausc with all his crotchcts lac deserves II. and
secondly. because il suggests the possibility rf
the Governments behaving IN the future with
more and more courageous generosity toward
men Of letters