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of Greek manuscripts were blotted out； the splendours of a new
method were unfolded to the world； and out of the melancholy sea of
mediaevalism rose the free spirit of man in all that splendour of
glad adolescence； when the bodily powers seem quickened by a new
vitality； when the eye sees more clearly than its wont and the mind
apprehends what was beforetime hidden from it。 To herald the
opening of the sixteenth century； from the little Venetian printing
press came forth all the great authors of antiquity； each bearing
on the title…page the words ＇Greek text which cannot be
reproduced＇； words which may serve to remind us with what wondrous
prescience Polybius saw the world's fate when he foretold the
material sovereignty of Roman institutions and exemplified in
himself the intellectual empire of Greece。
The course of the study of the spirit of historical criticism has
not been a profitless investigation into modes and forms of thought
now antiquated and of no account。 The only spirit which is
entirely removed from us is the mediaeval； the Greek spirit is
essentially modern。 The introduction of the comparative method of
research which has forced history to disclose its secrets belongs
in a measure to us。 Ours； too； is a more scientific knowledge of
philology and the method of survival。 Nor did the ancients know
anything of the doctrine of averages or of crucial instances； both
of which methods have proved of such importance in modern
criticism； the one adding a most important proof of the statical
elements of history； and exemplifying the influences of all
physical surroundings on the life of man； the other； as in the
single instance of the Moulin Quignon skull； serving to create a
whole new science of prehistoric archaeology and to bring us back
to a time when man was coeval with the stone age； the mammoth and
the woolly rhinoceros。 But； except these； we have added no new
canon or method to the science of historical criticism。 Across the
drear waste of a thousand years the Greek and the modern spirit
join hands。
In the torch race which the Greek boys ran from the Cerameician
field of death to the home of the goddess of Wisdom； not merely he
who first reached the goal but he also who first started with the
torch aflame received a prize。 In the Lampadephoria of
civilisation and free thought let us not forget to render due meed
of honour to those who first lit that sacred flame； the increasing
splendour of which lights our footsteps to the far…off divine event
of the attainment of perfect truth。
THE ENGLISH RENAISSANCE OF ART
AMONG the many debts which we owe to the supreme aesthetic faculty
of Goethe is that he was the first to teach us to define beauty in
terms the most concrete possible； to realise it； I mean； always in
its special manifestations。 So； in the lecture which I have the
honour to deliver before you； I will not try to give you any
abstract definition of beauty … any such universal formula for it
as was sought for by the philosophy of the eighteenth century …
still less to communicate to you that which in its essence is
incommunicable； the virtue by which a particular picture or poem
affects us with a unique and special joy； but rather to point out
to you the general ideas which characterise the great English
Renaissance of Art in this century； to discover their source； as
far as that is possible； and to estimate their future as far as
that is possible。
I call it our English Renaissance because it is indeed a sort of
new birth of the spirit of man； like the great Italian Renaissance
of the fifteenth century； in its desire for a more gracious and
comely way of life； its passion for physical beauty； its exclusive
attention to form； its seeking for new subjects for poetry； new
forms of art； new intellectual and imaginative enjoyments： and I
call it our romantic movement because it is our most recent
expression of beauty。
It has been described as a mere revival of Greek modes of thought；
and again as a mere revival of mediaeval feeling。 Rather I would
say that to these forms of the human spirit it has added whatever
of artistic value the intricacy and complexity and experience of
modern life can give： taking from the one its clearness of vision
and its sustained calm； from the other its variety of expression
and the mystery of its vision。 For what； as Goethe said； is the
study of the ancients but a return to the real world （for that is
what they did）； and what； said Mazzini； is mediaevalism but
individuality？
It is really from the union of Hellenism； in its breadth； its
sanity of purpose； its calm possession of beauty； with the
adventive； the intensified individualism； the passionate colour of
the romantic spirit； that springs the art of the nineteenth century
in England； as from the marriage of Faust and Helen of Troy sprang
the beautiful boy Euphorion。
Such expressions as 'classical' and 'romantic' are； it is true；
often apt to become the mere catchwords of schools。 We must always
remember that art has only one sentence to utter： there is for her
only one high law； the law of form or harmony … yet between the
classical and romantic spirit we may say that there lies this
difference at least； that the one deals with the type and the other
with the exception。 In the work produced under the modern romantic
spirit it is no longer the permanent； the essential truths of life
that are treated of； it is the momentary situation of the one； the
momentary aspect of the other that art seeks to render。 In
sculpture； which is the type of one spirit； the subject
predominates over the situation； in painting； which is the type of
the other； the situation predominates over the subject。
There are two spirits； then： the Hellenic spirit and the spirit of
romance may be taken as forming the essential elements of our
conscious intellectual tradition； of our permanent standard of
taste。 As regards their origin； in art as in politics there is but
one origin for all revolutions； a desire on the part of man for a
nobler form of life； for a freer method and opportunity of
expression。 Yet； I think that in estimating the sensuous and
intellectual spirit which presides over our English Renaissance；
any attempt to isolate it in any way from in the progress and
movement and social life of the age that has produced it would be
to rob it of its true vitality； possibly to mistake its true
meaning。 And in disengaging from the pursuits and passions of this
crowded modern world those passions and pursuits which have to do
with art and the love of art； we must take into account many great
events of history which seem to be the most opposed to any such
artistic feeling。
Alien then from any wild； political passion； or from the harsh
voice of a rude people in revolt； as our English Renaissance must
seem； in its passionate cult of pure beauty； its flawless devotion
to form； its exclusive and sensitive nature； it is to the French
Revolution that we must look for the most primary factor of its
production； the first condition of its birth： that great
Revolution of which we are all the children though the voices of
some of us be often loud against it； that Revolution to which at a
time when even such spirits as Coleridge and Wordsworth lost heart
in England； noble messages of love blown across seas came from your
young Republic。
It is true that our modern sense of the continuity of history has
shown us that neither in politics nor in nature are there
revolutions ever but evolutions only； and that the prelude to that
wild storm which swept over France in 1789 and made every king in
Europe tremble for his throne； was first sounded in literature
years before the Bastille fell and the Palace was taken。 The way
for those red scenes by Seine and Loire was paved by that critical
spirit of Germany and England which a