Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-10-28
THE IMPERFECT.
The Desire to Attain Perfection the
Measure of "a Man-Limitat ions
of This Life.


Browning that among all English poets
he stands distinctively for the glory
of the imperfect. One of his chief mes
sages is not only the clear, decisive
recognition of the fact that nothing
In this life comes to perfection, and
that everything is stamped as provi-
sional, but that in this very fact lies
striven to find perfection and have de-
luded themselves with the belief that
| they have found it; a great number,
seeking perfection and not finding it,
have yielded to despair more or less
complete. Robert Browning, the poet
of health, vitality and faith, is filled
with the passion for perfection, seeks it
everywhere, recognizes the fact that
he does not find it, and ailirms that the
glory of life consists in the inability of
men to attain it. From Browning's point
of view perfection is unattainabe be-
cause there is not time enough in life
nor room enough in the world for an
immortal soul perfectly to express it.
self through art, or perfectly to develop
itself through any achievement. The
value of this life is not finally to be
measured by its achievements, but by
its promises; it stands, not for a fin
ished period, but for preparation. 1t
is, at the very best, and for the greatest
men, a school. Nothing is finished;
nothing comes to perfection and
nothing ought to come to perfection,
because perfection means fnality.
Perhaps there is no more subtle test
of the possible greatness of men, in
tellectually and spiritually, than the
measure in which they possess the pas
sion for perfection. This is what
Goethe meant when he quoted the
phrase: "perfection is the measure of
heaven; and the desire to attain per-
fection the measure of man. The man
of artistic temper cannot rest until he
finds perfection, and, never finding it,
cannot wholly appease his passion for
work. Perfection of form has never
been attained except when the ideas
which the artist attempted to express
were in certain snse limited. The
passion for the infinite, which has often
been called the peculiar characteristic
of modern times. has found many noble
expressions in all the arts, but has never
found a final expression, and cannot
find such an expression by reason of its
own nature; it transcends the bounds
of all forms Of speech. It was this pas
sion for which Browning was always
looking in the arts. He knew the value
of the perfect line; but never for an III
slant did he identify art with technical
perfection. Art must offer him always
glimpse of the infinite; it must con-
vey to him an intimatiOn of that which
lies in the soul of the artist and which
he puts into his work. but which his
work cannot entirely contain nor ade-
quatelg convey. And this inevitable
limitation which all great artists feel.
and which all great art reveals, is true
in the development of character. 80
many promising youths" says Emer-
son; "never perfect mani" not be
cause a great many fail to fulfill the
promise of their youth, but because no
earthly fulfllment can perfectly real
lie what youth predicts. Men Of the
greatest moral and spiritual achieve
ments are pursued by a sense of in
adequacy in themselves and their
works. There is not room enough for
immortality to work itself out under
mortal conditions. The exact measure
in which one feels the Inspiration OF
this idea determines his spiritual con-
ceive the consolation which flows from
1t is, in a very true sense, the test of
ones faith.-N. Y. Outlook.