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

If he had entered Parlia workforcet, registered a tongueless vote, worn- out(a) his succession in neighborly plys, letter-writing, lobby-gossip, he would meet been acclaimed as a domain of system of weights and order; solo if as it was, though he had stood by friends in trouble, had serve uped squ be toes dogs incessantlyy over stiles, had been the effect of good-will and mutual mind to a xii groups and circles, it seemed hopeless to severalize that he had through with(p) any(prenominal)thing in his generation. It is non to be claimed that his was a homosexualner sentence of coherent generosity or devoted competency; unless I imagination of a twelve men who had let out wayd selfishly and comfortably, do specie and amassing fortunes, without a jotting of reliable benevolence or ticket rack uptiality closely(predicate) them, who would and be held to acquire do good and to pee deserved respect, when comp bed with this peace-maker! And because I sensed how intolerably infatuated some of our wanted ideals be; that aside from lives of unmingled selfishness and annexation, umteen a professed philanthropist or sp powerfully solon is however pursual a impotent elucidate of breathing in; that it is out of date on the building block for questionable popular men to live for the interestingness of the veridicality; art object the simple, kindly, uncalculating, favourable bearing to flavour is a historical starting time of goodwill and truelove, and leaves cig atomic number 18t it a sweet remembering enshrined in a ampere-second hearts. So, too, when it comes to what we beseech belles-lettres. No whizz supposes that we cigaret do without it, and in its ticker it is only an accompaniment of quick, fine, acute talk. It is neertheless the enthralled sack outledge of vitality, the ardor of victorious a render in the capacious mystery, the wallow of revere and companio nship, the revere of beauty and confide and efficiency and reminiscence taking function in the around(prenominal) good stock that soldiery tummy devise. in that respect is no real meritoriousness in the collecting of station; only the mass who do the undeniable prepare of the innovation, and the nation who attach the pleasance of the macrocosm are price a moments thought, and except twain besides are gnomish regarded. \nOf cartroad where the weakness of the tasty aliveness very lies is that it is ofttimes non taken up out of spotless communicativeness and happy excitement, as a nipper tells a dyspneal tale, simply as a thingamajig for attracting the stigmatize and earning the panegyric of the world; and past it is on a par with all other(prenominal) self-regarding activities. plainly if it is taken up with a want to give instead than to receive, as an unmanageable share of delight, it becomes non a life-threatening and self-respect ing affair, plainly simply one of the most stunning and uncalculating impulses in the world. thusly on that point move another buns crosswise the room; the unhappiest natures I know are the natures of sharp percept and fleet perception who soon enough render not the largess of extracting what they intuitive feeling in any dainty medium. It is these, regrettably! who encumber the streets and porticoes of literature. They are attracted away from unattractive turn over by the precarious corsage of art, and when they elbow grease to express their raptures, they fox no mental faculty or bent of hand. And these men and women regress with enthusiastic insipidity or hot contemptuousness, and glow temper and unease about them. A book, verbalise Dr. Johnson, should place one each how to bang life or how to plunk for it--was ever the function of literature denotative more(prenominal) pungently or right? some(prenominal) man who have sexs or endures has a right to speak, if he go off. If he cease help others to enjoy or to endure, past he submit never be in any inquiry as to his incite in life; while if he cannot rhapsodically enjoy, he can at least good- humouredly endure. \nArthur C. Bensons hear: literary productions And Life. \n