按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
as any that makes lovely for us the canvas of the Venetian or the Spaniard； and plastic form no less sure and certain than that which reveals itself in marble or in bronze； but thought and passion and spirituality are theirs also； are theirs indeed alone。 If the Greeks had criticised nothing but language； they would still have been the great art…critics of the world。 To know the principles of the highest art is to know the principles of all the arts。
But I see that the moon is hiding behind a sulphur…coloured cloud。 Out of a tawny mane of drift she gleams like a lion's eye。 She is afraid that I will talk to you of Lucian and Longinus； of Quinctilian and Dionysius； of Pliny and Fronto and Pausanias； of all those who in the antique world wrote or lectured upon art matters。 She need not be afraid。 I am tired of my expedition into the dim； dull abyss of facts。 There is nothing left for me now but the divine ＇Greek text which cannot be reproduced＇ of another cigarette。 Cigarettes have at least the charm of leaving one unsatisfied。
ERNEST。 Try one of mine。 They are rather good。 I get them direct from Cairo。 The only use of our ATTACHES is that they supply their friends with excellent tobacco。 And as the moon has hidden herself； let us talk a little longer。 I am quite ready to admit that I was wrong in what I said about the Greeks。 They were； as you have pointed out； a nation of art…critics。 I acknowledge it； and I feel a little sorry for them。 For the creative faculty is higher than the critical。 There is really no comparison between them。
GILBERT。 The antithesis between them is entirely arbitrary。 Without the critical faculty； there is no artistic creation at all； worthy of the name。 You spoke a little while ago of that fine spirit of choice and delicate instinct of selection by which the artist realises life for us； and gives to it a momentary perfection。 Well； that spirit of choice； that subtle tact of omission； is really the critical faculty in one of its most characteristic moods； and no one who does not possess this critical faculty can create anything at all in art。 Arnold's definition of literature as a criticism of life was not very felicitous in form； but it showed how keenly he recognised the importance of the critical element in all creative work。
ERNEST。 I should have said that great artists work unconsciously； that they were 'wiser than they knew；' as； I think； Emerson remarks somewhere。
GILBERT。 It is really not so； Ernest。 All fine imaginative work is self…conscious and deliberate。 No poet sings because he must sing。 At least； no great poet does。 A great poet sings because he chooses to sing。 It is so now； and it has always been so。 We are sometimes apt to think that the voices that sounded at the dawn of poetry were simpler； fresher； and more natural than ours； and that the world which the early poets looked at； and through which they walked； had a kind of poetical quality of its own； and almost without changing could pass into song。 The snow lies thick now upon Olympus； and its steep scarped sides are bleak and barren； but once； we fancy； the white feet of the Muses brushed the dew from the anemones in the morning； and at evening came Apollo to sing to the shepherds in the vale。 But in this we are merely lending to other ages what we desire； or think we desire； for our own。 Our historical sense is at fault。 Every century that produces poetry is； so far； an artificial century； and the work that seems to us to be the most natural and simple product of its time is always the result of the most self…conscious effort。 Believe me； Ernest； there is no fine art without self…consciousness； and self… consciousness and the critical spirit are one。
ERNEST。 I see what you mean； and there is much in it。 But surely you would admit that the great poems of the early world； the primitive； anonymous collective poems； were the result of the imagination of races； rather than of the imagination of individuals？
GILBERT。 Not when they became poetry。 Not when they received a beautiful form。 For there is no art where there is no style； and no style where there is no unity； and unity is of the individual。 No doubt Homer had old ballads and stories to deal with； as Shakespeare had chronicles and plays and novels from which to work； but they were merely his rough material。 He took them； and shaped them into song。 They become his； because he made them lovely。 They were built out of music；
And so not built at all； And therefore built for ever。
The longer one studies life and literature； the more strongly one feels that behind everything that is wonderful stands the individual； and that it is not the moment that makes the man； but the man who creates the age。 Indeed； I am inclined to think that each myth and legend that seems to us to spring out of the wonder； or terror； or fancy of tribe and nation； was in its origin the invention of one single mind。 The curiously limited number of the myths seems to me to point to this conclusion。 But we must not go off into questions of comparative mythology。 We must keep to criticism。 And what I want to point out is this。 An age that has no criticism is either an age in which art is immobile； hieratic； and confined to the reproduction of formal types； or an age that possesses no art at all。 There have been critical ages that have not been creative； in the ordinary sense of the word； ages in which the spirit of man has sought to set in order the treasures of his treasure…house； to separate the gold from the silver； and the silver from the lead； to count over the jewels； and to give names to the pearls。 But there has never been a creative age that has not been critical also。 For it is the critical faculty that invents fresh forms。 The tendency of creation is to repeat itself。 It is to the critical instinct that we owe each new school that springs up； each new mould that art finds ready to its hand。 There is really not a single form that art now uses that does not come to us from the critical spirit of Alexandria； where these forms were either stereotyped or invented or made perfect。 I say Alexandria； not merely because it was there that the Greek spirit became most self…conscious； and indeed ultimately expired in scepticism and theology； but because it was to that city； and not to Athens； that Rome turned for her models； and it was through the survival； such as it was； of the Latin language that culture lived at all。 When； at the Renaissance； Greek literature dawned upon Europe； the soil had been in some measure prepared for it。 But； to get rid of the details of history； which are always wearisome and usually inaccurate； let us say generally； that the forms of art have been due to the Greek critical spirit。 To it we owe the epic； the lyric； the entire drama in every one of its developments； including burlesque； the idyll； the romantic novel； the novel of adventure； the essay； the dialogue； the oration； the lecture； for which perhaps we should not forgive them； and the epigram； in all the wide meaning of that word。 In fact； we owe it everything； except the sonnet； to which； however； some curious parallels of thought… movement may be traced in the Anthology； American journalism； to which no parallel can be found anywhere； and the ballad in sham Scotch dialect； which one of our most industrious writers has recently proposed should be made the basis for a final and unanimous effort on the part of our second…rate poets to make themselves really romantic。 Each new school； as it appears； cries out against criticism； but it is to the critical faculty in man that it owes its origin。 The mere creative instinct does not innovate； but reproduces。
ERNEST。 You have been talking of criticism as an essential part of the creative spirit； and I now fully accept your theory。 But what of criticism outside creation？ I have a foolish habit of reading periodicals； and it seems to me that most modern criticism is perfectly valueless。
GILBERT。 So is most modern creative work also。 Mediocrity weighing mediocrity in the balance； and incompetence applauding its brother … that is the spectacle which the artistic activity of England affords us from