最新Why a classic is a classic (Arnold Bennet)复习进程.doc

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1、__________________________________________________WhyaClassicIsaClassicbyArnoldBennett  Thelargemajorityofourfellow-citizenscareasmuchaboutliteratureastheycareaboutaeroplanesortheprogrammeoftheLegislature.Theydonotignoreit;theyarenotquiteindifferenttoit.Buttheirinterestinitisfai

2、ntandperfunctory;or,iftheirinteresthappenstobeviolent,itisspasmodic.Askthetwohundredthousandpersonswhoseenthusiasmmadethevogueofapopularnoveltenyearsagowhattheythinkofthatnovelnow,andyouwillgatherthattheyhaveutterlyforgottenit,andthattheywouldnomoredreamofreadingitagainthanofrea

3、dingBishopStubbs’sSelectCharters. Probablyiftheydidreaditagaintheywouldnotenjoyit—notbecausethesaidnovelisawhitworsenowthanitwastenyearsago;notbecausetheirtastehasimproved—butbecausetheyhavenothadsufficientpracticetobeabletorelyontheirtasteasameansofpermanentpleasure.Theysimplyd

4、on’tknowfromonedaytothenextwhatwillpleasethem.Inthefaceofthisonemayask:Whydoesthegreatanduniversalfameofclassicalauthorscontinue?Theansweristhatthefameofclassicalauthorsisentirelyindependentofthemajority.DoyousupposethatifthefameofShakespearedependedonthemaninthestreetitwouldsur

5、viveafortnight?Thefameofclassicalauthorsisoriginallymade,anditismaintained,byapassionatefew.Evenwhenafirst-classauthorhasenjoyedimmensesuccessduringhislifetime,themajorityhaveneverappreciatedhimsosincerelyastheyhaveappreciatedsecond-ratemen.Hehasalwaysbeenreinforcedbytheardourof

6、thepassionatefew.Andinthecaseofanauthorwhohasemergedintogloryafterhisdeaththehappysequelhasbeenduesolelytotheobstinateperseveranceofthefew.Theycouldnotleavehimalone;theywouldnot.Theykeptonsavouringhim,andtalkingabouthim,andbuyinghim,andtheygenerallybehavedwithsucheagerzeal,andth

7、eyweresoauthoritativeandsureofthemselves,thatatlastthemajoritygrewaccustomedtothesoundofhisnameandplacidlyagreedtothepropositionthathewasagenius;themajorityreallydidnotcareverymucheitherway.Anditisbythepassionatefewthattherenownofgeniusiskeptalivefromonegenerationtoanother.These

8、fewarealwaysatwork. Theyarealwaysrediscoveringg