Chesterton; And Other Essays (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1912. Excerpt: ... IT is sometimes a matter for fine discrimination as to what time a writer should engage the attention of the public with his books. A genius generally settles the question without any reference to the expectation of the needs of the public by letting his butterflies escape as soon as the cocoon can be rendered. The disadvantage of this quick delivery lies in the fact that some subsequent birth may take away the intellectual birthright of the oldest offspring, and the father is kept in a state of perpetual apology for the standing of his children. William De Morgan matures his powers late, and at a period of years which finds most literary men in their graves, produces fiction which at once places him among the leaders of our fiction writers. Ruskin gets his afflatus in his early teens, and thence on to the close of a long life, he keeps the public on a qui vive as to what is going to happen. With an output of more than twenty-five volumes, mostly of original research, the question arises, How much is valuable in the light of our present-day investigation? It is not alone the specialist with his ex cathedra statement who has been pulling the bricks out of this great structure; Ruskin himself has put on an alter ego, and with suicidal intent has turned the sword upon his former self. He is willing that much should die. He finds fault with the Modern Painters, because it is written in a narrow religious spirit, and with too much enthusiasm. He forms a great dislike for the elaborate system which prevailed in his earlier days, and seems to take delight in showing how immature he was. Ruskin seems to change his convictions with each succeeding book, and has been called by more than one able critic absurdly mercurial. We seem to be looking through a kaleidoscope--beholding a most wonderfu...