Mr. Arnold says of Emerson's
writings, the matter is gold, but the workmanship does not evince the
highest skill. Were this last urged as determining the value of the
writer we might indeed say that the critic offends by exalting a
subordinate distinction to the first place. But it is not so urged, nor
is there anything to indicate that Mr. Arnold makes perfection of
literary execution the be-all and end-all of excellence in literature;
indeed one does not see that he at all exaggerates its importance. Those
whom he mentions as great writers were for the most part second-rate
men--second-rate men that is as measured by the standard of the ages;
and it does not appear that he thinks of them otherwise than as such.
Cicero receives the title while it is not given to Marcus Antoninus; but
it is sufficiently apparent that Mr. Arnold sets a higher value upon
Marcus Antoninus than upon Cicero. Voltaire is one of the great writers;
but in the world's literature he is at best but first among the lesser
lights, and there is no sign that Matthew Arnold attributed to him a
higher importance. Or take the case of Swift. The literary talents of
this unhappy man were indeed prodigious: he performed feats to which we
cannot say that any other would have been equal: he is as unique as
Shakespeare,--though, of course, in a vastly lower way. But did he
contribute one great thought or one grand and salutary imagination to
the world's stock? Not to my knowledge.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130