Why a classic is a classic (Arnold Bennet)资料

《Why a classic is a classic (Arnold Bennet)资料》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在应用文档-天天文库。

1、WhyaClassicIsaClassicbyArnoldBennett Thelargemajorityofourfellow-citizenscareasmuchaboutliteratureastheycareaboutaeroplanesortheprogrammeoftheLegislature.Theydonotignoreit;theyarenotquiteindifferenttoit.Buttheirinterestinitisfaintandperfunctory;or,iftheirin

2、teresthappenstobeviolent,itisspasmodic.Askthetwohundredthousandpersonswhoseenthusiasmmadethevogueofapopularnoveltenyearsagowhattheythinkofthatnovelnow,andyouwillgatherthattheyhaveutterlyforgottenit,andthattheywouldnomoredreamofreadingitagainthanofreadingBis

3、hopStubbs’sSelectCharters. Probablyiftheydidreaditagaintheywouldnotenjoyit—notbecausethesaidnovelisawhitworsenowthanitwastenyearsago;notbecausetheirtastehasimproved—butbecausetheyhavenothadsufficientpracticetobeabletorelyontheirtasteasameansofpermanentpleas

4、ure.Theysimplydon’tknowfromonedaytothenextwhatwillpleasethem.Inthefaceofthisonemayask:Whydoesthegreatanduniversalfameofclassicalauthorscontinue?Theansweristhatthefameofclassicalauthorsisentirelyindependentofthemajority.DoyousupposethatifthefameofShakespeare

5、dependedonthemaninthestreetitwouldsurviveafortnight?Thefameofclassicalauthorsisoriginallymade,anditismaintained,byapassionatefew.Evenwhenafirst-classauthorhasenjoyedimmensesuccessduringhislifetime,themajorityhaveneverappreciatedhimsosincerelyastheyhaveappre

6、ciatedsecond-ratemen.Hehasalwaysbeenreinforcedbytheardourofthepassionatefew.Andinthecaseofanauthorwhohasemergedintogloryafterhisdeaththehappysequelhasbeenduesolelytotheobstinateperseveranceofthefew.Theycouldnotleavehimalone;theywouldnot.Theykeptonsavouringh

7、im,andtalkingabouthim,andbuyinghim,andtheygenerallybehavedwithsucheagerzeal,andtheyweresoauthoritativeandsureofthemselves,thatatlastthemajoritygrewaccustomedtothesoundofhisnameandplacidlyagreedtothepropositionthathewasagenius;themajorityreallydidnotcarevery

8、mucheitherway.Anditisbythepassionatefewthattherenownofgeniusiskeptalivefromonegenerationtoanother.Thesefewarealwaysatwork. Theyarealwaysrediscoveringgenius.Theircuriosityandenthusiasmareexhaustless,sot