THE FIELD OF CRITICISM 



unjust strictures of any or all these various 

 critics. It is not so easy to prove, however, 

 that any o£ them have had their powers 

 permanently impaired by such misunder- 

 standings; and it is all but self-evident that 

 without this ordeal of criticism the art of 

 acting would never rise above the lower 

 levels of mediocrity. 



In like manner, the arts of painting, 

 sculpture and music enjoy the stimulus 

 and direction of a well-organized criticism. 

 What would be the value of the annual 

 picture salon without criticism? And the 

 great music festivals are partly for present 

 enjoyment, but partly, too, for the sake 

 of future improvement. 



On every hand, in every art (except only 

 landscape architecture), criticism is wel- 

 comed, and the critic is recognized as filling 

 a position of legitimate service. Not 

 every critic is himself an artist. Probably 

 the best dramatic critics are not actors, nor 

 the best critics of pictures painters, but the 

 field offers attractive employment for high 

 talents. 



We all allow that landscape gardening 

 is the youngest of the arts, but its ex- 

 ceeding immaturity is in nothing else so 



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