The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-21

that he may teach. a man who had
often to adjourn his main purpose
to skirmish with difficulties. he must
accept 1t because the lectures were
published just as they were written
and he must realize that the art of
writing is n living business. Great as
Is the legacy OF English literature II
is a legacy to be improved. Any ma
ton. he says. that pottcrs with its past
az a thing dead and done for is to that
extent a renegade. For after all Eng
ilsh literature is chiefly tho spur To
persist in writing well. We may
easily afford to leave to other nations
the secondary fame OF being COM
mentatOrs of texts.
In the opening chapter. or the in
augural address," Sir Arthur carries
his hearers to the island Of Crete. where
three gentlemen, who had had their
opportunities. earned their wages and
nearly earned their discharge" were
Giscoursing at leisure upon the laws of
Minoe and particularly upon how poets
are to he dealt with in the ideal state.
IT,. three elderly gentlemen. it is need
less TO say. were Clinias Of Crete,
Meg.llus from Laccdnmonia and an
Athcnian. a stranger. Now Plato. Ia
the Republic" had boldly banisllcd
the poets as being detrimental TO stern
morality. and Sir Arthur acqulcsces so
far with Plato AZ To say that very
lfkcly In the ideal state there may be
no literature. and surely there will
he no professors OF literature: but the
English author none the less points out
that in this later work Of Plato he
:elents in so far al to say that per-
haps II were after all better to retain
poets provided they first show their
songs to the magistrates to consider
Row these compare with the laws, and
II they coincide with or improve upon
the laws then they should have IL
chorus, but otherwise not. II was n
lame conclusion and an important
compromise. says Sir Arthur. Of which
we still possess a relic in his Majestys
l.iccnser Of Plays. Indeed though men
may forbid Apollo. they will never be
rid Of him. for still he returns at the
head OF the Nine, and in England. at
ANY rate. since ever Chauccr sang
about April showers and May gar
dens he has never been absent.
What then Is the function of litcra-
turc. since evidently II he not merely
10 enforce the laws? The Cambridge
professor replies in the very words
that Lucian uses TO describe his friend
Demonax:
HIS way was like other .cpi.s he
mounted no high horse: he wac Jus, a man
ana a citizen. He INDUCED In no socra,!c
irony. but his discourse was ful! OF Attic
grace: thoss who heard II went away
neither Disguised by servility nor repelied
By Ill tempered cersure. but on the con-
,fary lifted out % themselves by charity
and encouraged 10 more orderly. conten,ei.
hopeful lives.
After such a description /; is I'M
necessary to add that DemoraX loved
letters and 10y their aid became the
man he was. For literature il the nurse
Of noble natures. and right reading
makes a full man. a full man in a finer
sense than Bacor's; for It makes hin
not 80 much repicte as complete. I, ie
In the hope OF making such men that
chairs Of literature are endowed in
modern .~colleges. For there is nc
question hut hat literature is a good
thing II only il can he made 20 operate
upon young minds.
Although Sir Arthur accepted the
chair Of literature AZ Cambridge H.
adopted when asked what he should
teach the modest reply ~ Don QuiNutc
who being asked what IL was he WAS
painting, replied. THAT IL as it may
turn out; yet when Sir Arthur de-
livered his inaugural he had already
certain principles in mind by which h.
had chosen TO be guided:
For IN. srs, principle Of al I pa g
you this, In studying any work or genius
we should begin by taking II ahsoluteiy
tina, IL 20 Say, With minds intent on dts.
covering Just uhat the authors mind in.
tended: THE being a. once thu obvious ap-
proach 20 !'s meaning. and tho m"res' duty
Of poii,cness We owe - me eee. mar ad-
: dressing US We should lay our minds
omen 20 VIVA, he wishes 20 toll and II
what he has to tell he nohl" and high aud
beautiful We should surrender and lc, soak
our minds in II.
I propose next then that eirce our tn
ves!ga,iors will deal largely with - e.
,ha. cur,ouslv persona thing: suI since
tas I have SAID they oanno, IN their ma
'ure he resdIl, brought To m" 81 thumb
tests ami mav Therefore 90 easily be sue
rcc'.d 81 evsiins all tests. % being me'o
dNcttau'eism. ! p-opos. I saw Ma; my
pupils u | rcbuke ihi. suspicion 10y on
stau''r aiming at ths con icte. a.. he
study % such dAnnl." beauties a. We AN
zee presented In pt'r' under our ewes
always seeking the authors intention. bu,
-.chewing. for tho present a. any rate. all
general definitions and theories, through
;hc slave OF which tho pariiru'ar achic, -