BOOKS
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reminiscent of the subdued, humane, and liberal passions of the eight–
eenth century. After reading Mr. Kazin's excellent introduction to
Blake, one feels like re-reading Blake, not other critical opinions about
Blake. And it comes as a surprise to find a critic who invariably sub–
ordinates his own work to the work before him, who is willing to be
informative without being dogmatic, and who is anxious to arouse a
personal response on behalf of literature without extracting from it a
way of salvation. It comes as a surprise to find a critic who still speaks
in personal terms of "I feel," and "I hear," and "I see," treating the
reader as an equal, as it were, inviting participation, agreement, and
dissent instead of posing, ponderously and pretentiously, as the master
of those who know. In short, it is pleasant to read a critic who is so
modest and human.
All this, as I was saying, is very
sympathique,
so much so, in fact,
that I began to wonder why I was
only
pleased, and did not feel more.
Reading 28 pieces in succession is, of course, swallowing a big dose of
criticism. There are weak links in this long chain; but it isn't, I think,
a matter of being dissatisfied (say) with Mr. Kazin's treatment of
Proust's ietters, the poetry of Cummings, or the world of Kafka, which
is responsible for a lack of whole-hearted enthusiasm. It is some over–
all quality of this type of criticism, characteristic even of the pieces
which deserve nothing but praise. A good critic is an angry man; or
must, at least, be capable of anger. Mr. Kazin, I think, is not angry
enough. Since he understands so well and widely, he forgives too easily.
A point of view which is so urbane, so intelligently responsive to the
subtleties and complexities of the human heart-this very quality which
is personally so attractive also sets limits to criticism. The multiple
strands so sensitively and gently woven into the critical fabric blend
Paintings
April 16- May 5
SHAW
Passedoit Gallery
121 E.
57 St.
Adaline Kent
sculpture
Jeanne Miles
Dusti
Bonge
Ellsworth Kelly
paintings
Betty Parsons Gallery
15 East 57 Street, N. Y.
