New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-11
LITERARY CRITICISM
AND BOOK NEWS
Royal Cortissoz on Art as Companion Through
Life-More New Novels Another Picture
of Stage Life-New England Abroad.
A BRAClNG CRITIC.

,SD COMMON SENSE. BY Royal
AHHIi.,issoz. Art Editor Of The New York
SSvibnne. limo, PIP. viii, AS, Charles
scrbner's Sons
Nv cortlssoz. art editor Of The Trib-
80. for two decades has given its
..,a.r, the benefit Of his wise counsel.
% ,o,cern has ever been with the
.n,. milk Of the word. His point OF
49,, "a familiar to those who, having
,.,.,,,vent ears, have heard him. Now
. ia pleasant and profitable thing
- do TO pass in review those salient
Qualities which for so long time have
made him tonic force and provoca-
a.. azure IN art criticism. and a
alarming writer. He has a pet phrase,
"a u Is a very good one, which hap
r,ly applies to himself as critic. There
4. nothing grand, gloomy and peculiar
,hout him. He speaks Of great things
,,r,n,y. The character Of the aesthetic
:, =, the pedant is not in him. He
dominates nonsense. And there is
,o,h,ns In the world to-day which has
b.cone so sicklied Ger and obscured
hv nonsense, by most everybody con-
o.rcsd as the subject Of art. After his
ar nhrase, so excellent, Mr.. Cortissoz
HIVES Ironically perhaps best OF all
,,,nSs in the language the name OF ms
,,sat bugbear. the word "esoteric' me
.so,sr,c qualities Of art. he holds, most
" reside in an oracular jargon, TOO
o.sn hut the outward and visible sign
~ an inward and invisible bigotry'
which would reserve the appreciation
Of art to d chosen few
Then-and this, indeed, is a thing a
M peculiar to-day-he sees art stead
~ and he sees IT whole. His judg-
nents have their spring in a constant
Interrogation Of the "unimpeachable
testimony" Of the ages; and by his
nature he is impelled 10 tell the result
Of his conscientious search after the
,ruth with robust vigOr, albeit con-
,ummate suavity. His learning he
wears, not so much as NJ. France says,
like flower" but as he does his hat
comfortably and as a matter Of course.
He has simply learned his trade, as he,
and Mr.. Cox, are fond of saying OF the
PAINTERS and craftsmen Of the olden
DAYS Of the giants. In nowise related
70 the elegants who tinker lovingly
vith private press monographs on
Rotticelh, but, most Of the time, a
practical, industrious Journalist, whose
business il is to deal with works Of
art" he writes quick, flowing prose
lof faultless Clarity. saturated, pleas
antly with the scents and cOlors Of
Misunderstanding no bones about II,
as the precious critics do, and taking
bis own technique, as he holds the
trained worker in any art should, in
bis stride. Ever and anon he deity
turns modern phrase with "a sonorous
ancient ring, so that his point echoes
In the caverns Of the memory. And he
is to boot, abundantly amusing. BY
preeept and example he advocates the
uses of humor in keeping ones head in
the presence Of the pontitical proceed
ings Of the elect" He delights TO cap
an ancient truth with a racy current
phrase. And in bringing the subject
VI art down from the clouds and look
ing at 1t as a wholesome human thing,
to'hing is more useful than a little
common speech. Mr.. James hardly
makes more vitalizing the witty and