MATTHEW ARNOLD. 351 



in the later collection and reprint of his Poems a large part of the con- 

 tents of this volume is omitted. But a discerning critic might have 

 recognized in it the qualities of a new, strong, individual genius. The 

 hand had not yet attained full mastery over the instrument, but its 

 touch was one of exceptional sensibility and refinement. The sentiment 

 of the Poems was instinct with the modern spirit, but their form was 

 largely shaped on the models of classic tradition. Arnold's poetry was 

 the poetry of a scholar, but of a scholar in closest sympathy with the 

 sentiment and emotions of his own generation. 



In 1851, resigning his private secretaryship, he was married, and ap- 

 pointed to the post of Lay Inspector of Schools, a position which he held 

 for most of his remaining life. It was a post of drudgery, scantily paid, 

 of often wearisome routine, and of apparently narrow limits of useful- 

 ness. His professional work was little noted by the public, but he car- 

 ried into it a spirit of such energy and wisdom that, subordinate as his 

 position was, he became one of the most strenuous and powerful re- 

 formers of the system of school education in England, and one of the 

 chief agents in bringing about the salutary and far-reaching changes 

 which have been carried into practice during the last twenty years. In 

 the series of Annual Reports published by the Committee of Council on 

 Education a great part of the work of his life is to be found recorded. 

 His contributions to these Reports have more than a transient interest : 

 they belong to literature ; they are, to use a phrase of his own, " satu- 

 rated with thought." 



In 1859, and again in 1865, he was sent to the Continent to study 

 and report upon the system and condition of public education in France, 

 Germany, and Holland; and in 1867 he published an important volume 

 containing the result of his observations and investigations. But, not- 

 withstanding the constancy of his official occupation, he found time for 

 his chosen pursuits, and for the cultivation both of poetry and of learn- 

 ing. He published, in 1853, " Empedocles on Etna, and other Poems " ; 

 and in 1854, a volume made u£> partly of new poems, partly of a selec- 

 tion of those of his poems previously printed which he cared to pre- 

 serve. He was not a popular poet, but the impression made by his 

 poetry upon select readers was deeper than that made by any contem- 

 porary verse. In 1857, he was chosen to the Professorship of Poetry 

 at Oxford, and from this chair he delivered his Lectures " On Translat- 

 ing Homer," and " On the Study of Celtic Literature," which gave him 

 the undisputed position of a master in criticism. The Preface to his 

 tragedy of " Merope," in 1858, set forth ably his view of the true 

 principles of criticism, which was illustrated by the volume, published a 



