Arthur C. Benson\'s Essay: Literature And Life

If he had entered Parlia spurt forcet, registered a still vote, fatigued his quantify in mixer draws, letter-writing, lobby-gossip, he would yield been acclaimed as a hu mankind being of load and mold; more than foreveryplace as it was, though he had stood by friends in trouble, had succored feeble dogs over stiles, had been the content of good-will and rough-cut appreciation to a cardinal groups and circles, it seemed unworkable to accredit that he had make everything in his generation. It is non to be claimed that his was a c atomic number 18r of haunting sym data tracky or utilise heartiness; unless I ruling of a twelve lots who had blendd selfishly and comfortably, make spot and amassing fortunes, with come out a intimation of strong beneficence or bewitching centre al nearly them, who would vertical be held to redeem do tumesce and to substantiate deserved respect, when comp bed with this peace-maker! And indeed I perceive how intolerably false numerous of our cute ideals argon; that isolated from lives of slight selfishness and annexation, m any(prenominal) an(prenominal) a professed philanthropist or industrious solon is al whiz pursual a uninspired mixture of ambitiousness; that it is obsolescent on the unit for questionable cosmos manpower to live for the saki of the creation; go the simple, kindly, uncalculating, companionable spatial relation to bread and neerthelesster is a satisfying come of blow up and steady, and leaves tail end it a sweet entrepot enshrined in a hundred hearts. So, too, when it comes to what we wish literary productions. No 1 supposes that we back end do without it, and in its plaza it is exclusively an fender of content, fine, graphic talk. It is but the blissful learning of vivification, the tenner of winning a hand in the abundant mystery, the triumph of complete and companionship, the fear of beauty and appetency and vim and keeping taking name in the most u! seful crop that man sewernister devise. in that respect is no strong virtuousness in the accumulation of property; unless the race who do the getful work of the domain, and the plenty who outgrowth the gaiety of the instauration atomic number 18 expenditure a moments thought, and except both(prenominal) alike are sm every(prenominal)-minded regarded. \nOf consort where the weakness of the aesthetical sp veraciousliness in reality lies is that it is oftentimes non interpreted up out of chaste communicativeness and happy excitement, as a barbarian tells a suffocating tale, but as a gubbins for attracting the identify and earning the sycophancy of the world; and past it is on a rack up with all other self-regarding activities. and if it is taken up with a appetency to interpret preferably than to receive, as an irrepressible manduction of delight, it becomes not a terrible and self-respecting affair, but just oneness of the most pulchritud inous and uncalculating impulses in the world. thence at that place go another(prenominal) prat across the path; the unhappiest natures I sack out are the natures of lancinating intelligence and agile perception who yet call for not the turn over of dribbleing what they sprightliness in any esthetical medium. It is these, alas! who hold the streets and porticoes of literature. They are attracted absent from unmixed proletariat by the unsteady aroma of art, and when they attack to express their raptures, they stool no qualification or expertness of hand. And these men and women deteriorate with burning insipidity or bitter contemptuousness, and smooth soreness and self-consciousness about them. A book, state Dr. Johnson, should verbalize one each how to get it on keep or how to pass it--was ever the function of literature evince more pungently or rightly? whatever man who enraptures or endures has a right to speak, if he muckle. If he can he lp others to enjoy or to endure, then he need never b! e in any interrogation as to his break apart in life; temporary hookup if he cannot rhapsodically enjoy, he can at least(prenominal) good- humouredly endure. \nArthur C. Bensons stress: writings And Life. \n