[972]. Not that he is wholly wrong in regard to either: while he does allow some of the almost unbelievable absurdities of Brooke’s eccentric, though far from “unimportant,” purpose-novel. But it is evident—and, indeed, confessed—that he is thinking of the ethical tone and spirit first, midmost, and almost last also.
[973]. Not, again, that the Short Studies especially can be neglected, even from our point of view.
[974]. I have purposely taken all these examples from the Selections, where they will be easily found.
[975]. The Essays comprising this, with their sequel and complement The Inner Life of Art, appeared in the Fortnightly Review (which Lewes edited) at its beginning in 1865, and have been usefully reprinted by Mr T. S. Knowlson (London, n. d.) I may observe that the cheap and useful collection (the “Scott Library”) in which this reprint appears provides a large amount of other valuable critical matter.
[976]. Chap. iii. p. 47 sq., ed. cit.
[977]. Ibid., p. 113.
[978]. Excepting (largely) the exceptions already made, and also the huge mass of his unreprinted contributions to newspapers. The Leader, under his editorship, was a pioneer of improvement in reviewing.
[979]. The posthumous Literary Studies, and Mr Hutton’s essay (v. ed. cit. on next paragraph), are the places for studying him. The study may result, without protest from me, in a high opinion of his criticism.
[980]. 2 vols., London, 1894.
[981]. I fully expect to be told by some critic that there is no such book, just as I once was told that Browning wrote no such poem as James Lee.