The secret of the interest created by literature is this- literature is a criticism of

life as interpreted by the writer. A French epigram says that art is life seen through a

temperament. A great book is born of the brain and heart of another; he has put

himself into its pages. The mark of a really great book is born of the brain and heart of

its author; he has put himself into its page. The mark of a really great book is that it

has something original to say and it says that in a fresh manner. In the famous words

of Milton. A good book in the precious life-blood of a master spirit, embalmed and

treasured upon purpose to a life beyond life. In this context, it is wise to remember the

distinction, emphasized by Carlyle, between genuine voices and mere echoes-between

literature which drawa its life directly from personality and experience and that which

deaws its life at second hand from contact with the personality and experience of

others. Further, there is the great principle, enunciated by Plato-the foundation of all

good and lasting literature is entire sincerity. The value of literature is in the measure

of its authenticity.

Literature deals with life, it way at first sight seem impossible to enumerate

the subjects with which literature deals. But still, for practical purposes, we may

arrange them into five large groups (1) the personal ex-periences of the individual as

individual-his outer and inner life (2) the experiences of man as man-those common

questions of life and death, sin and retribution fate and free-will, the hope of mankind

here and herself. (3) the relations of the individual with his fellow beings – the entire

social world, with its activites and problems. (4) the external world to nature and

mans relations with it (5) mans own efforts to express himself under various forms of

literature and art.