[52] Three short sections discussing the use of the terms "Objective"
and "Subjective" have been omitted from the beginning of this chapter.
[53] Holmes (Oliver Wendell), quoted by Miss Mitford in her
_Recollections of a Literary Life_. [Ruskin.] From _Astraea, a Poem
delivered before the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Yale College_. The
passage in which these lines are found was later published as
_Spring_.
[54] Kingsley's _Alton Locke_, chap. 26.
[55] I admit two orders of poets, but no third; and by these two
orders I mean the creative (Shakspere, Homer, Dante), and
Reflective or Perceptive (Wordsworth, Keats, Tennyson). But both of
these must be _first_-rate in their range, though their range is
different; and with poetry second-rate in _quality_ no one ought to
be allowed to trouble mankind. There is quite enough of the
best,--much more than we can ever read or enjoy in the length of a
life; and it is a literal wrong or sin in any person to encumber us
with inferior work. I have no patience with apologies made by young
pseudo-poets, "that they believe there is _some_ good in what they
have written: that they hope to do better in time," etc. _Some_
good! If there is not _all_ good, there is no good. If they ever
hope to do better, why do they trouble us now? Let them rather
courageously burn all they have done, and wait for the better days.
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