" This subtle element of egotism in Goethe certainly does
not seem to deform his compositions, but to lower the moral influence
of the man. He differs from all the great in the total want of
frankness. Whoso saw Milton, whoso saw Shakspeare, saw them do their
best, and utter their whole heart manlike among their brethren. No
man was permitted to call Goethe brother. He hid himself, and worked
always to astonish, which is an egotism, and therefore little.
If we try Goethe by the ordinary canons of criticism, we should
say that his thinking is of great altitude, and all level; -- not a
succession of summits, but a high Asiatic table land. Dramatic
power, the rarest talent in literature, he has very little. He has
an eye constant to the fact of life, and that never pauses in its
advance. But the great felicities, the miracles of poetry, he has
never. It is all design with him, just thought and instructed
expression, analogies, allusion, illustration, which knowledge and
correct thinking supply; but of Shakspeare and the transcendant muse,
no syllable. Yet in the court and law to which we ordinarily speak,
and without adverting to absolute standards, we claim for him the
praise of truth, of fidelity to his intellectual nature.
Pages:
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76