The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-01-27
RANK or SAlNTE-BEUVE.
He Was the Foremost Critic of the
Nineteenth Century.

RANK OF SAINTE-BEUVE.
He Was the Foremost Critic of the
Nineteenth Century.
If we might credit Goethe to the
| eighteenth century few Of those COM
petent to judge would hesitate to call
Sainte-Beuve the foremost critic Of the
| nineteenth century The qualifications
of critic of the highest rank are four
fold. First, he must have insight-acu-
men, the essential gift Of the critical
| faculty-and this Sainte-B euve possess
ed abundantly. Second, he must have
an abundant NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
knowledge Of many things, so that he
may compare one thing with another,
comparison being chief necessity of
criticism = and Sainte-Beuve had an
equipment unapproached by other writ
ers of his century, and his erudition
was as wide as it was deep, for he not
only knew many things, but he also
knew all about each one of them.
Third, the critic must have disinter-
estedness, he must love veracity for
its own sake, he must insist on getting
forth the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth, and here was
Sainte-Beuves standard of honor, that
as critic he refused to be swayed by
any Of the social appeals to which most
critics are only too ready to yield. He
had rigid independence, a sturdy in
dividuality, resolute freedom from
party bias although he is not always
absolutely devoid of personal prejudice.
And, in the fourth place, a critic needs
sympathy, or at least lie must have
enough Of it to enable him to under
stand and to appreciate men and wo-
men wholly unlike himself and sym
patty Sainte- Beuve had, although his
share of this quality is not so full per-
haps as his share of the other three
qualifications for his great Office.
He is The foremost critic of his cen
tury in the body and substance Of his
work. His contribution to literature
looks big on the library shelves-some
threescore volumes, more or less. all
soldly documented, all alive with the
play Of his keen intelligence ana all H.
Illuminated by his intellectual integrity.
A thin book OF poems and stubborn
novel must not be neglected, for in
them it is possible TO perceive the rea-
son for Sainte-Beuve's occasional
lapses from justice in his estimate OF
some 81 the poets and novclsts Of his
own time and Of lis own language.
Brander Matthew'S in Cent-lry.
The present officers of the Estey Mfg
Co., were reelected on Wednesday.
President J. Gray Estey, of Brattle-
boro, Vt, came here to attend the meet
ing.
Charles M. Hays, general manager of
the Grand Trunk, passed through the
city, eastbound, Thursday. He was on
a tour of inspection and rode in spec
ial car.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Pierce, Clinton
street, were given surprise party on
Wednesday evening, and were present
ed with berry spoon and cup and sau-
Ger, by neighbors and other friends.
The attraction at the Opera House
next Thursday night will be Robert
Fitzsimmons, in his new comedy drama
ga Fight For Love-" The play is of
heart interest and is said to be the best
of the many efforts of Hal Reid. Julia
May Clifford, who in private life is Mrs.
Robert Fitzsimmons, is the pugilist's
leading support. The cast also includes,
Frederick Watson, Daniel Sullivan,
Frederick Backus, o. b. Collins, Jos.
Edmonston, Leon Friedman, Daniel
Morse, Jas. Grips, Edward White,
Maude Westbrook, Emily Dodd and
others. Manager Mehlenbacher has
been asked many times if this is actual
ly tie noted pugulist Robert Fitzsim
mons, who will appears at the Opera
House on Thursday evening. 1t really
is and he guarantees it.