68 ANALYSIS AND CRITICISM 



that Taine finds his ultimate criteria for criticism. Again, the key 

 to his judgments Hes in a fusion of the particular and the general: 

 representation of 'sentiments' gives a work the life of art; repre- 

 sentation of 'important' or universal sentiments increases its 

 stature. 'It is then chiefly by the study of literatures that one may 

 construct a moral history, and advance toward the knowledge of 

 psychological laws, from which events spring. '"^"7 



^Macauhy and ^Carlyle' 



The 'Introduction', summarizing so well the method and 

 spirit of Taine's masterpiece and thus standing as the high-water 

 mark of his philosophy of criticism, was the crystallization of ideas 

 which were ever-present in his writings. "^^ For example, one of the 

 first essays written for the History was the one on Macaulay, first 

 published in April, 1856, and reprinted with the heading: 

 'Criticism and History'. 



At this early date, we find Taine writing a clear description of 

 what we have been calling the process of 'true abstraction': 'If 

 he rises to general considerations he mounts step by step through 

 all the grades of generalization, without omitting one; he feels his 

 way every instant; he neither adds nor subtracts from facts; he 

 desires at the cost of every precaution and research to arrive at the 

 precise truth. He knows an infinity of details of every kind; he 

 owns a great number of philosophic ideas of every species: but his 

 erudition is as well tempered as his philosophy. . . .^^^ A passage 

 on Addison is described as a 'double series of inductions', ^o and an 

 analysis of Macaulay's 'oratorical genius' places due emphasis on 

 Mecisive specimens' in proof, ^i Thus, Macaulay is presented as 

 an Englishman who combined his native sense of fact with a 

 French 'spirit of harmony'. ^ 2 His virtues of universality, unity, 

 development, and interest are all in the French vein, but they do 

 not negate his sense of detail and complexity: 'It is not enough to 

 see some causes; we must see a great many of them. Every event 

 has a multitude. Is it enough for me, if I wish to understand the 

 action of Marlborough or of James, to be reminded of a disposi- 

 tion or a quality which explains it? No; for, since it has for a cause 

 a whole situation and a whole character, I must see at one glance 

 and in abstract the whole character and situation which produced 

 it. Genius concentrates. It is measured by the number of recollections and 

 ideas which it assembles in one point. That which Macaulay has 

 assembled is enormous.' ^3 



