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Obviously； power needs to make use of no such storage。 The property of
power is to use phrases； whether strange or familiar； as though it created
them。 But even more than lack of power is lack of humour the cause of
all the rankness and the staleness； of all the Anglo…Saxon of commerce； of
all the weary 'quaintness'that quaintness of which one is moved to
exclaim with Cassio： 'Hither comes the bauble！' Lack of a sense of
humour betrays a man into that perpetual too…much whereby he tries to
make amends for a currency debased。 No more than any other can a
witty writer dispense with a sense of humour。 In his moments of
sentiment the lack is distressing； in his moments of wit it is at least
perceptible。 A sense of humour cannot be always present； it may be
urged。 Why； no； it is the lack of it that isimportunate。 Other absences；
such as the absence of passion； the absence of delicacy； are； if grievous
negatives； still mere negatives。 These qualities may or may not be there
at call； ready for a summons； we are not obliged to know； we are not
momentarily aware； unless they ought to be in action； whether their action
is possible。 But want of power and want of a sense of the ridiculous：
these are lacks wherefrom there is no escaping； deficiencies that are all…
influential； defects that assert themselves； vacancies that proclaim
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themselves； absences from the presence whereof there is no flying； what
other paradoxes can I adventure？ Without powerno style。 Without a
possible humour；no style。 The weakling has no confidence in himself
to keep him from grasping at words that he fancies hold within them the
true passions of the race； ready for the uses of his egoism。 And with a
sense of humour a man will not steal from a shelf the precious treasure of
the language and put it in his pocket。
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PATHOS
A fugitive writer wrote but lately on the fugitive page of a minor
magazine： 'For our part； the drunken tinker ＇Christopher Sly＇ is the most
real personage of the piece； and not without some hints of the pathos that
is worked out more fully； though by different ways； in Bottom and
Malvolio。' Has it indeed come to this？ Have the Zeitgeist and the
Weltschmerz and the other things compared to which 'le spleen' was gay；
done so much for us？ Is there to be no laughter left in literature free from
the preoccupation of a sham real…life？ So it would seem。 Even what
the great master has not shown us in his work； that your critic convinced
of pathos is resolved to see in it。 By the penetration of his intrusive
sympathy he will come at it。 It is of little use now to explain Snug the
joiner to the audience： why； it is precisely Snug who stirs their emotions
so painfully。 Not the lion； they can see through that： but the Snug within；
the human Snug。 And Master Shallow has the Weltschmerz in that latent
form which is the more appealing； and discouraging questions arise as to
the end of old Double； and Argan in his nightcap is the tragic figure of
Monomania； and human nature shudders at the petrifaction of the intellect
of Mr。 F。's aunt。 Et patati； et patata。
It may be only too true that the actual world is 'with pathos delicately
edged。' For Malvolio living we should have had living sympathies： so
much aspiration； so ill…educated a love of refinement； so unarmed a
credulity； noblest of weaknesses； betrayed for the laughter of a
chambermaid。 By an actual Bottom the Weaver our pity might be
reached for the sake of his single self…reliance； his fancy and resource
condemned to burlesque and ignominy by the niggard doom of
circumstance。 But is not life one thing and is not art another？ Is it not
the privilege of literature to make selection and to treat things singly；
without the after…thoughts of life； without the troublous completeness of
the many…sided world？ Is not Shakespeare； for this reason； our refuge？
Fortunately unreal is his world when he will have it so； and there we may
laugh with open heart at a grotesque man： without misgiving； without
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remorse； without reluctance。 If great creating Nature has not assumed for
herself she has assuredly secured to the great creating poet the right of
partiality； of limitation； of setting aside and leaving out； of taking one
impression and one emotion as sufficient for the day。 Art and Nature are
separate； complementary； in relation； not in confusion； with one another。
And all this officious cleverness in seeing round the corner； as it were； of a
thing presented by literary art in the flat（the borrowing of similes from
other arts is of evil tendency； but let this pass； as it is apt）is but another
sign of the general lack of a sense of the separation between Nature and
the sentient mirror in the mind。 In some of his persons； indeed；
Shakespeare is as Nature herself； all…inclusive； but in othersand chiefly
in comedyhe is partial； he is impressionary； he refuses to know what is
not to his purpose； he is an artist。 And in that gay； wilful world it is that
he gives usor used to give us； for even the world is obsoletethe pleasure
of OUBLIANCE。
Now this fugitive writer has not been so swift but that I have caught
him a clout as he went。 Yet he will do it again； and those like…minded
will assuredly also continue to show how much more completely human；
how much more sensitive； how much more responsible； is the art of the
critic than the world has ever dreamt till now。 And； superior in so much；
they will still count their superior weeping as the choicest of their gifts。