New-York tribune., 1922-10-29

-~- N the brief. but wide, searching
and sympathetic study Of Tols.oy
that Mr. Edward Garnett has con-
- tributed to Constabie's Modern
Biographies" he has insisted first
and foremost on the necessity for re-
membering the many -sdedness of Tol-
stoy, for not losing sight of the war be-
tween the artist and the moralist, that
was always being waged. and the
fusion of them that was always going
on in his colossal spirit. "Tha re-
ligious fanaticism OF Il suffering and
questioning nature WAS doubled IN
Tolstoy with the personality Of the
ioyously vital, richly sensuous pagrn
prince"
Let us not Mr.. Garnet in cffeg5
true minds admit impediment. he is
right. II, to remembrance that Tol-
sioy's vitality was terrific, that ms
love Of sheer truthfulness has never
heen surpassed. we add DostoicvsAy' e
6ictum that he was "oue OF those Rus
sian minds which can only see that
which is before their eyes" we begin
tc get understanding of u nature that
ever lived and worked at full pressure.
and was never at peace. We begin W
realize how. just as all nature is the
result of the. clash and fusion OF op,
posing principles, SO was the great
nature and work Of him whom. how
ever, one may love and admire Tur-
geneff, and stand amazed at Dos
toiefPsky, l, at all events, most think
the greatest of the Russians.
But am not reviewing book by
Tolstoy, ] am reviewing critical study
Of him by Edward Garnett, and | anu
going frankly to take this opportunity
of saying what think of Edward Gar
nett as a critics. because feel too few
people have any adequate idea OF how
very deeply Mr. Garnett has affected
the currents and trend oe imaginative
work in our time.
I say without hesitation that he has
done more for English fiction than any
living critic. and for less recognition.
1t is devoutly to be hoped that he, who
was born with such distrust Of success,
with such inyeterate feeling for the
lost cause, will forgive me for thus OK
pressing my conviction; for | cannot
help saying at last what justice should
have said long ago.
During the last twenty years and
more Edward Garnett has discovered"
more talent, helped more aspiration
and fought more battles for the cause
of good literature than any one who
can be named, and he has done it
nearly all in the dark and all for the
love of the real thing. He has never
turned aside, never been swaycd o
hairs breadth by the tides of popular
feeling; he has had his own vision and
been true TO it. Often and often he
has howled in u wilderness the un-
known names of those now seated in
high places. (Let me not howl them
now, lest / remind the great that they
once were not!) Still more often he
has set his single lance in rest against
shoddy, and the ranks of mere popu-
larity. In all this, what-apart from
his courage and independence-has
been his gift? This think: He, almost
alone among English critics of fiction
has had the faculty of giving himself
up completely to the book before him
Of letting the work print itself upon
him with the directness and tidelity OF
photography. He has brought to tho
pictures Of fiction clear surface OF
extraordinary sensitiveness on which
extravaganceS and distortions OF line
can be seen engraved in their true
ugliness. This is great and very rare
1acuity, ana 10 maintain II so unlM-
paired year after year among the
wer:er Of books is little short Of mar
veious.
Criticism. OF course, is very much an
affair Of temperament. and according
! to our natures we must all differ, but
what makes one man real critic and
another only licensed pronouncer Of
o'''ri"ns IS Just that exceedingly rare
faculty Of plowing up your surface
afresh, and watering it with hope,
ready for each new book, always be-
lieving that you are going TO find some
thing good, something that will crown