Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-04-28


Iaiis under the cold finger OF reality.
Wlthout doubt, 1t Is to the prepender-
ahce, In his own temperament. Of In
teilect over emotion, that Arnold owes
his liberation from the thrall of an i'm
posSipie, IL not an extravagant ideal.
ANA TINS suggests the most serious
Charge to which, as a poet, he Is open
the lack OF passion. Yet 1 should
say that his poetry lacked less passion
IMAM sensuousness. The eye may in
deed delight in lmpidness of atmos-
phere, in purity OF outline. the ear be
charmed by exquisite modulations: but
even these pleasures are, as it were.
lntellectualized, and related to that
scheme of moral significance for which
the writer always reserves his grayer
preoccupation. When, speaking in 1869.
Arnold characterized his poetry os
representative of the main movement
OF mind cf the last quarter of n CEN
fury. he indicated, perhaps, what. in
its substance, constitutes it's chief his
torical value and it's chief aesthetic de-
feet.
This charge OF the subordination in
Arhoids poetry of the sensuous to the
intellectual interest receives color from
the fact that. in order to study his
criticism, one need not immediately
turn TO his prose. His poems contain
abundant proof of where his literary
sympathies lie, with the apostles of
~ 10 ScIeIly, oTucr anu pOlSe,
aiike IN the ancient and modern worlds.
vi some of these critical passages, such
as those dealing with Sophocles Goethe,
with Heine and Wordsworth one is
tempted to say that they possess a
spontaneity' an Illuminating power, not
always 10 be met With in his prose. In
the latter Arnold appears I'm n now
guisc. His object is no LONGER one of
simple self-eXprcssion. He enters his
iield OF criticism protesting well-deiined
theories regarding the function of the
critic. regarding poetry ana creative
genius The Essays in Criticism" de-
Neiop progressively these litcrcry theo-
RES, III accordance with which Arnold
proceeds to select his subjects and
fashion his treatment. His method is
TO emphasize one particular feature OF
an author or work. and as often as not
he does this by using his subject as an
Illustration of some literary dogma of
his own.
1t is not astonishing that with this
GROWING concern for the right answer
ing OF the question 'how to live" Mat
thew arnold should for n time relin-
quiSh the less direct method of literary
criticism in order to make Il direct APP
ncai ON those subjects about which,
the bulk of mon are observation-disclosures
politics and their religion. With an i'm
perturoablc serenity a free play OF
irony, IN engaging candor. he now pro-
ceehs TO discuss current affairs and to
teli nome truths 10 the great parties IN
ehurch and state. The spectacle of an
Englishman stcadfastly avcrting hi;
eyes from the virtues and fastontn.,
them upon the vices and follics of his
countfymcn was Il novel and in many
quarters m unwelcomc one. But the
storm OF opposing voices ny which his;
savings were banded about served
largely 10 Impress them on the public
mind. so that Disracli COMMUNICATED
Arnold as one vino by mis- achievements
IN launchinS phrases" had become n
classic In his own lifetime. That his
crlticism is not merely destructive some
Oh these very phrases testify. Indeed il
is chiefly the inimi;ablc 'prefnces" that
ere devoted to the priclsing Of the bub-
pies or national ana party Complacon-
cN. Tut briefly. his object in Couture
ana Anarchy" in "i.itera lure and
l'oSma. IS n substitute for tho current
noiltical and theological practice ami
teaching Il moro inward and effective
method. a more large and rational aim.
And the means 10 this end is culture
the knowing the best that has been
thought and known i'm the world" This
touchstone of culture must be apr,iicd
to religious and political dogma alike
IN order tina; men may learn that-to
borrow Spinoza'S phrasc-"salvatfon Is
not the reward of virtue; it is virtue"
Thus culture becomes something 10 he
pursued with religious enthusiasm:
as. indeed, culture and Annrchv''
seeks TO reconcile the Hebrew with
the Greek tradition Lv onl;sting thn
spirit of the one. enthusiasm. in tho
service OF tho ideal Of the other cul-
turc.
throughout the varied expression
which his ideas have assumed Matthew
Arnold himself remains as a figure sin
Guiarly complete and symmetrical. This
Is due tn the fact that from it's very
earliest enuncation in his verse his
point OF view Is essentially tho same.
IN ms poetry We nnd beneath the
CPD ana flow Of mood the strong ncr-
Sonal bias toward grave, coherent ard
uosi'lNc conception OF life. TO arrive Il,
mas conception he sacrifices much, re-
signs much; but he sacrifices neither
Sentleness Of temper nor honesty OF
iiihd. the TWO attributes which give To
.o--1ll+ilsS its chief value
and charm. AS Il teacher in the school
OF HE he is one Of those who arc for
Sliilng ana refining the elements OF OK
ncricncc. Of whatever kind. as an end in
itself; one of those who arc for trans
forming rather than breaking with ira
ultlon as that which adds richness and
force To the individual life. by the emf
nently coEciii2tory character OF his
work. no less than by his aversion TO
extremes, Arnold himself continues the
ciaHSicai. more particularly the Aristo-
telian tradition: while by virtue of his
conciliatory tone he touches in certain
points many widely differing schools of
modern thought. TO permit anything
Ike final Judgment of his work, Mat
thew Arnold stands too close to us in
points Both OF time and sympa thy.
Even to The vexed question as to
whether he is more likely to live in his
prose or i'll bis poetry one may but sue,-
gest an answer. Much of what il fines;
in his prose dealing as IL does with n
tpansitory social phase is bound Ia lose
/ some of its power when il loses its
urgent significance. The poems. on the
| q ~ In