"Criticism" - читать интересную книгу автора (Poe Edgar Allan)

might be replaced on account of his intimate acquaintance with the
subject; in short, we have more instances of false criticism than of
just where one's own writings are the test, simply because we have
more bad poets than good. There are, of course, many objections to
what I say: Milton is a great example of the contrary, but his opinion
with respect to the Paradise Regained is by no means fairly
ascertained. By what trivial circumstances men are often led to assert
what they do not really believe! Perhaps an inadvertent world has
descended to posterity. But, in fact, the Paradise Regained is little,
if at all inferior to the Paradise Lost and is only supposed so to
be because men do not like epics, whatever they may say to the
contrary, and reading those of Milton in their natural order, are
too much wearied with the first to derive any pleasure from the
second.
I dare say Milton preferred Comos to either- if so- justly....
As I am speaking of poetry, it will not be amiss to touch slightly
upon the most singular heresy in its modern history- the heresy of
what is called, very foolishly, the Lake School. Some years ago I
might have been induced, by an occasion like the present, to attempt a
formal refutation of their doctrine; at present it would be a work
of supererogation. The wise must bow to the wisdom of such men as
Coleridge and Southey, but being wise, have laughed at poetical
theories so prosaically exemplified.
Aristotle, with singular assurance, has declared poetry the most
philosophical of all writings- but it required a Wordsworth to
pronounce it the most metaphysical. He seems to think that the end
of poetry is, or should be, instruction; yet it is a truism that the
end of our existence is happiness; if so, the end of every separate
part of our existence, everything connected with our existence, should
be happiness. Therefore the end of instruction should be happiness;
and happiness is another name for pleasure,- therefore the end of
instruction should be pleasure; yet we see the above-mentioned opinion
implies precisely the reverse.
To proceed: ceteris paribus, he who pleases is of more importance to
his fellow-men than he who instructs, since utility is happiness,
and pleasure is the end already obtained while instruction is merely
the means of obtaining.
I see no reason, then, why our metaphysical poets should plume
themselves so much on the utility of their works, unless indeed they
refer to instruction with eternity in view; in which case, sincere
respect for their piety would not allow me to express my contempt
for their judgement; contempt which it would be difficult to
conceal, since their writings are professedly to be understood by
the few, and it is the many who stand in need of salvation. In such
case I should no doubt be tempted to think of the devil in
"Melmoth," who labours indefatigably, through three octavo volumes, to
accomplish the destruction of one or two souls, while any common devil
would have demolished one or two thousand.

Against the subtleties which would make poetry a study- not a