1. This essay served as an introduction to Essays introduce all succeeding editions of Words- in Criticism (1865). worth, Mr. Shairp's notice might, it seems to me, 2. On Translating Homer (I 861). excellently serve; it is written from the point of 3. J. C. Shairp's essay 'Wordsworth: The Man and view of an admirer, nay, of a disciple, and that the Poet' was published in 1864. Arnold com-is right; but then the disciple must be also, as in ments in a footnote: this case he is, a critic, a man of letters, not, as too often happens, some relation or friend with
I cannot help thinking that a practice, common
no qualification for his task except affection for
in England during the last century, and still fol
his author.
lowed in France, of printing a notice of this kind?a notice by a competent critic?to serve 4. Christopher Wordsworth, Memoirs of William as an introduction to an eminent author's works, Wordsworth (1851). might be revived among us with advantage. To
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THE FUNCTION OF CRITICISM AT THE PRESENT TIME / 138 5
writing critiques on the works of others were given to original composition,
of whatever kind it might be, it would be much better employed; it would
make a man find out sooner his own level, and it would do infinitely less
mischief. A false or malicious criticism may do much injury to the minds
of others; a stupid invention, either in prose or verse, is quite harmless. It is almost too much to expect of poor human nature, that a man capable
of producing some effect in one line of literature, should, for the greater good
of society, voluntarily doom himself to impotence and obscurity in another.
Still less is this to be expected from men addicted to the composition of the
'false or malicious criticism' of which Wordsworth speaks. However, every
body would admit that a false or malicious criticism had better never have
been written. Everybody, too, would be willing to admit, as a general propo
sition, that the critical faculty is lower than the inventive. But is it true that
criticism is really, in itself, a baneful and injurious employment; is it true that
all time given to writing critiques on the works of others would be much better
employed if it were given to original composition, of whatever kind this may
be? Is it true that Johnson had better have gone on producing more Irenes5
instead of writing his Lives of the Poets; nay, is it certain that Wordsworth
himself was better employed in making his Ecclesiastical Sonnets than when
he made his celebrated Preface6 so full of criticism, and criticism of the works
of others? Wordsworth was himself a great critic, and it is to be sincerely
regretted that he has not left us more criticism; Goethe was one of the greatest
of critics, and we may sincerely congratulate ourselves that he has left us so
much criticism. Without wasting time over the exaggeration which Words
worth's judgment on criticism clearly contains, or over an attempt to trace the
causes?not difficult, I think, to be traced?which may have led Wordsworth
to this exaggeration, a critic may with advantage seize an occasion for trying
his own conscience, and for asking himself of what real service, at any given
moment, the practice of criticism either is or may be made to his own mind
and spirit, and to the minds and spirits of others. The critical power is of lower rank than the creative. True; but in assenting
to this proposition, one or two things are to be kept in mind. It is undeniable
that the exercise of a creative power, that a free creative activity, is the highest
function of man; it is proved to be so by man's finding in it his true happiness.
But it is undeniable, also, that men may have the sense of exercising this free
creative activity in other ways than in producing great works of literature or
art; if it were not so, all but a very few men would be shut out from the true
happiness of all men. They may have it in well-doing, they may have it in
learning, they may have it even in criticizing. This is one thing to be kept in
mind. Another is, that the exercise of the creative power in the production of
