Criticism and Taste

English Minor I

Literature in the Eighteenth Century

Lettered, cultivated public

Forum for polite conversation on a wide range of
social, political, philosophical, literary, religious issues
Type

of interaction: personal and communal conversation

Values (moral and social virtues): companionship,
friendship, politeness, civility, sociability
Informal public sites: salons, coffee-houses, academies
New genres of publication: the periodical essay; the
Spectator project

Central issues:
The qualifications of a critic = (moral) portrait over
rigid rules; or: the critical persona
The education of taste

Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

(1711)
LEARN then what MORALS Criticks ought to show,
For 'tis but half a Judge's Task, to Know.

'Tis not enough, Taste, Judgment, Learning, join;

In all you speak, let Truth and Candor shine:
That not alone what to your Sense is due,
All may allow; but seek your Friendship too.

Be silent always when you doubt your Sense;

And speak, tho' sure, with seeming Diffidence:

'Tis not enough your Counsel still be true,

Blunt Truths more Mischief than nice Falsehood do;
Men must be taught as if you taught them not;
And Things unknown propos'd as Things forgot:
Without Good Breeding, Truth is disapprov'd;
That only makes Superior Sense belov'd.

Popes critical persona: a moral persona

The bad critic

pride
ignorance; partiality; superficiality
affectation; self-importance
inconsistency, hypocrisy, inconstancy
envy and spite; self-love

The good critic

truth and candor
modesty
good breeding
sincerity, generosity
restraint

Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

(continued)

But where's the Man, who Counsel can bestow,

Still pleas'd to teach, and not proud to know?
Unbiass'd, or by Favour or by Spite;
Not dully prepossest, nor blindly right;
Tho' Learn'd well-bred; and tho' well-bred, sincere;
Modestly bold, and Humanly severe?
Who to a Friend his Faults can freely show,
And gladly praise the Merit of a Foe?
Blest with a Taste exact, yet unconfin'd;
A Knowledge both of Books and Humankind;
Gen'rous Converse; a Sound exempt from Pride;
And Love to Praise, with Reason on his Side?

Joseph Addison, Of Taste (1712)

But notwithstanding this Faculty must in some measure

be born with us, there are several Methods for
Cultivating and Improving it, and without which it will be
very uncertain, and of little use to the Person that
possesses it. The most natural Method for this Purpose
is to be conversant among the Writings of the most
Polite Authors. A Man who has any Relish for fine
Writing, either discovers new Beauties, or receives
stronger Impressions from the Masterly Strokes of a
great Author every time he peruses him; Besides that he
naturally wears himself into the same manner of
Speaking and Thinking.

Joseph Addison, Of Taste (continued)

Conversation with Men of a Polite Genius is another

Method for improving our Natural Taste. It is impossible
for a Man of the greatest Parts to consider anything in its
whole Extent, and in all its Variety of Lights. Every Man,
besides those General Observations which are to be
made upon an Author, forms several Reflections that are
peculiar to his own Manner of Thinking; so that
Conversation will naturally furnish us with Hints which
we did not attend to, and make us enjoy other Mens
Parts and Reflections as well as our own.

David Hume, Of the Standard of Taste

(1757)

The problem of the diversity of tastes (as of opinions, or of moral

norms); a sceptical problem.
But seeking a standard of taste is a natural human propensity.
Poetry: rules of art/criticism (rather than a priori principles)
- available to the discriminating mind; the finer emotions of the
mind | cf. the maxims of prudence in the moral domain (Swift)
How do I know I have sound taste?
- the test of confrontation with established works
How do I know a work has value?
- the test of time

David Hume, Of the Standard of Taste

(continued)

There is a sound taste and a defective taste (of the palate

as of the mind)
- defects: lack of delicacy of imagination, lack of good
judgment | cf. the bad critic
- qualities (out of improvement by practice): clear and
distinct sentiment (= emotion + judgment) | cf. the good
critic

But where are such critics to be found? | cf. the wheres

the man question (Pope)

A man of taste is more easily recognised than defined.