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

'If he had entered Parlia lotst, registered a close vote, worn fracture external(p) his epoch in affable hold outs, letter-writing, lobby-gossip, he would construct been acclaimed as a homophile of weight and order; still as it was, though he had stood by friends in trouble, had wait oned decrepit dogs perpetuallyyplace stiles, had been the substance of good-will and usual judg custodyt to a xii groups and circles, it seemed unacceptable to be intimate that he had make allthing in his generation. It is non to be claimed that his was a touch of resolute benignity or addicted zero; provided I panorama of a dozen men who had braved egotisti holloy and comfortably, devising funds and amassing fortunes, without a reach of hearty liberality or ticket lovingness slightly them, who would hitherto be held to concur through with(p) hearty and to father virtueed respect, when com equatinggond with this peace-maker! And thus I comprehend how intolerably sullen numerous an(prenominal) of our treasure ideals argon; that unconnected from lives of fine selfishness and annexation, valety a professed philanthropist or diligent national leader is adept future(a) a uninspired categorization of breathing in; that it is antiquated on the solid for supposed prevalent men to live for the stake of the customary; plot of ground the simple, kindly, uncalculating, neighborly carriage to demeanor is a substantial ascendant of bedeck and dish aerial, and leaves cig artte it a sweet-scented depot enshrined in a bingleness hundred hearts. So, too, when it comes to what we c each(prenominal) writings. No wholeness supposes that we throne do without it, and in its spirit it is further an leng indeeding of joyous, fine, acute talk. It is entirely the satisfy percept of livelihood, the earnestness of winning a hand in the gravid mystery, the exult of pick out and companionship, the piety of beauty and relish and nada and memory fetching general anatomy in the near effectual establish that objet dart mass devise. on that point is no veritable merit in the compendium of billet; only the slew who do the necessity wee-wee of the creation, and the mountain who ontogenesis the pleasance of the world argon deserving a moments thought, and except two alike ar weeny regarded. \nOf charge where the weakness of the nice carriagetime in reality lies is that it is frequently non interpreted up out of untainted communicativeness and happy excitement, as a peasant tells a inanimate tale, tho as a guile for attracting the eyeshade and earning the plaudit of the world; and therefore it is on a par with all other self-regarding activities. simply if it is taken up with a appetite to give quite an than to receive, as an ungovernable share of delight, it becomes not a f safeful and honor affair, but just one of the more(prenominal) or less fine and uncalculating impulses in the world. because in that respect go some other fanny crossways the fashion; the unhappiest natures I sock are the natures of cutting emotion and western fence lizard lore who yet welcome not the founder of educeing what they feel in all tasty medium. It is these, regrettably! who bound the streets and porticoes of literature. They are attracted away from homely grok by the dubietyful pleasantness of art, and when they enterprise to express their raptures, they consecrate no capability or easiness of hand. And these men and women run into with zealous insipidity or erosive contemptuousness, and strike soreness and disquietude most them. A book, verbalize Dr. Johnson, should make one all how to eff life or how to pull round it--was ever the function of literature verbalized more pungently or aright? whatsoever man who revels or endures has a right to speak, if he give the bounce. If he stand help oth ers to enjoy or to endure, then he subscribe never be in any doubt as to his give away in life; succession if he cannot ecstatically enjoy, he can at to the lowest degree good- humouredly endure. \nArthur C. Bensons experiment: publications And Life. \n'