A DEMOCRATIC HOPE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1479, 29 June 1912, Page 9

A DEMOCRATIC HOPE.

rrr- . THE TRAINING OF THE IMAGINATION. f.fjy A, C. Benson-, iit the "Daily Ncvcs.")' I aw old ciift'iigh tu remember the fact tli.ut when 1 was a eh.iii.l. elderiy pfopi.e, l <>f ii Serious fy.p.e drew 'a .very' 'sharp uis-■.t:i-ne.ti.<j.ii between libtiks anil 1 ot.h.ei" blmks, Tit niajiy 'icld/iii.sh'ibii.t-il hoii'sij.s it was'thought; ■wiwig./tv" ■ Wail ft .'novel fn the niovrii'iig. finprbv-iisg- ; boqfcs. were books- of. -travel, science;- lifs.-. ta.ry, Iniigraphy..-:; but Shakespeare was included, and Waiter Scott. ' You {night.: r.tad "The l'iirato'' ill (-lit* morning; with' n go.nl conscience; but not "Vanity 'Fair"■ or "ViileUe. ' . .Why one iii-glit . read i. *'A.fnqboth" ; cr "'Romeo. : anit' J.u,l.i.e't" mid. | n'ot: "Jaito liyro" or "Tlic- 'Virginians''' | ■was ii.of anaUe clear.. |. 'i'lio pyino.ijiic of the t : K ; ,rig was not | ; explained; it' simply was. to "lie. Of all imaginative iiteraturo 'had been, excluded ] qno 'migll.t liave uiidersiood i.t; 'iiut. liiier j ail, a ta'e of love and ad vent si re ; 'is tin; j. .vr.ie tliing in any form or at any date. | it w:as' the ar.chaeolpgy which, saved footnotes nivl th'ti' glossary. To meet a v.-orti one did not ■understand!- .rt'nd-.-'.fe' Icok. its: -jiieaniiif; out.' Svivs of tile- jVatuvo :of. yivtiie. .. B.ut : ike.. • lino: was riot d'roiwjn between: tlie 'liteiia.--tii.i;.o ot : .fli'ct. suitt. ■t-ha literature', .o'f iniasr'imtion. It: linil not iinythinp ■t.p do with the.' ouestion of fbri'ii.iii'g- a. ; style,- nor exaftly -\ni/li' {lift de-.ir:ibi!ily of lieadiiig. mastei'piceis of litera.fuiv. I t-hin'c that what, really miilerlav it: all was- tho fense of efforl, as opposed to the seiiSQ' ..of pleusnrcv aiKl the wliulp 'ili'ilig.' , was, a. matter -p£,- : .iiiovaV.. '.tlisciplinci. Even to this day it would twin to hie slightly : dip-.ipafed to rend, a iiovel iiiimcdiateiy. ■: nfk'r breaUfa.-t, so strorg is'siv.rtnrei and,. :' of cqjirsj!, e.Q'pvt is v.'or'li Th-ero-arp ii goad imiiiy, jsubjectsi aboiiitjivhfcli.■ :'is well -to- kn.p.w 'sbm'btliinglif'-.orib'caii, but '"sVrVicli. riquirpiia. llittibr'appHcntionv. Vet I_ e.innot help wondering to what extent improving literahuv.. really iin- ■ prbybs the mind; whether /tho prissesdon ■ of correct infprniatibn is in, ifeeVfavoi'tlt: .; anythihjT, unlcs-- it<. aeqiiisition'is both tlio sv.i'd aiftV fruit.bf- ir.tevest. f|'!ie valno of' . history ,aridi;;l)ipgiaiiKy .on. the.: a:iiounl of facts, which the niiv.d.retains': it is moro iin pan ant t<j !;now where' Ui l.b'o'k' for .'a tliiiig ; tii'a.ii..'.to; ikiidw .'i.ti.'. .Thoaiiii. o'f. it' all- is'■ 'tliKt-'"tlio.hd.. -should;' be alert, liberal, syiaiieHiefip;. that or.o should milise t hat I lie life, of 'tho. i:ia solitary ihim;, but if; iii-k ih .-in iroinense eiiain'of forces, fee!- • iiiiis. and iiitliieircesv'. In (lie. p'.irjKi-e, of moral, enietiona:,. :u;d. ! in.telleetiial rstiiiiiiltis;. :a-. i:hp ; .nnvel/.-'is' -.'tlniifj : : iiiaii a dull, biography,-.heeau'-e it takes, ■biie . wilh hiiniiin probleivi:-!' a^id...evokes sym--pal.hy wilh geiuirciis and sinceie'oni.olie.us. ■ ' A'l.l.' :in't^llep(iii;nJ^!-^Knfl.," l .>t9iVtal s 4-exe.rcis6?! •.ought to. be directed, to tlio. one- end of giving us.-a closer .tp'ieli with ;-lifcand 'reality,, and; ■.tlipVaiin --.of - it'.-p.u^lit:. iov.be: .tV ! Awa'kq ' : ihfei'e'st.'' :irt' 'v,;Hiiftliuii.tfc"'-'affil; ; t%ifgliti:an^Mct\onVr;lfviivbp;pl{;?g^ tho' se:i?o th?t li.io-.is a -deeper mystery than one thoiight, tui'i of uiilimnvu. in : ■ pi.icn'.ces. h.at::;orie-h'ns : -aVfKiri: ;: jtb- iiiay : iii' ; : yRT i!!','and that one is- jiirfouaded by a . - clash" pf iijp.t v'si.rid-: : ft6i/iperan■ eii'ls ;■ ■ .-.eil' : j real viefiiry has beei won. ~ 'v

cation -is" sVi.iic!iii'illl "■'ilii =■■ resn'ech It is too iimch a mere pyiniiastky and i:<jt .nearly is done to. train and cu'.ti-

yritfcrhoiinagiiiariotcaiH'vthp-crnofionv.ilf; 1 t\vc ') >bl i ovo: in' cd'uo.i tib liv.'ii I. a! 1: wo •in list, 'believe t.hiit it is a: fructifying process, uifaiVt.' thG sc&d^^.nf"pur;qua!ltlos ■a re"..'.s ti. i i; ;: li n u iitbicl- ,t s>p -;..i (lea-; -t li a t .-we; can 'Kivo children" a kind ot' can-pectus c>! . knowledge, but tin-thin;.;' is getting. ' W6'-''-ljig^for, : - thai:-wo ought .no .oiigci to starve iho mind .iipon-out-, 'linos, hilt to ghVit'a. ical ins-iiiht 'mio" the life «.!' a l'cv.' vivid, epochs.:-' But more limn • that. ' TKo 'question •'.'is. ..whether"cli i ii.-'feo f.t ly, actively, wisely; nol ;t;> .be at :tho mercy of melodramatic s-cntinieiit,. and. yet' to lie alSfer.to§fin'el-ideals^ V-*. y -■ '.-Now- Uiafc. political power is- being. extended, and t)io day of.privilege* and Smp!jbpolics: ! is'-'(lrawiiiß- ,l io»;n I :clbsc l si.t .sconis;.lb nio that li* «f i'.opr- of .Hie: new domoc'rvicr cai- be bono only -through feeing,. ; and hartllv Sfc'^rtUJ^thfbughs:in{brniavion;.; :, r ; db ". not moan that there should' not bo. siiciital 'effort; but we ought-. to .-.keep ■ pleasure.* iii-.vtlio biisti.seiisey more 'lnuysowj. ; -lf.' thcrbiican' : lao■bur • there, can bb. no :fn lit fill lal>:iut : *iiUT ■'lbss ■'Williau! Morris -finely said, (ho end of. labour' is not wealth nnil comfort, -but .-f ulnps'3 :0i jlifc:,: 7 ;; ' : ■; }