CRITICISM IS A SERIOUS JOB

New Zealand Listener, Volume 14, Issue 362, 31 May 1946, Page 31

CRITICISM IS A SERIOUS JOB

New Group of: Talks Will Explain Why CRITIC is one who has failed in literature, said Disraeli, and the gibe has stuck. It would be easy, however, to cite instances to the contrary. Matthew Arnold was one of the greatest of our critics, and he certainly did not fail in literature. Chesterton, besides being one of the most original writers of his time, wrote two outstanding books of criticism-his Browning and his Dickens. The Dickens is sheer genius, and illustrates admirably the truth that criticism can be creative. Among the public, however, there continue to be harboured somewhat woolly ideas of a critic’s job. Criticism, so the belief runs, is mostly fault-find-ing, and anyone can make a shot at it. But criticism is a lot more than faultfinding, and success involves hard work. There are principles to be grasped, and applied to a mass of experience. Criticism is the complement of creative work, though, as has been said, it can itself be creative; and in a healthy culture both flourish. Strong Team of Speakers This is an introduction to the fact that the Winter Course Talks at 1YA are to deal with the principles and practice of criticism. A strong team of speakers has been collected. A. R. D. Fairburn, poet and critic, will lead off on June 13 with a talk on "Principles of Criticism." Then comes Miss Cecil Hull, who has entertained listeners with many talks on literary or semiliterary subjects and is known for her wide reading, her wit, and appreciation of wit. She will deal with "Criticism and Literature." Owen Jensen, well known as a pianist and recently appointed specialist music tutor in adu!t education for the Auckland University district, will deal with musical criticsm. Professor A. C. Keys, Professor of Modern Languages at Auckland University College, will talk about dramatic criticism; and Vernon Brown, architect, and lecturer at the A.U.C. School of Architecture, will talk about criticism in art. The series will close on July 18 with a talk on cinema criticism by E. A. Olssen, W.E.A. tutor.