CRITIQUE OF AESTHETIC JUDGMENT 183 



communication, its universals may be sought in those relations which 

 give meaning to the experiences of both artist and critic, namely in 

 those contexts which are more specifically cultural (i.e. language, 

 tradition, symbol, myth, and so forth). The focus will be in the 

 semantic problem. 20 



Obviously, Taine's analyses tend to stress the first two of these 

 sets of relations (though the third may be theoretically covered by 

 what he refers to as 'external relations'); and, if we ignore the 

 tendency of some 'new critics' to set the poem up as a metaphysical 

 'thing in itself, their work may be seen as governed by a stress on 

 the third set of relations listed. That all three elements are pro- 

 bably necessary for a fully adequate conception of the complexities 

 of aesthetic experience should serve as a chastening thought for 

 extremists in both camps. 21 



And they said ' The man in the street is so naive, he never 



Can see the wood for the trees ; 

 He thinks he knows he sees a thing but cannot 



Tell you how he knows the thing he thinks he sees.' 

 And Oh how much I liked the Concrete Universal, 



I never thought that I should 

 Be telling them vice-versa 



That they can't see the trees for the wood. . . . 

 Good-bye now, Plato and Hegel, 



The shop is closing down ; 

 They don't want any philosopher-kings in England, 



There ain't no universals in this man's town. 



(Louis MacNiece, from Autumn Journal) 



Concreteness and Universality as Criteria of Judgment 



From our relational analysis of the 'substances' which are the 

 subjects of aesthetic judgment may be derived the hierarchical 

 principles on which that judgment should be based. One element 

 which is common to all the possible sets of relations in aesthetic 

 analysis is the dynamic element o{ experience. In general, therefore, 

 the universal relations which are characteristic of the greatest art 

 will be universal aspects of experience, and Taine recognizes this by 

 referring ultimately to psychology, to the Master Faculty of the 

 artist, and to the 'dominant idea' or 'essential character' made 

 predominant in works of art, which 'manifest an intention', 

 'speak through expression', and 'terminate in an effect'. 



