St Paul and Protestantism - Its place in the development of Matthew Arnold’s thought

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"8T. PAUL AJ.TD PROTESTmTISLI" i t s P la c e in th e Development o f Matthew Arnold^s Thought

Jean A. Sm allhone

ProQuest Number: 10097217

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'ü t.

P a u l and i P r o t e s ta n t is m * ; i t s

P ie c e i n t h e Developm ent

o f M atthew A r n o l d ’s T h o u g h t. Ab s t r a c t .

The i n t e g r i t y is

em phasised,

and i t

re g a r d e d as a w hole, sectio n s.

o f M a t th e w A r n o l d ’s t h o u g h t

i s s u g g e s t e d t h a t h i s w ork s h o u l d

in s te a d of b ein g s e p a ra te d in to u n r e la te d

E v i d e n c e i s g i v e n t o sh e w t h a t A r n o l d

was

c o n s c i o u s o f snja c l e a v a g e i n h i s w o r k ; t h a t a l l h i s was l i t e r a r y

i n to n e and i n t e n t i o n ;

’t h e o l o g i c a l ’ w o r k s ,

not wwkk

and t h a t t h e r e i s a c l o s e

c o n n e c t i o n be tw ee n h i s p o e t r y and h i s p r o s e . the s o -c a lle d

be

The f i r s t

of

S t.P a u l and P ro te s ta n tis m ,

i s g iv en s p e c ia l a t t e n t i o n throughout th e stu d y . The p r o s e w o r k s p r e c e d i n g P ro testan tism

S t.

P a u l and

are considered in c h ro n o lo g ic a l secuence,

l e a d i n g up t o C u l t u r e a n d A n a r c h y , w h i c h i s d i s c u s s e d i n d e ta il,

s h e w i n g how A r n o l d ' s t h e o r i e s

cu ltu re

lead n a tu r a ll y to h is r e lig io u s V arious f a c t o r s

S t.

Pa u l a n d P r o t e s t a n t i s m

t h a t A rnold reg a rd e d t h i s Cu l t u r e

0

o f c r i t i c i s m and ideas.

in th e developm ent

a re exam ined,

and i t

work a s a, c o n t i n u a t i o n

a n d A n a r c h y . The c o n t e m p o r a r y r e c e p t i o n

of

i s found of of

C u l tu r e and Anarchy is

is snalysed,

is

e f f e c t on A r n o l d

in d iceted . It

S t.

end i t s

is

P a u l was l i t e r a r y c ritic ise d

claim ed t h a t A r n o ld 's tr e a tm e n t of

r a t h e r than t h e o lo g ic a l,

from a l i t e r a r y

V icto rian re lig io u s

and h i s m ethod

p o i n t o f v i e w . Some a s p e c t s

th o u g h t a re co n sid ere d in connection w ith

A rn o ld 's approach to th e o lo g y ,

which,

it

is

suggested,

was

alw ays t h a t o f a laym an.

Pr o t e s t a n t i s m is

is

of

F in a lly ,

the r e c e p tio n o f S t.

stu d ied ,

and th e e f f e c t o f t h i s

c o n s i d e r e d i n r e l a t i o n t o some o f h i s

Paul

and

on A r n o l d

l a t e r prose.

" 8 T . PAUL AI-TD PROTESTAIfDISM" : i t s P l a c e In t h e D e v e l o p m e n t o f M atthew A r n o l d T h o u g h t P reface The f o l l o w i n g s t u d y A rn o ld 's

is

an a t t e m p t t o e v a l u a t e M a t t h e w

S t . P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m a s a l i t e r a r y w o r k a n d an

i n t e g r a l p a r t o f h i s w hole ach iev e m e n t in l e t t e r s . on t h i s

My w o r k

s u b j e c t h a s c o n v i n c e d me t h a t S t . P a u l a n d P r o t e s t a n t i s m

can b e u n d e r s to o d o n ly i f lite ra ry

c ritic ism

tre a tise ;

it

is

r e g a r d e d a s an e s s a y in t h e

o f t h e Hew T e s t a m e n t r a t h e r t h a n

a nd I h a v e a l s o e m p h a s i s e d i t s

a th eo lo g ical

clo se co n nection w ith

C u l t u r e and J i n a r c h y , w h i c h g r o w s c l e a r e r when b o t h w o r k s . a r e stu d ied

to g eth er.

As f a r a s t h e o l o g i c a l c o n t r o v e r s y i s a d o p te d ^ A r n o ld 's view t h a t t h e l i t e r a r y from i t .

N ev erth eless,

strictly

im p artial,

w hich i s

th at

sh o u ld keep a lo o f

i s p e r h a p s b e s t t o s t a t e ray own p o s i t i o n ,

a ttitu d e

p rin cip le s

c ritic

as I can h a r d l y hope t o have rem ain ed

o f an o r t h o d o x C h r i s t i a n

M atthew A r n o l d 's fo rm ist.

it

concerned I have

to C h r is tia n

and F r e e C h u r c h m a n . d o c t r i n e and t o Noncon­

i s f a r r e m o v e d f r o m ray own ; b u t ray a p p r e c i a t i o n

of h is

c r i t i c a l m ethod,

a n d my d e l i g h t

th in g s

lite ra ry ,

th esis

could n o t have been a tte m p te d .

in h i s h a n d l i n g o f a l l

have p r o v i d e d t h e sym pathy w i t h o u t w hich t h i s

-

I.

1

-

THE INTEGRITY OF IViATTHEW A R N O L D W O R K (i)

T h e s t u d y o f M a t t h e w A r n o l d h a s l o n g h e en h i n d e r e d h y a too r i g i d

d iv isio n

o f h i s work i n t o p o e t r y ,

and s o c i a l o r r e l i g i o u s lab elled

"th eo lo g ical"

as l i t e r a t u r e

c ritic ism ,

lite ra ry

critic ism ,

h is l a t e r p ro se o fte n h ein g

and d i s m i s s e d w i t h o u t t h a t

co n sid eratio n

w hich A r n o ld would h av e c la im e d f o r i t .

usual c la s s if ic a tio n ,

though c o n v e n ie n t,

is

f a c t t h a t h i s work i s

an i n t e g r a t e d w h o l e .

apt to

The

obscure th e

I t was p e r h a p s e a s i e r f o r A r n o l d ’ s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s t o r e ­ g a rd h i s work as a w hole th a n i t f o l lo w e d them .

I

by W illia m B in n s ,

w a s f o r t h e g e n e r a t i o n who

As an e x a m p l e o f t h i s ,

th ere

is

an a r t i c l e

’M a t t h e w A r n o l d a s a R e l i g i o u s T e a c h e r * , - w h i c h

a p p e a r e d i n t h e T h e o l o g i c a l R eview i n 1 8 7 8 ,

i n i t we f i n d

th is

judgm ent: ’M r. A r n o l d ’ s p o e t r y .................... f u r n i s h e s t h e k e y t o a l l h i s l i t e r a r y - a c t i v i t y , and e s p e c i a l l y t o h i s more r e c e n t a c t i v i t y i n r e l i g i o u s c o n t r o v e r s y * . ^ ^ W ith t h e p a s s i n g o f t h e r e l i g i o u s w h ich were th e

im m ediate o c c a s io n

and p o l i t i c a l

’th e t h e o l o g i c a l

a s an u n f o r t u n a t e d i v e r s i o n o f h i s

T h u s G e o r g e S a in tisb u r y i n a s t u d y o f c r i t i c i s m N in e te e n th C entury, (1)

situ atio n s

o f A r n o l d ’ s l a t e r p r o s e work,

m o st o f t h i s work b e g a n t o be d i s m i s s e d as p r o s e ’ , and r e g r e t t e d

can d i s p o s e o f t h i s

T h e o l o g i c a l R eview

/

J a n . 1 8 7 8 . p . 96

energy.

during th e l a t e r

C in d erella phase

-

2

-

in th e s e w ords; ^ F o r t u n a t e l y t h e s c e n e s and s u b j e c t s o f M r. A r n o l d ' s c a t a s t r o p h e s or b l u n d e r s - th e o lo g y , p o l i t i c s , what may b e c a l l e d t h e g e n e r a l l i g h t e r m o r a l s o f t h e n a t i o n - do n o t h e r e a t a l l c o n c e r n u s ' . ( l ) S a in ts b u ry handles th e s e d ista ste

'th e o lo g ic a l*

in h i s f u l l - l e n g t h

c h a p te r "In th e W ild ern ess", o f t h e O xford p r o f e s s o r s h i p

b o o k s w i t h t h e sam e

stu d y of A rnold. he says t h a t ,

H eading t h e

a f t e r the

clo se

in 1 8 67,

" S o c i a l , p o l i t i c a l , a n d r e l i g i o u s m a t t e r s t e m p t e d h im a w ay f r o m l i t e r a t u r e ; and f o r a m a t t e r o f t e n y e a r s i t c a n h a r d l y b e s a i d t h a t h e h a d a n y t h i n g t o do w i t h h e r e x c e p t t o t a k e h e r name i n v a i n i n t h e t i t l e o f b y f a r h i s w o r s t , a s i t was b y f a r h i s m ost p o p u l a r , v o lu m e '.(2 ) W hat S a i n t s b u r y c a l l s

'th is

u n fo rtun ate b o o k s ' b e g a n w h i c h , h e s a y s was 'a r a t h e r g e n tle

u n fo rtu n ate w ith th e

and i n s i n u a t i n g

h i s work d e v e lo p n a t u r a l l y ;

o n e '* ^ ^ ^

though

T his c r i t i c

own i n t e r e s t s

having d e a lt

h e seems t o s i g h w i t h r e l i e f :

'th e s e

c l o s i n g Oxford l e c t u r e ,

't h e F i r s t B l a s t o f t h e T ru m p e t',

n o t f o r g i v e A rnold f o r f o l lo w in g h i s

books,

t w i s t a n d

can­

and l e t t i n g

w ith th e o ffe n d in g

'M o st f o r t u n a t e l y ' ,

he

says ' A r n o l d w as a l l o w e d a n o t h e r t e n y e a r s a n d m o r e w h e r e i n t o e s c a p e f r o m t h e w i l d e r n e s s w h i c h y i e l d e d t h e s e Dead Sea f r u i t s , and t o t i l l h i s p r o p e r g a rd e n once m o r e ' . (6)

( 1 ) G e o r g e S a i n t s b u r y , " The L a t e r N i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y " ( 1 9 0 7 ) p . 159. S a i n t s b u r y g o e s on t o s p e a k o f A r n o l d * s ' p r o p e r a c t i v i t y ' , b y w h i c h h e m eans t h e p u r e l y l i t e r a r y c r i t i c i s m (P. 159) G e o rg e S a i n t s b u r y M a tth e w A r n o l d (1 8 9 9 ) p . 126 I b i d , p . 126 I b i d , p . 142 (5) I b i d , p . 127 (6) I b i d , p . 142

’

3

-

The l a s t

decade has h a p p il y changed t h i s

" b r o u g h t a new a p p r e c i a t i o n w h i c h we a r e

-

indebted to

Mr. L i o n e l T r i l l i n g ,

a ttitu d e

and

o f A r n o l d ’ s work a s a w h o le , f o r

c ritic s

l i k e M, L o u i s B o n n e r o t ,

a n d P r o f e s s o r E . K. B r o w n .

c ritic ,

P r o f e s s o r H. P . L o w r y ,

ed itio n

o f A r n o ld ’s l e t t e r s

A nother

in th e I n t r o d u c t i o n

to C lough, p r o v id e s

to h is

an i n s t a n c e

o f t h e m o re r e c e n t v i e w . ’ Of a l l t h e s o l e m n i s n o n e more d u l l g r e a t e r in p o e tr y h i s e f f o r t s in th e

d i s c u s s i o n s I know’ , h e w r i t e s , ’ t h e r e th a n th e d e b a te w h eth er A rhold i s th a n in p r o s e . The r e a l t r u t h i s t h a t tw o f i e l d s a r e i n s e p a r a b l e ’ . (^)

Y e t e v e n P r o f e s s o r L o w ry a p p e a r s p u rely lite r a r y glances the

at th e

c ritic ism

ch ie fly

t o make t h i s

claim w ith th e

in m ind, f o r he m e r e ly

’p r o s a i c n o o n - d a y s o f h i s p a m p h l e t e e r i n g ’ , a t

’B u r i a l s B i l l

and t h e D i s s e n t i n g f u n e r a l s * .

In view of t h i s n e g l e c t ,

th ere

g r e a t e r e m p h a s i s on t h e s o - c a l l e d c u la rly the f i r s t

of

them,

s e e m s t o b e ro om f o r

’t h e o l o g i c a l ’ w orks, p a r t i ­

S t . P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m .

a t t e m p t w i l l b e made t o sh ow t h a t t h i s and m i s u n d e r s t o o d a u t h o r ’

’c ritic ism

An

of a great

i s c l o s e l y conn ected w ith

A r n o l d ’ s c e n t r a l w o r k a n d was r e g a r d e d b y him a s an e x t e n s i o n o f C u l t u r e and A n a r c h y .

(1)

(Z) ^

The L e t t e r s o f M a t t h e w A r n o l d t o A. H. C l o u g h H . P . L o w r y ( 1 9 3 2 ) p . 36 2 ) S t . P a u l p . 75 3) V . b e l o v f , p p . 5 ' J 2 ^ 3 .

E d ited

^

It

—

i s , p e r h a p s , p e r t i n e n t t o c o n s i d e r how f a r ,

if

at a l l , '

A r n o l d was c o n s c i o u s o f a c l e a v a g e i n h i s w o r k . An a t t e m p t w i l l t h e r e f o r e h e made t o sh e w t h a t h i s t o e v e r y m a t t e r was p r e d o m i n a n t l y l i t e r a r y , jects

of h is l a t e r p ro se are

The d e v e l o p m e n t o f h i s

in h eren t

in te rest

in h i s

in r e l i g i o u s

approach

and t h a t t h e

sub­

e a r lie s t w ritin g s.

*

tho ugh t w i l l be

t a k e n a s an e x a m p l e . We know t h a t A r n o l d f e l t pow er.

One p r o o f o f t h i s

1858 t o h i s fiv e,

sister,

or foresaw a f a i l i n g

of h is p o e tic

i s to be found in a l e t t e r w r i t t e n

Mrs. W i l l ia m F o r s t e r .

A rnold i s c o n ce rn e d a b o u t h i s

in

At t h e a g e o f t h i r t y -

slen d er p o e tic

o u tp u t,

and

g ives a quick su c c e ssio n of reasons f o r the s le n d e rn e ss: ’ I f t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c a b o u t ray p o w e r s w e r e t h e sa m e a s t h a t o f t h e l e a d i n g l i t e r a r y m e n ’ , h e w r i t e s , ’ ...........’ s h o u l d g a i n t h e s t i m u l u s n e c e s s a r y t o e n a b l e me t o p r o d u c e my b e s t ’ . ( l ) Then he t h i n k s him t o

o f h i s harripered e x i s t e n c e ;

i t was n o t e a s y f o r

combine h i s b e s t p o e t i c a l work w i t h t h e r o u t i n e o f s c h o o l

in sp e ctin g , in t h i s irksom e. req u ires

and s e v e r a l

decade,

com plaints

in h i s l e t t e r s ,

p articu larly

s u g g e s t t h a t he som etim es fo un d h i s p r o f e s s i o n

To a p p r o a c h p e r f e c t i o n ,

he c o n tin u es

in t h i s

a ’t e a r i n g o f o n e s e l f t o p iec es* ’ , and t h i s

needs a l i f e

devoted t o p o e t r y .

(1) L e t t e r s ,

e d ite d J.W .E .R u ssell,

I,

p . 83

letter,

in tu rn

5

—

—

* I t i s n o t s o l i g h t a m a t t e r ' , h e a d d s , 'w h e n y o u h a v e o t h e r g r a v e c l a i m s on y o u r p o w e r s , t o s u b m i t v o l u n t a r i l y t o th e e x h a u s tio n of th e b e s t p o e t i c a l p r o d u c tio n in a tim e l i k e t h i s ' . ( l / H is p o e t i c a l power f i n d s ,

in d eed ,

o ne r e m e m b e r s h i s e s t i m a t e s B a c c h a n a l i a whomt

stim u lu s

in h i s age;

o f G ray, o r o f th e p o e t in h i s

' t h e new a g e '

Three y e a rs l a t e r ,

little

own

fa ils to d :ir.

A rnold w r i t e s

to h i s m other,

' Im m u s t f i n i s h o f f f o r t h e p r e s e n t my c r i t i c a l w r i t i n g s b e tw e e n t h i s and f o r t y , and g i v e t h e n e x t t e n y e a r s e a r n e s t l y t o p o e t r y ' . (&) He a d d s ,

'I t

i s my l a s t

c h a n c e ',

'/d r ^ u p

and / b e c o m ^ p r o s a i c

e i g h t e e n m onths, he w r i t e s mean t o l i e and a g a i n , h in ts

fallo w again,

and h e ' f e a r s

a lto g e th e r'.

to h i s m other,

A gain,

after

an o th er

' A f t e r t h e summer I

or to busy m yself w ith p o e tr y a l o n e ; '

' I h o p e t o do some p o e t r y a n d t o

in t h e l e t t e r s

l e s t he should

^

r i p e n T h e s e

a r e t h e m o re v a l u a b l e , b e c a u s e A r n o l d

i n t e n d e d them t o b e r e a d o n l y b y h i s f a m i l y and i n t i m a t e f r i e n d s . T here a re s c a t t e r e d s t r i k in g b ein g the away'

in h i s p o e t r y a ls o ,

sta n z a b eg in n in g

w hich he p l a c e d

v e rs e ; b u t cad tio n be tr e a te d

in d icatio n s

as a s ta te m e n t in p r o s e .

|1 ) L e t t e r s , I . p ,2) A u g . 1 5 , 1 8 6 1 . 3) F e b . 4 , 1 8 6 3 . |4) N o v .1 9 , 1 8 6 3 , 5 ) P o e m s , p . 3 93

'T h o u g h t h e Muse b e g o n e

in t h e f r o n t

is needed h e re ,

. 84 I b i d I . p . 165 I b i d I . p . 212 I b i d I . p . 241

t h e most

o f h i s 1867 volum e o f

l e s t th e language of p o e tr y

6

—

In s p i t e

—

o f t h e s e a p p a r e n t m i s g i v i n g s , A rn o ld would s u r e l y

h a v e h e en amazed a t t h e s u g g e s t i o n t h a t he was p o etry fo r prose,

or lite ra tu re

for p o litic s

and t h e o l o g y .

a l w a y s t h o u g h t o f h i m s e l f a s a man o f l e t t e r s , p ro v id es the w rites

clue t o th e

’a s u f f u ta tio n

’ S t i c k t o l i t e r a t u r e ■§ i t

g rea t com forter a f t e r a l l ’ ,(^ )

e v id e n t th a t he d id

’ t h e t h e o l o g i c a l m in d ’ w h ic h he

a n d b e i n g h im i n s h o r t A g a i n

to C lough in 1853,

t h e s p h e r e and f u n c t i o n

He

e x i s t i n g i n a man f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g ,

c o l o u r i n g h i s w hole b e i n g , he w r i t e s

He

and t h i s f a c t

u n if y in g elem ent in h is w ork.

s c o r n f u l l y t o Clough o f

r e g a r d s as

’abandoning’

and,

once h i s

of l i t e r a t u r e

the

in te rp retatio n

is understood,

’s t i c k t o l i t e r a t u r e *

is

a ll h is

it

of

is

life .

’W h o e v e r s e r i o u s l y o c c u p i e s h i m s e l f w i t h l i t e r a t u r e w i l l / „ s s o o n p e r c e i v e i t s v i t a l c o n n e c t i o n w i t h o t h e r a g e n c i e s ’^ / These w ords,

w ritte n

in 1879, p r o v i d e

to C lough n e a r l y t h i r t y y e a r s e a r l i e r . lite ra tu re

still,

but

’l i t e r a t u r e

i s n o t t h e w h o l e ’ , and t h e r e from h a v in g i t s

fu lle st

o f man i n s o c i e t y ’ w ith o th e r v i t a l A r h o ld would have

(l)

is

He i s a s e r v a n t o f

is a p a rt of c iv iliz a tio n ;

C iv iliza tio n ,

th e g o al,

ju stifie d

advice

it

o b stacles p rev en tin g l it e r a t u r e

effect.

in flu en ces.

a comment on h i s

It

and l i t e r a t u r e

’t h e h u m a n i s a tio n stands or f a l l s

is alo n g th e s e l in e s

th at

w h a t some h a v e r e g a r d e d a s u n w a r r a n t e d

L e t t e r s t o C lo u g h , p . 115. I b i d , p . 1 35 M i x e d E s s a y s , p p . v - v i . The w h o l e o f t h i s P r e f a c e i s i m p o r t a n t f o r A rn o ld ’s id ea of l i t e r a t u r e (4) I b i d , p . v i

-

?

-

excursions

in to o th er f ie ld s ;

of l e tte r s

fig h tin g

if

in t h e

he e n te r e d t h e s e f i e l d s

cause of l i t e r a t u r e ,

a s a man

a n d s o h i s work.,

o n e may a p p l y t o t h e w h o l e t h e w o r d s w h i c h h e u s e s o f a p a r t ,

'to u c h e s a v a r i e t y of s u b j e c t s ,

and y e t . . . h a s

a u n ity of

tendency'.(^) Support f o r

t h i s v iew o c c u r s t h r o u g h o u t A r n o l d 's work.

T here i s

th e l e t t e r t o h i s m o th er in w hich he d i s c u s s e s h i s

reactio n

to h o s t i le

sh o rt-liv e d ,

and h i s

r e v i e w s ; t h e a n n o y a n c e t h e y c a u s e him i s sp irits

soon r e c o v e r ; h u t

H o h e a h l e t o f e e l t h u s , one must n o t h a v e com m itted o n e s e l f on s u b j e c t s f o r w h i c h o n e h a s n o v o c a t i o n , h u t m u s t h e on g r o u n d w h e r e one f e e l s a t home and se cu re '.( 2 ) He r e g a r d e d a l l h i s lite ra tu re ;

c o n tro v e rs y as ly in g v /ithin th e f i e l d

he w r i t e s

in a n o th e r l e t t e r

of

t h a t when h e h a s

fin ish ed 'An a r t i c l e on M i d d l e - C l a s s E d u c a t i o n a n d one on A cad e m ic s' he in te n d s ' t o d e v o te ( h i m s e l f ) r e a l l y t o w h a t i s -■ p o s i t i v e and h a.-o p v,no t n e g a t i v e a n d E o n te n tio u s , in l i t e r a t u r e ' . H is w o rk , he t h i n k s ,

may h a v e h e e n n e g a t i v e when i t

sh o u ld have

h e e n p o s i t i v e ; h u t h e was c o n s c i o u s l y d e a l i n g w i t h l i t e r a t u r e . L i t e r a t u r e h e lp s tow ards th e th o u g h t,

(1) (2) ( 3) (4)

o r w ith o n e 's

'tre a tm e n t

im ag in atio n ,

Ib id L e t t e r s —Î . p.vTM: J u l y 30, 1 8 6 1 .L ë t t ë b s p .l 6 1 Feb.' 19, 1862. P h l d . I . p p . 1 8 5 - 4 I b i d I . p . 249

of p o l i t i c s

w ith o n e 's

or w ith o n e 's s o u l '.^ ^ ^

8

—

—

An e v e n c l e a r e r s t a t e m e n t a p p e a r s i n a l e t t e r t o M .S . G r a n t D uff,

in which A rn o ld a d m its t o

or relig io u s,

*a t e m p t a t i o n

or s o c ia l m a tte rs,

s e n s e r e c l a i m s him , f o r

d irectly * ;

to t r e a t p o l i t i c a l , hut h is

lite ra ry

*a f t e r y i e l d i n g

*t o s u c h a t e m p t a t i o n I a l w a y s f e e l m y s e l f r e c o i l i n g a g a i n , and d i s p o s e d t o t o u c h t h e m o n l y s o f a r a s t h e y can h e t o u c h e d t h r o u g h p o e t r y * . ( 1 ) The f u l l e s t p u b l i c s t a t e m e n t o f h i s the c lo s in g p arag rap h of h is on t h e J e w i s h G h u r c h ^ ^ )

u n l i k e Dean S t a n l e y ,

any th ing

in i t s p l a c e ,

re v ie w o f A .P.

is pro h ah ly

S t a n l e y ’s L e c t u r e s

A fte r cen su rin g the l i b e r a l th eo lo g ian s

l i k e B i s h o p G o l e n s o and t h e who,

a ttitu d e

a u t h o r s o f a s s a y s and R e v ie w s ,^

'

s h a t t e r e d men’s f a i t h w i t h o u t g i v i n g

A rnold says

to them,

’And y o u a r e m a s t e r s i n I s r a e l , a n d iaiow n o t t h e s e t h i n g s ; a nd you r e q u i r e a v o i c e f r o m t h e w o r l d o f l i t e r a t u r e t o t e l l them t o y o u ! ’ (4) It

is tr u e ,

h e i d e n t i f i e d h i m s e l f w i t h t h o s e who ’h a v e t o q u i t

t h e i r own s p h e r e ’ t o d i s c u s s t h e s e m a t t e r s , h u t h e d o e s t h i s t h e mere i n t e r e s t c u l t u r e * H e

of l e t t e r s ,

of in te llig e n c e ,

of g en eral

h a d no p o l i t i c a l o r t h e o l o g i c a l a x e t o g r i n d ;

h e s i m p l y w i s h e d t o c l e a r away some o f t h o s e

’ many o b s t a c l e s

p r e v e n t i n g w hat i s s a l u t a r y in l i t e r a t u r e from g a i n i n g due

,1 ) 2 4 May, 1 8 6 4 . I b i d I . p p . 2 7 0 - 1 .2} M a c m i l l a n ’ s M a g a z i n e . F e b . 1 3 6 3 3 ) V. b e l o w , p p . (^ ) g s s a y s by M atthew A rn o ld (O x fo rd , (5 ) I b i d , p . 444

19251 p .

444

’ in

•— 9 —

adm ission,

and fro m p r o d u c i n g due e f f e c t .

The i n t e g r i t y o f A r n o l d ' s w ork and t h o u g h t i s hy h i s e a r l y i n t e r e s t la te r years• C lough,

in the m atters

a l s o shewn

t h a t were t o engage h i s

^ P r o f e s s o r Lowry s a y s o f t h e e a r l y l e t t e r s

to

th a t they

' s h o w g l i m p s e s o f h i s f i r s t t h i n k i n g upon p o l i t i c s , s o c i e t y and r e l i g i o n ; t h e y c o n t a i n p r a c t i c a l l y t h e f i r s t s t a t e m e n t o f a lm o st e v e r y im p o r ta n t view he took of l i f e . '( 2 ) In t h e s e l e t t e r s , A rnold d i s p l a y s

alo n g sid e h is freq u e n t d isc u ssio n

a liv e ly

th e I r i s h

questio n ,

relig io n .

He i s

i n t e r e s t in th e m iddle c l a s s e s ,

the p o l i t i c s

of Prance,

a l r e a d y on t h e f o o t h i l l s

clirahed tw e n ty o r t h i r t y y e a r s l a t e r . t h a n k Cod i f

of p o etry ,

th e y w o u ld ' he w r i t e s

A m erica,

a n d many a s p e c t s o f o f m ountains t o he

'T hey c a n n o t h e A m erican s

o f t h e F re n c h in 1848,^^^

and

i n 1 8 5 2 t h e A m e r i c a n s se e m t o h i m ' a n a t i o n n o t h a v i n g on a w edding g a r m e n t . H i s

co m m en ts on r e l i g i o u s

eq u ally p ro p h e tic of h is l a t e r a tt i tu d e , in h is th o u g h ts ,

the B ih le is

'R ead t h e B i h l e - I s a i a h ,

consult th e B i h l e , h e

to p ics

Joh,

are co n stan tly

e t c .............

Again

a d v i s e d C l o u g h i n c o m m e n t i n g on h i s

f r i e n d ' s H om eric t r a n s l a t i o n ;

h i s m in d i s

alread y r e lig io u s ,

y e t im p atien t of th e lo g ic-ch o p p in g th e o lo g ia n .

(1)

Mixed E s s a y s p . v i

f o r d i s c u s s i o n of h i s m otive in w r i t i n g S t . P . V, p p S’/ - / / h e l o w . p . 48

2) L e t t e r s t o Clough ‘3 ) I h i d , p . 70 4} I h i d , p . 1 26 c f . OA n . 3 7 5) I h i d , p . 103

- l o ­

i n 1 8 5 2 h e t o u c h e s on t h e c l o s e c o n n e c t i o n "between r e l i g i o n

and

p o etry : 'M o d e r n p o e t r y can o n l y s u b s i s t ' , h e w r i t e s , ' .............."by i n c l u d i n g .............. r e l i g i o n w i t h p o e t r y , i n s t e a d o f e x i s t i n g as p o e t r y o n l y , and l e a v i n g r e l i g i o u s w a n ts t o b e s u p p l i e d by t h e C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n , as a power e x i s t i n g in d e p e n d e n t of the p o l i t i c a l p o w e r '.( l) F in a lly ,

h is

passage,

life lo n g a ttitu d e

to

relig io n

so c l o s e l y a k in t o L i t e r a t u r e

is expressed in th is and Dogma;

'I f o n e l o v e d w h a t was b e a u t i f u l a n d i n t e r e s t i n g p a s s i o n a t e l y e n o u g h , o n e w o u l d p r o d u c e w h a t was e x c e lle n t w ithout tro u b lin g o n e se lf w ith r e lig io u s dogm as a t a l l . As i t i s , we a r e warm o n l y when d e a l i n g w i t h t h e s e l a s t ................I w o u l d h a v e o t h e r s m o s t o t h e r s - s t i c k t o t h e o l d dogmas b e c a u s e I s i n c e r e l y f e e l t h a t t h i s warmth i s t h e g r e a t b l e s s i n g ......................- and on t h e o l d r e l i g i o u s r o a d t h e y h a v e s t i l l th e b e s t chance of g e t t i n g ( i t ) ' . ( ^ ) E arly in d ic a tio n s the general l e t t e r s . h i s m in d

of h is From

in te rests these also

it

was w o r k i n g on t h e p r o b l e m o f

p articu larly

in B r i t a i n

and A m e r i c a .

Am erican v u l g a r i t y , m o ra l, to b r e a k over u s ' he w r i t e s

w i d e r e a d i n g arid t h i n k i n g ' , fo reig n er

could d i v i n e

how t o

' c l v Ê l i s e ' man,

in te lle ctu al,

and s o c i a l , p r e p a r i n g

to h is m o t h e r . T o

h is

sister

' s h e e r h a b i t u a l want of

a nd a g a i n h e w r i t e s ,

'Y/hat

t h e u n i o n o f i n v i n c i b i l i t y a nd s p e c u l a t i v e

r5^ in E n g la n d ? '^ '

(1) I b i d , p . 124 c f (2) (3) (4) (5)

a p p e a r s t h a t b y 18 48

' I s e e a wave o f m ore t h a n

in t h e same y e a r he d e p r e c a t e s E n g l a n d ' s

d ulness

a r e no l e s s n u m e r o u s i n

'T h e s t r o n g e s t p a r t o f o u r r e l i g i o n t o - d a y i s i t s u n co n scio u s p o e t r y ' - E ssay s in C r i t i c i s m , S e rie s 2. p . 2

I b i d , p . 143 7 M arch, 1848, L e t t e r s , I , p . 5 May, 1 8 4 8 , I b i d , I , p . 1 0 7 May 1 8 4 8 , I b i d . I p . 12

-

These l e t t e r s tov/ards t h a t

11

-

'

also co n tain h in ts

t h a t h e was a l r e a d y t e m p t e d

d i r e c t t r e a t m e n t o f p r a c t i c a l q u e s t i o n s w h i c h was

f a r from h i s p u r p o s e ;

to Mrs. F o r s t e r he w r i t e s :

’ I was m y s e l f t e m p t e d th e o t h e r daÿ, h u t in t o f e e l t h a t in t h a t th e head p e rh a p s , h u t

t o a t t e m p t some p o l i t i c a l w r i t i n g t h e w a t c h e s o f t h e n i g h t I seemed d i r e c t i o n I h a d some e n t h u s i a s m o f no p r o f o u n d s t i r r i n g * . (1) % Many o f t h e s e e d s w h i c h w e r e t o f l o w e r i n t h e E s s a y s i n C riticism

a nd i n C u l t u r e and A n a r c h y c a n h e s e e n g e r m i n a t i n g i n

th ese l e t t e r s ;

in 1849 he i s

on whom h e was l a t e r talk s

reading b io g rap h ies

t o w r i t e - B y r o n and G o e t h e among t h e m ; h e

to H a r r ie t M artineau ahout th e p ro s p e c ts

and h e d i s c u s s e s

o f s e v e r a l men

o f t h e Church;

e d u c a t i o n and t h e v a r i o u s r e l i g i o u s b o d i e s w i t h

w h i c h h i s ne w w o r k a s an i n s p e c t o r o f s c h o o l s b r i n g s h i m i n t o co n tact. A rn o ld w ro te to h i s m o th er in 1869,

*My p oem s r e p r e s e n t ,

t h e w h o l e , t h e m a i n movem en t o f m in d o f t h e l a s t c e n tu ry * ,an d

on

q u arter of a

h i s p o e m s , no l e s s t h a n h i s ” l e t t e r s ,

tou ch a l l

th e s u b j e c t s t h a t have been re g a rd e d as l a t e r d e v ia ti o n s o f h i s energy, larly

th e developm ent of h i s

in te restin g ,

in te rest

in th e o lo g y i s p a r t i c u ­

r e v e a l i n g h i m , n o t a s a p o e t who t r i e d

become a t h e o l o g i a n , b u t as a p o e t i n t e r e s t e d

to

in th e o lo g y from

the b eg in n in g . Any a t t e m p t t o d r a w f r o m t h e p oe m s s t a t e m e n t s t o be s e t b e s i d e t h e argum ents o f th e p r o s e ,

( 1 ) 10 M a r c h , 1 8 4 8 . I b i d , I . p p . 5 - 6 ( 2 ) L e t t e r s I I , p . | 0 . f O W s,

of o p in io n ,

would b e f a l s e

^

—

c ritic ism ;

12

—

a p o e t may e x p r e s s t h o u g h t s o r u s e t h e m e s w i t h o u t

c o m m i tt i n g h i m s e l f t o them as f o r m a l p r o p o s i t i o n s .

The

present

in th e o lo g y

in ten tio n

is ra th e r

to i n d i c a t e th e

in te rest

t o w h i c h much o f h i s p o e t r y h e a r s w i t n e s s . m

t h e 1849 volume o f poem s,

* 8 ta g iriu s '(^ )

d a te d 1844 in

t h e m a n u s c r i p t , p r o v i d e s e v i d e n c e o f an e a r l y i n t e r e s t i n t h e Church F a t h e r s ,

a n d *ln U tru raq u e P a r a t u s * ^ ^ ) r e v e a l s a mind

a l i v e t o c o n t e m p o r a r y i d e a s o f e v o l u t i o n a n d t h e i r h e a r i n g on theology.

* M y c e r i n u s * , a n o t h e r e a r l y poern^^) s h o u l d n o t h e

ta k e n too s e r i o u s l y fin d

in i t s

sp ecu latio n s,

t h o u g h T i n k e r and Lowry

' t h e w h o l e c o n c e p t i o n ................p r o p h e t i c o f " E m p e d o c l e s on

E tna"}^^ But th e

in te rest

o f a mind n e v e r ,

in th e narrow s e n s e ,

poe m i n t h i s

is th e re - the th e o lo g ic a l q u estio n in g

e a r l y volume,

w orthy o f n o t ic e f o r i t s

m erely ' l i t e r a r y ' .

"To an I n d e p e n d e n t P r e a c h e r " , ^

r e f e r e n c e to D issent},

its

One

j

^ is

irritatio n

] I

is

a f o r e ta s te of l a t e r lap ses

on t h i s

I n 1 8 52 " E m p e d o c l e s on E t n a " r e p r e s e n t some a s p e c t s As i n " M y c e r i n u s " , to

the s u b j e c t ;

in i t

l) 2} 3) |4 )

appeared.

'

T h i s poem m u s t

of A rn o ld 's thought f o r a t l e a s t a decade.

the th e o lo g ic a l i n t e r e s t

hu t,

a refle ctio n

su b ject.

in s p i t e

t a k e s a form s u i t e d

of A r n o ld 's w arning,

of h is th e o lo g ic a l ten d e n cies.

one may s e e The Cod o f

Poems p . 75 I h i d , p . 85 Ih id , p . 36 T i n k e r & L owry, I h i d , p . 37 F o e m s , p . 60 6 ; I t was p a r t l y t h e o u t c o m e o f a l o n g c o u r s e o f r e a d i n g f o r a p r o j e c t e d d r a m a on L u c r e t i u s

• |

13

-

t h i s poem i s

im p erso n al,

-

fa llib le ,

and s t r u g g l i n g ?

it

is,

indeed,

more o f a P ow er t h a n a P e r s o n . Suggestions of he

an i n t e r e s t

in r e l i g i o u s

f o u n d t h r o u g h o u t t h e 185 2 v o l u m e .

o u t s t a n d i n g p oem s a r e (

C h artreu se* .^ ex p ressio n , C h ristia n ity .

2) ^

q u estio n s

A fter

are to

* 3 r a p e d o c l e s *, t h e

'P r o g r e s s a n d 'S ta n z a s

from th e g rande

3 v e n when a l l o w a n c e h a s h e e n made f o r p r a c t i c a l

'P ro g re ss *

i l l u s t r a t e s A rn o ld 's a t t i t u d e

D estru ctiv e

criticism

of old b e l i e f s ,

tow ards he s a y s ,

^

;

w i l l do n o g o o d ; man m u s t d e v e l o p e v e r y t h i n g o f v a l u e t h a t o l d e r b e l i e f s have f o s te re d ; 'L eav e th e n t h e G ross

as y e h a v e l e f t

c arv ed gods,

B,ut g u a r d t h e f i r e w i t h i n . ' T i n k e r a n d Low ry t h i n k t h a t t h i s poem

'r e p r e s e n ts w ell the

advanced th o u g h t of 1 8 5 2 ' , t hough i t a d v a n c e d t h o u g h t was. a s A rnold;

A rnold v i s i t e d and in a l i s t

year is

d o u b tfu l w hether t h i s

c o n s t r u c t iv e o r a s c o n s e rv a tiv e as

o n e r e m e m b e r s R o b e r t E l s m e r e ' s s t r u g g l e t o make Mr.

Wendover u n d e r s t a n d

1851,

is

h is

p o sitio n .

th e m onastery oft h e

Grande C h a r t r e u s e

in

o f poems t o b e w r i t t e n d u r i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g

'th e C h a rtre u s e ';

t h e i d e a o f t h e poem was t h e r e f o r e

c o n c e i v e d some y e a r s b e f o r e

its p u b licatio n

in 1855.

r e m i n d e r o f t h e tv/o d i v e r g e n t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s

1 ) P oem s, p . 195 21 I b i d , p . 270 (3) 1 1 .2 7 -8 c f . h i s e m p h a s i s on ' w a r m t h ' C l o u g h q u o t e d a b o v e , p . fO, ( 4 ) The P o e t r y o f M a t t h e w A r n o l d , p . 1 9 1

It

is a

of C h ristia n ity

in t h e l e t t e r t o

-

14

-

t h a t i n f l u e n c e d h i s y o u t h - t h e B r o a d C h u r c h movement t h r o u g h h is fa th e r,

Rughy,

and t h r o u ^

is

and B a l l i o l ,

godfather,

a n d T r a c t a r i a n i s m t h r o u g h Newman

John K e h le .(^ )

In th e s e s ta n z a s

A r n o l d s t a n d s b e t w e e n t h e s e two t r e n d s , f e e l i n g t h e a t t r a c t i o n of C a th o lic is m , h u t unable to th e

’rig o ro u s

id e n tif y h im self w ith i t .

W hether

t e a c h e r s ’ o f h i s y o u th were t h e C reek p h i l o s o p h e r s

o r t h e l i b e r a l Churchmen, t h e i r l o v e o f t r u t h h a s had i t s and he f e e l s

an a l i e n .

The m o n k s ,

it

is tru e ,

effect,

sym bolise a f a i t h \

w hich l i b e r a l th e o l o g ia n s

a re k i l l i n g too v i o l e n t l y ,

w orld h a s n o t found a b e t t e r f a i t h y e t ; b u t t h e r e to t h e M iddle Ages.

and t h e

i s no r e t u r n i n g

I n 1 8 6 0 h e was t o w r i t e t o h i s

sister,

’I have a s tro n g se n se of th e i r r a t i o n a l i t y of (th e M i d d l e A g e s ) , a nd o f t h e u t t e r f o l l y o f t h o s e who t a k e i t s e r i o u s l y , and p l a y a t r e s t o r i n g i t ; s t i l l , i t h a s p o e t i c a l l y t h e g r e a t e s t charm and r e f r e s h m e n t p o s s i b l e f o r m e . ’ (2) T h is i s

e x actly the dual a ttitu d e

D r . A r n o l d ’ s i n f l u e n c e on from t h e Crande C h a r t e u s e ’ ,

is

o f t h e poem.

h is son,

2) 3)

Those

’R u g b y C h a p e l * h a v e

u n d e rs to o d t h a t s i d e o f h i s n a t u r e w hich, (1)

’S t a n z a s

p r o c l a i m e d two y e a r s l a t e r .

who s a y t h a t A r n o l d i s n o t s i n c e r e i n '

su g g ested in

lik e h is ancient I

c f T r i l l i n g , M atthew A r n o l d , p . 59 . I t is not suggested t h a t A r n o l d was e v e r d r a w n t o t h e T r a c t a r i a n d o c t r i n e s ; b u t h e was a t O x f o r d w h i l e Newman’ s i n f l u e n c e was a t i t s h e i g h t , a n d h e h i m s e l f a c k n o w l e d g e s w h a t h e owes t o Newman; c f . CA, p p . 3 2 - 3 3 ; E s s a y s i n C r i t i c i s m , p . 6 9 ; a nd T r i l l i n g , M atthew A r n o l d , p p . 3 3 2 - 3 , w here a l e t t e r o f A rn o ld ’s to th e C a rd in a l is quoted. 17 Dec. 1 8 6 0 , . L e t t e r s , I . p . 147 Poem s, p . 422'

not

-

H e b r e w s a nd St* P a u l , po em A r n o l d i s v e il of

15

-

th irste d

one w i t h h i s

’A h e r g l a u h e *

a f te r rig h teo u sn ess.

l a t e r s e l f who t r i e d

from sim ple e t h i c s .

were t h e g r e a t j u s t i f i c a t i o n

In t h i s

to rem ove t h e

Men l i k e h i s f a t h e r

of relig io n :

’Y o u r s i s t h e p r a i s e , i f m a n k i n d H ath n o t as y e t in i t s m arch H\ P a i n t e d , a n d f a l l e n , and d i e d ’ ’ ^ ' T h i s theme a p p e a r s

ag ain in

appeared f i r s t w ith th e

’ The L o r d ’ s M e s s e n g e r s ’ , w h i c h

title ,

’S t. B randan’ , p u b lish ed for its

relig io u s

’Men o f G e n i u s in 1860,

is

i n t e r e s t i n g n o t only

c o n ten t, b u t because of i t s

connection w ith

R e n a n , n i n e y e a r s b e f o r e S t . P a u l a nd P r o t e s t a n t i s m . a tten tio n

was f i r s t

A rnold’ s

drawn t o t h e l e g e n d o f S t . B r a n d a n b y R e n a n ,

who i n a n e s s a y on t h e C e l t s h a d d e c l a r e d

it

to be

’ une des p l u s

e n to n n a n te s c r e a t i o n s de l ’ e s p r i t hum ain A f e w m ore p o e m s may b e m e n t i o n e d i n t h i s sonnets^^") p u b l i s h e d Church F a t h e r s ; th e K id ’ (^)

in 1 8 6 ? shew a c o n t i n u e d

these

are

’ The D i v i n i t y ’ ,

a n d ’M i n i c a ’ s L a s t P r a y e r ’ .

c o n n ectio n . in te rest

in t h e

’ The Good S h e p h e r d w i t h The l a s t

e c h o e s A r n o l d ’s

sense th a t ’C reeds p a s s ,

1) *2) 3) 4^ 5)

rite s

Three

c h a n g e , no a l t a r s t a n d e t h w h o l e ’ ,

Rugby C h a p e l , 11. 1 6 8 - 7 0 C o r n h i ll M agazine, J u l y 1960. P o e m s , p . 379 V. T i n k e r & L o w r y , The P o e t r y o f M a t t h e w A r n o l d , p . 26 Poem s, p p . 398, 400 W ritte n in 1844.

—

t h a t o n l y ’l i f e

16

-»

i n God* r e m a i n s ,

on o r t h o d o x y .

and t h a t t h i s

'D o v er B e a c h ' p u b l i s h e d

w r i t t e n much e a r l i e r , (%) stan zas

e n title d

*A Wish*

is not dependent

in 1867 h u t p r o h a h ly

receding f a ith . express

The

im p atien ce w ith th e o lo g ia n s

who *Canvass w ith o f f i c i a l h r e a t h /„>, The f u t u r e and i t s v i e w l e s s t h i n g s * . ' ^ F in ally ,

*P is-A ller*

have a f a i t h ,

even

r e v e a l s A r n o l d ’ s a n x i e t y t h a t men s h o u l d

one w hich h e c a n n o t t a k e l i t e r a l l y .

T h i s s u r v e y o f A r n o l d ’ s e a r l y and s u s t a i n e d re lig io u s m atters tthoughtj, h u t i t

is

is

in te rest

o n l y one e x a m p l e o f t h e i n t e g r i t y

th e

of h is

one w h i c h s e e m s t o t h r o w m o s t l i g h t on

t h e p l a c e o f S t . P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m

in h i s developm ent.

W i t h o u t h o l d i n g him r e s p o n s i b l e f o r p o e t i c a l e x p r e s s i o n s out*

in

in t h e s e e a r l y volum es,

*t h r o w n

o n e may c l a i m t h a t t h e y p r e c l u d e

a n y t h e o r y o f an a b r u p t c h a n g e i n

the s u b j e c t - m a t t e r o f h i s

thipu'ght.

1) 21 31 4)

P o e m s , p . 401 V. T i n k e r & Lowry, The P o e t r y o f M atthew A r n o l d , p p . 1 7 3 -5 1 1 . 2 4 -5 P o e m s, p . 412 c f . a l s o h i s own j u d g m e n t on r e l i g i o u s t h o u g h t , i n t h e e s s a y on J o u b e r t ’ The m o s t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c t h o u g h t s one can q u o t e f r o m a n y w r i t e r a r e a l w a y s h i s t h o u g h t s on m a t t e r s l i k e th is* , a s s a y s i n C r i t i c i s m , p . 339

-

17

-

(il) In S t , P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m A r n o l d m a i n t a i n s t h a t a lth o u g h th e a p o s t le gave a p rim a ry p l a c e t o and m i r a c u l o u s a s p e c t o f t h e r e s u r r e c t i o n , the b e l i e v e r 's ', ^ of th is

d o ctrin e

^ h is o r ig in a lity lie s i n to som ething t h a t

How was P a u l a h l e t o do t h i s ,

'th e p h y sic a l

hoth C h r is t's

a nd

in h i s tr a n s f o r m a tio n

the i n t e l l e c t

can g r a s p .

when h e o b v i o u s l y c e n t r e d h i s

th o u g h t in th e p h y s i c a l m ira c le ?

F o r answ er, A rnold q u o tes

th ese lin e s 'B e lo w t h e s u r f a c e s t r e a m , s h a l l o w and l i g h t Of w h a t we s a y we f e e l - b e l o w t h e s t r e a m . As l i g h t , o f w h a t we t h i n k we f e e l - t h e r e f l o w s W ith n o i s e l e s s c u r r e n t s t r o n g , o b s c u r e and deep, The c e n t r a l s t r e a m o f w h a t we f e e l i n d e e d . ' 'A nd b y t h i s

a lo n e ',

he adds,

He a c k n o w l e d g e d t h e s e l i n e s t h i n k them g o o d ; s i n c e ' . I t

and h i s

1852, 1) 2) 31 4)

and s a y s ,

L h a v e s e e n them q u o t e d in f o u r p l a c e s

i s n o t known when t h e y w e r e . w r i t t e n , b u t t h e m in d much e a r l i e r

c o n n e c tio n betw een h i s p o e t r y

and h i s

t h a n 186g,and p ro se,h ise a rly

l a t e r w o r k , may b e i l l u s t r a t e d b y i s o l a t i n g t h i s

an d e x a m i n i n g i t It

c h a r a c te r is e d '.

a s h i s own i n a l e t t e r ,

i d e a . , t h e y e x p r e s s was i n h i s th e clo se

' a r e we t r u l y

^ ^

occurs

in

th em e

m or e c l o s e l y . ' E m p e d o c l e s on E t n a ' ,

and p r o b a b l y r e p r e s e n t s

w h ic h was p u b l i s h e d in

the tre n d of h is thought f o r

S t . P . & p , p . 82, V. below p . 7 ^ , I b i d , p . 83 I b i d , p . 83 • ' L e t t e r s , I , p . 32 The l i n e s w e r e f r e q u e n t l y g u o t e d a n d m isquoted by h i s re v ie w e rs .

-

18

-

sev eral years te fo re th a t d a te .(^ )

Em pedocles,

s o l i l o q u y on t h e h r i n k o f t h e c r a t e r , death,

th ere

testin g

is a rein carn atio n

in t h i s

in h i s l a s t

wonders w h e th e r,

fo r th e

sp irits

a fter

o f men, a n o t h e r

life .

’ To s e e i f we w i l l now a t l a s t h e t r u e To o u r own o n l y t r u e , d e e p - h u r i e d s e l v e s , B e i n g o n e w i t h w h i c h we a r e one v / i t h t h e w h o l e w o r l d * . ^ M, B o n n e r o t ,

in h i s

s t u d y o f t h e poem,

o f t h i s them e in A r n o l d ’ s t h o u g h t ;

r e m a r k s on t h e

the n o tio n

/

im portance

of th e m y s te r io u s ly

h u r i e d s o u l w hich i s ’l ’ esp (^ir a u q u e l a b o u t i t l a jne'^ditation a n g o i s s é e d ’S m p e d o c l e , e s t ................. i n s e p a r a b l e de l a p s y c h o l o g i e d ’A r n o l d ’ . (&) A lso in 1852,

i n t h e same v o l u m e w i t h

A r n o l d p u b l i s h e d t h e poem e n t i t l e d is

a fu lle r

’ The B u r i e d L i f e ’ , ^ ^ ^ w h i c h

e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e same t h e m e .

by a m ysterious n e c e s s ity to ’unregarded r i v e r The d i f f e r e n t

’E m p e d o c l e s on E t n a ’

He s . s s s man f o r c e d

’fo llo w th e b u rie d s tr e a m ’ , th e

o f o u r l i f e ’ w hich r e p r e s e n t s th e t r u e s e l f .

lev els

of the

cu rren ts

S t . P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m ; t h e r e

are

suggested h e re ,

is the lig h t-flo w in g

’w a r o f

m ocking w o r d s ’ , b u t ’’T h e r e r i s e s an u n s p e a k a b l e d e s i r e / ^\ A f t e r t h e know ledge o f our b u r i e d l i f e ’ . ^ ' .

1) 2) 3) ''' (4) (5)

as in

V. p . / Ü ab o v e 1 1 . 5 7 0 - 2 Poems p p . 1 2 3 - 4 L. B o n n e r o t , S m p e d o c l e s u r . 2 ’E t n a ( 1 9 4 7 ) p p . 2 4 - 2 5 c o f . L . T r i l l i n g , M a t t h e w A r n o l d ( 1 9 3 9 ) , p . 136 Poem s p p . 1 6 8 - 7 1 ’’The B u r i e d L i f e ” , 1 1 . 4 7 - 8

19

-

-

The d e s i r e r e m a i n s u n f u l f i l l e d , m in e s '.

L overs,

hidden l i f e ;

for

'd e e p enough,

alas,

none e v er

i n d e e d , may g i v e e a c h o t h e r g l i m p s e s o f t h e

in t h e

e x p e r i e n c e o f human l o v e

" T h e e y e s i n k s i n w a r d , and t h e h e a r t l i e s p l a i n , /.\ And w h a t we m ean, we s a y , a n d w h a t we w o u l d , we Icnow".^ ' h u t even th e n ,

man o n l y

' t h i n k s he knows. The h i l l s w h e r e h i s l i f e r o s e . And t h e s e a w h e r e i t g o e s ' . ( 2 ) The t h e m e r e c u r s p u b lish ed

in

'Mortality'another

poem f i r s t

in 1852: "The s p i r i t h l o w e t h a n d i s s t i l l . In m y s te ry our s o u l a b id e s

A gain,

i n t h e sam e v o l u m e ,

"T he Y o u t h o f N a t u r e " c o n t a i n s

the

v isio n of a p o et s t r i v i n g to express ' t h e awe, The v a s t n e s s , t h e g r a n d e u r , t h e g lo o m o f th e u n l i t gulph of h i m s e l f '. ( o ) He f a i l s ;

f o r he h i m s e l f has se e n

The c l o s i n g l i n e

(he)

♦ le ft

u n r e v e a l'd '

o f t h e c o m p a n i o n poem r e p e a t s t h e i d e a :

' R a l l y t h e good in th e

1) 2) 3} éS 5; 6) 7)

'L e ss th an

'

depths

I b id , 11. 86-7 I b i d , 11. 97-8 Poems, pp . 192-3 ‘^ M o r t a l i t y ' , 1 1 . 3 - 4 Poem s, p p . 186-9 'T he Y outh o f N a t u r e ' , 11. 1 0 0 -2 'The Y outh o f M a n ', Poems, p p . 1 8 9 -1 9 2 ,

of t h y s e l f I '

1.118

-

20 -

One more poem o f 1 8 5 2 w h i c h may h e m e n t i o n e d i s w ith i t s

s u s t a i n e d image o f t h e l o n e l y i s l a n d s ;

lo s t u n ity

these f e e l th e ir

'w h e n t h e moon t h e i r h o l l o w s l i g h t s '

s i n g in t h e i r g l e n s ;

lin e

and n i g h t i n g a l e s

then

'a lo n g in g l i k e d e sp a ir I s to t h e i r f a r t h e s t caverns s e n t '. In th e l a s t

'I s o la tio n *

o f t h e poem,

the

/px ^ /

' u n p l u m h ' d ^ s e a g i v e s an a d d e d

s u g g e s t i o n o f d e p t h a nd m y s t e r y . A r n o ld r e t u r n s t o t h i s them e in 1858;

it

emerges

in th e

'M ero p e '^ ^ ^ p u b l i s h e d in

c h o r i c o d e on m a n ' s l i m i t a t i o n s .

cannot ex p lo re th e s e c r e ts

of n a tu re v ery f a r ; b u t

' m o r e t h a n a l l u np lum b ' d, U n s e a l ' d , u n t r o d d e n , i s t h e h e a r t o f Man More t h a n a l l s e c r e t s h i d , t h e way i t k e e p s ' . ^ Man c a n n o t e v e n r e a d h i s

Man

oto

^

h eart:

' B u t e v e n o u r own h e a r t , t h a t n a r r o w w o r l d Bo u n d e d i n o u r own b r e a s t , we h a r d l y kn ow , / g \ Of o u r own a c t i o n s d i m l y t r a c e t h e c a u s e s . ' ' ' No r e a s o n f o r t h i s m y s t e r y ness'

o r to

'n a tu r a l obscure­

' o u r own w a n t o f e f f o r t .

In 186? A rn o ld p u b l i s h e d f o r th e study of h is 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 71 8)

i t may b e d u e t o

'P alladium *,

developm ent.

Its

a poe m o f g r e a t i n t e r e s t

theme i s

e sse n tia lly

Poem s, p . 135. T h i s poem was l a t e r ( 1 8 6 9 ) e n t i t l e d 'T o ' I s o l a t i o n ', 11. 13-14 M argu erite' Poem s, p p . ^ 8 3 -3 7 8 An i n t e r e s t i n g v e r b a l e c h o f r o m ' I s o l a t i o n ' c f ' M e r o p e ' , 1 . 6 2 9 'M ero p e' 11. 6 3 5 -7 I b i d , 11. 644-6 c f .'E m p e d o c l e s ', 1 1 .1 4 2 -6 11. 647-9 P o e m s , p . 406

—

th a t of

*The B u r i e d L i f e * ,

the tr u e s e l f than

is here

is

—

t h o u g h w i t h two i m p o r t a n t c h a n g e s :

c o n c e i v e d a s m ore p o s i t i v e l y b e n e f i c e n t

in t h e e a r l i e r poem,

no t d ep th ,

21

and t h e

image i s r e v e r s e d .

the cause of i n a c c e s s i b i l i t y h e re ;

stream g iv e s p la c e to th e s t a tu e

H eight,

the su b te rra n e a n

of P a l l a s A thena s t a n d i n g above

T r o y a n d p r o t e c t i n g t h e w a r r i o r s who,

immersed in t h e r u s h o f

b a t t l e below ,

in t h e h u r r y o f l i f e ,

th in k s he is untouched,

cannot see i t .

So man,

u s i n g h i s w hole b e i n g ,

sending

y e t h i s e sse n c e rem ains

*a r u l i n g e f f l u e n c e *

in to h is l i f e :

*And when i t f a i l s , f i g h t a s we w i l l , we d i e . And w h i l e i t l a s t s , we c a n n o t w h o l l y e n d . * ( 1 ) Inconnection w ith t h is sonnet th at

change,

*East London*(^)

it

is

in terestin g

also p u b lish ed

in 1867,

to fin d in th e a s im ila r idea

-

t h e s o u l can * S e t up a m a r k o f e v e r l a s t i n g l i g h t . A bove t h e h o w l i n g s e n s e s * e b b a n d f l o w * . I n t h e poem o f 1 8 5 2 ,

d epth of h im s e lf * ;\

the youth i s

^ and in 1867,

to

*r a l l y

t h e good in t h e

in a m e d ita tio n

on g r o w i n g

o ld , A rnold h as w r i t t e n *Deep i n o u r h i d d e n ' h e a r t P e s t e r s t h e d u l l rem embrance o f a c h a n g e * .^ ' \ To man i n y o u t h a n d a g e A r n o l d ’ s m e s s a g e i s t h e s a m e , w h e t h e r h e th in k s

o f t h i s h id d e n s e l f as a deep s tr e a m o r a l o f t y b e a c o n .

T h is r e c u r r e n t i d e a must b e c o n n e c t e d , fragm ent o f verse ;i) |2) |ë) |4)

n o t only w ith th e

in S t . P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m , b u t a ls o w ith

’P a l l a d i u m * , 1 1 . 2 3 - 4 P o e m s , p . 395 *The Y o u t h o f Man*, 1 . 1 1 8 , P o e m s , p . 192 ’ G r o w in g O l d * , 1 1 . 2 8 - 9 , Poe ms p . 409

- 22 -

A rnold*s d o c tr in e o f th e

* h e s t s e l f ’ h y w h i c h *we a r e u n i t e d ,

im p erso n al,

a t h a r m o n y * . Th.i s

Em pedocles,

* h e i n g one w i t h w h i c h v/e a r e o n e w i t h t h e w h o l e

w o r l d * . T o is

is s u r e ly th e tr u e s e l f of

t h i s s e l f we may e n t r u s t

a u th o rity , because

t h e t r u e s t f r i e n d we a l l o f u s can h a v e . . . . t o

we may t u r n w i t h s u r e t r u s t * . ( ^ ^ hidden,

T his

th is

*hest se lf*

*i t

au th o rity

is

deeply

a n d m o s t o f u s a r e ’s a t i s f i e d w i t h a s e l f w h i c h cornes

upperm ost lo n g b e fo re *

it.(^ ^

’ one c e n t r a l m o ral te n d e n c y *

W ith t h i s

may b e i d e n t i f i e d

the

o f S t . P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m

’ w h i c h f o r us a n d f o r a l l men i s t h e l a w o f o u r b e i n g * . in 1869 A rn o ld i s h is

c o n t i n u i n g t h e them e w h ic h had b e e n d e f i n e d

th o u g h ts a t l e a s t as e a r l y as 1852;

seventeen years

covers th e p e rio d of h is

a nd i n p r o s e .

I f h is

where t h e r e

’l ) ’2 ) 3} >) ’51 6)

is

and t h i s

stre tc h of

c e n t r a l work i n p o e t r y

own w o r d s may b e u s e d a s a comment,

connexion;

in

everyw here t h e r e

is

’E v e r y ­

i l l u s t r a t i o n * . ^^^

CA, ^ . 8 0 oj. " E m p e d o c l e s on E t n a * , 1 . 3 7 2 CA, p . 8 0 . c f ’P a l l a d i u m * , 1 1 . 2 1 - 2 4 CA, p . 81 S t . p . & P . p . 49 ^On t h e M odern E l e m e n t i n L i t e r a t u r e * , M a c M i l l a n ’ s M a g a z i n e , Pebo 1 8 6 9 . V. E s s a y s b y M a t t h e w A r n o l d , p . 456

-

II.

23 -

The E a r l i e r Prose

I n p a s s i n g from t h e p o e t r y of Ivlatthew Arnold to h i s e a r l i e r p r o s e , th e p ro s e must n o t he th o u g h t of as c h ro n o lo g ic a lly follow ing the p o e try ;

t h e two went on

s i m u l t a n e o u s l y , as th e New Poems o f 1867 s h e w . Y e t t h i s e a r l i e r p r o s e , r e a c h i n g from th e P r e f a c e to t h e Poems o f 1853 to C u ltu re and Anarchy, forms a l o g i c a l b r i d g e from th e p o e t r y to t h e l a t e r p r o s e .

I

The whole of i t i s an

*e s s a y i n c r i t i c i s m ' , and i t s clim ax i s t h e volume Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , which r e p r e s e n t s t h e y e a r s 1863-4, and i s i n i t s e l f an example of A r n o l d 's v a r i e d i n t e r e s t s .

(

2

)

,

A r n o l d ' s own remark t h a t 'everywhere t h e r e i s c o n n e c t io n , everywhere t h e r e i s i l l u s t r a t i o n ' ^ i s p erhap s the b e s t comment on t h i s p e r i o d o f h i s a c t i v i t y . o f 'w h o l e n e s s ' a p p e a le d to him s t r o n g l y ;

The i d e a

i n t h e l e c t u r e on

(1 ) I t i s p ro b a b le t h a t most o f th e poems i n t h i s volume were w r i t t e n d u r i n g th e p e r i o d u nd er c o n s i d e r a t i o n . For example, t h r e e o f t h e e l e g i e s can be d a te d as f o l l o w s : ' T h y r s i 8 ' , I 86 I - 6 ; 'H e i n e 's C r a v e ', 1858-67; 'Rugby C h a p e l ' , 1857-67. ( 2 ) P r o f e s s o r T r i l l i n g has t h i s p e r i o d i n mind when he w r i t e s : 'V/hen a man s e e s l i f e u nd er th e a s p e c t of a d i s t i n c t and i l l u m i n a t i n g i d e a , a l l t h i n g s become i n t e r ­ r e l a t e d and i t i s no s t e p a t a l l from the i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f Homer to th e i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f e le m e n ta ry s c h o o l s . ' - L io n e l T r i l l i n g , f e t t h e w Arnold (1939), p . 178. ( 3 ) *Cn t h e Modern Element i n L i t e r a t u r e ' . Essays by I%tthew ------ ------ -------------Arnold ( l 9 2 5 ) , p. 456.

/

- 24 -

'The Modem Slement i n L i t e r a t u r e * (l857 ) he says of Thucydides : *Thucydides i s no mere l i t e j p a r y man; no i s o l a t e d t h i n k e r • • • • he was a man of a c t i o n , a man of t h e w o rld , a man of h i s tim e . He r e p r e s e n t s • • • • th e g e n e r a l i n t e l l i g e n c e of h i s age and n a t i o n ; o f a n a t i o n th e meanest c i t i z e n s of which cou ld f o l l o w w i t h comprehension the \ p ro fo u n d ly t h o u g h t f u l s p ee ches of P e r i c l e s * . I n th e same l e c t u r e he r e p e a t s h i s comment on Sophocles i n t h e so n n e t of 1849: *In Sophocles t h e r e i s t h e same e n e rg y , t h e same m a t u r i t y , th e same freedom, the same i n t e l l i g e n t o b serv atio n And t h e r e f o r e I have v e n t u r e d to say of S o p h o cles, t h a t he **saw l i f e s t e a d i l y , and saw i t whole** *. (2 v Even more s i g n i f i c a n t i s one o t h e r remark a t th e c l o s e o f th is lecture;

l a m e n t i n g th e gloom and s t e r n n e s s of

L u c r e t i u s , Arnold s a y s , *So h a r d , n ay , so im p o s s ib l e f o r most men i s i t to develop th em selv es i n t h e i r e n t i r e n e s s ; to r e j o i c e i n th e v a r i e t y , t h e movement of human l i f e w ith th e c h i l d r e n o f th e world; to be s e r i o u s ov er th e d ep th , t h e / s i g n i f i c a n c e of human l i f e w i t h t h e wise.* * \ J ' I n t h e s e o b s e r v a t i o n s one can s e e , n o t only the f u t u r e exponent of H ellenism , b u t the c r i t i c who, l i k e Thucydides, w i l l n e v e r be a *mere l i t e r a r y man*. I n 1851 Arnold became an i n s p e c t o r of ele m e n ta ry 1 ) I b i d , p . 462. ( 2 ) I b i d , p . 465. (3 ) I b i d , p . 472.

-

25

-

s c h o o l s , and, a l t h o u g h t h i s p r o f e s s i o n was n o t a l t o g e t h e r c o n g e n ia l to him i n t h e e a r l y days, i t developed h i s i n t e r e s t i n e d u c a t i o n , t h e most w idening i n t e r e s t a man can have. Arnold i s seen a s an e d u c a t i o n i s t n o t only i n h i s o f f i c i a l r e p o r t s , b u t a l s o i n h i s a t t i t u d e to o t h e r f i e l d s , and a l l h i s l a t e r i n t e r e s t s may be seen d e v e lo p in g d u r i n g t h i s tim e . The purpose of t h i s c h a p t e r i s to rev iew q u i c k l y the p ro s e of 1853 - 6 5 , shewing how i t l e d to E ssays i n C r i t i c i s m , and th e n to c o n s i d e r th o s e e s s a y s as the f o r e r u n n e r s o f C u ltu r e and Anarchy. A r n o l d 's publishedvl p ro s e work b e g i n s w i t h t h e P r e f a c e of 1 8 5 3 , and i n i t he a p p e a rs as a c r i t i c a l r e a d y p o s s e s s i n g n o t o nly i n s i g h t , b u t a t r a i n e d mind.

The purpose o f th e

^

P r e f a c e i s to e x p l a i n h i s o m ission of 'Empedocles on Etna* from th e volume;

he w i s h e s to make i t c l e a r t h a t t h e poem

i s n o t abandoned i n d e f e re n c e to th o s e c r i t i c s who t h i n k a s u b j e c t from t h e a n c i e n t world u n i n t e r e s t i n g .

Arnold a p p e a ls

to p r i n c i p l e s , g oing u n h e s i t a t i n g l y to A r i s t o t l e , whose i n f l u e n c e on him i s e v i d e n t .

The e t e r n a l o b j e c t s o f p o e t r y

a r e human a c t i o n s , and th e most i n t e r e s t i n g a c t i o n s a r e th o s e which a p p e a l to th e p rim ary human p a s s i o n s ;

therefore

'a g r e a t human a c t i o n of 1000 y e a r s ago i s more i n t e r e s t i n g ........

— 26 *-

th a n a sm all human a c t i o n of t o - d a y ^ :

the d a te i s

irre le v an t. Arnold c o n t i n u e s to f o llo w A r i s t o t l e i n th e q u e s t i o n of co n struction.

The whole must come b e f o r e t h e p a r t s ,

a c tio n before expression;

a r c h i t e c t o n i c e i s what m a t t e r s ,

n o t t h e i s o l a t e d images.

He c r i t i c i s e s modem p o e t s f o r

t h e i r n e g l e c t o f c o n s t r u c t i o n , and s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e i n f l u e n c e of Shakespeare has n o t been good f o r them;

and

he p r a i s e s the Greeks as m a s te r s o f th e grand s t y l e . Throughout t h e e s s a y he c i t e s Goethe,

' t h e g r e a t e s t p o e t of (2 ) modem t i m e s , th e g r e a t e s t c r i t i c o f a l l times*» His c o n c l u s i o n , v/ith i t s eulogy of th e a n c i e n t s , emphasises th e H ellenism of th e whole; *I know n o t hov/ i t i s ' , he s a y s , 'b u t t j i e i r commerce w i t h th e a n c i e n t s ap p e a rs t o me to p ro d u c e, i n th o s e who c o n s t a n t l y p r a c t i s e i t , a s t e a d y i n g and composing e f f e c t upon t h e i r judgem ent, n o t of l i t e r a r y works o n ly , b u t of men and e v e n ts i n general. They a r e l i k e p e r s o n s who have had a v e r y weighty and i m p r e s s i v e e x p e rie n c e s th e y a r e more t r u l y t h a n o t h e r s und er t h e empire of f a c t s , and more in d e p e n d e n t of t h e ,lang u ag e c u r r e n t among th o s e w i t h whom th e y l i v e ' . ^3-) C h r o n o l o g i c a l l y t h e n e x t e s s a y o f t h i s p e r i o d to demand atten tio n is

(1 ) (2 ) (3 ) (4 )

'Dante and B e a t r i c e p r o b a b l y a much r e v i s e d

Matthew A r n o l d 's Poems (O.U.P, 1 9 4 5 ), p. 4© I b i d , p. 8 , I b i d , p. 1 3 . Bssays by f e t t h e w A m o l d . (1 92 5), pp. 445-453

- 27 -

Oxford l e c t u r e of 1858, v/hich was p u b l i s h e d i n F r a s e r ' s fe;5:azine f o r I'lay, 1863•

^ts significance l i e s in i t s

l i t e r a r y s u b j e c t , and i n i t s i l l u s t r a t i o n o f A r n o l d 's p a s s i o n f o r 's e e i n g t h e o b j e c t as i t r e a l l y i s ' .

A m o ld

t h i n k s t h a t Theodore Ivlartin t r i m s th e f a c t s of D a n t e 's l i f e and work to f i t h i s t h e s i s , a l t e r i n g th e n a t u r e o f h i s lo v e f o r B e a t r i c e ;

and he

a l l w i t h i n t h e w a l l s i s a r u i n , o ver which c l u s t e r the w ild r o s e s . A p e a s a n t has iiiade h i s d w e l l i n g where once was t h e grand e n t r a n c e ; b u t he has n o t h i n g t o ^ t e l l of th e c a s t l e ' s h i s t o r y and of t h e B lack t^rince. The p lo u g h s h a re of the •R evolution has p a ssed over t h a t f e u d a l age; th e y a r e gone, th e l e o p a r d s of England from the gateway, th e name of th e Black P r i n c e from th e memories o f th e p o p u l a t i o n • • • • Through a t h i c k e t of brushwood I climbed to t h e to p of th e r u i n ; around me, b e n e a th t h e luminous a i r , s t r e t c h e d th e p l e a s a n t c o u n try of s o u t h e r n F ran ce; on the h o r i z o n were th e towers and s p i r e s o f Bordeaux, and i t s smoke hanging i n th e c l e a r s k y , ' ( D During t h e y e a r s 186$ and I 864 A m old wrote many o f *

th e e s s a y s i n c l u d e d i n Essays i n C r i t i c i s m : be c o n s i d e r e d below. ( 2 )

,

these w ill

A c o l l e c t i o n of e s s a y s on

seco n dary e d u c a t i o n , begun i n 1863, was p u b l i s h e d i n th e f o l l o w i n g y e a r as A French E ton: E d u c a tio n and th e S t a t e ,

o r Middle C lass

The f i r s t e s s a y i s a d e s c r i p t i o n

of two French secon d ary s c h o o l s ;

i n the follow ing essays

Arnold t r i e s to p e rsu a d e th e E n g l i s h middle c l a s s t h a t th ey would b e n e f i t by a system o f s t a t e - p r o v i d e d secon dary s c h o o ls f o r t h e i r so n s, o f a s i m i l a r s t a t u s to t h a t of the French l y c e e s , i n s t e a d of t h e 'h o l e and c o m e r ' s e m i n a r i e s which th e y were u s i n g .

Thus d id A m o l d ' s work as an i n s p e c t o r of

s c h o o ls l e a d him to c o n s i d e r s o c i a l q u e s t i o n s , which i n t u r n l e d to the s u b j e c t s of h i s l a t e r p r o s e .

(1 ) I b i d , (2 ) p p . 3 3

pp. -3 8 .

128 - 9 .

— 33 -

Essays i n C r i t i c i s m was p u b l i s h e d i n 1865, a t which time Arnold wrote to h i s m other, *I t h i n k t h e moment i s , on th e whole, f a v o u r a b l e f o r th e E ss a y s ; and i n g oing th ro u g h them I am s t r u c k by the ad m irable r i c h e s o f human n a t u r e t h a t a r e b ro u g h t to l i g h t i n th e group o f p e r s o n s of whom th e y t r e a t , and th e s o r t of u n i t y t h a t as a book to s t i m u l a t e th e b e t t e r humanity i n us th e volume h a s. Then, o f c o u r s e , i f t h i s book su c c e e d s , th e 'w a y i s the more c l e a r f o r my b r i n g i n g i n my f a v o u r i t e notions y et f u r t h e r ; he sawvinthese e s s a y s t h a t u n i t y i n d i v e r s i t y which r e c e n t s c h o l a r s h i p i s f i n d i n g i n h i s whole work, and he a l s o r e g a r d e d them as a p r e p a r a t i o n f o r ' b r i n g i n g i n ( h i s ) fa v o u rite notions y et f u r t h e r '.

Essays i n C r i t i c i s m d i d ,

as ,he hoped, su c c e e d , and i t i s t h e c e n t r e of h i s work, from which one may lo o k back o r fo rw ard , f i n d i n g linlcs w i t h a l l th e r e s t .

I t i s as a p r e p a r a t i o n f o r C u ltu r e and Anarchy

t h a t th e e s s a y s a r e to be c o n s i d e r e d h e r e . There c o n n e c t io n w ith a l l A r n o l d 's i n t e r e s t s i s c l e a r : even the t i t l e s a r e s i g n i f i c a n t .

The f i r s t e s s a y i s on

'The f u n c t i o n of C r i t i c i s m ' , and th e second on 'The L i t e r a r y I n f l u e n c e of A cad em ies';

th e n fo l l o w two e s s a y s on minor

f r e n c h w r i t e r s , and one on H e i n r ic h Heine.

So f a r Arnold

does n o t a p p e a r to have d e p a r t e d from ' l i t e r a r y ' i n t e r e s t s ,

( l ) Jan . 21, 1865, L e t t e r s . I , pp. 286-7,

- 34 -

'

though th e c o n t e n t s o f th e e s s a y s must have been s u r p r i s i n g * There f o llo w s t h e e s s a y on r e l i g i o u s s e n t i m e n t , t h e n th e i n t e r e s t r e t u r n s t o France i n ' J o u b e r t ' ;

and l a s t come

*Spinoza and t h e B ible* and *Iv]arcuà A u r e l i u s \ r e a d e r has a c lu e to some o f th e s u b j e c t s : l i t e r a t u r e , F ra n c e , the B i b l e , r e l i g i o n .

^

So th e

criticism , I t b e g in s t o be

seen why Arnold th o u g h t of th e volume as a c l e a r e r of th e way.

His aim, i n t h i s and a l l h i s v/ork^is s t a t e d i n t h e

Preface: 'To t r y and a pp ro ach t r u t h on one s i d e a f t e r a n o t h e r , n o t to s t r i v e o r c r y , nor to p e r s i s t i n p r e s s i n g f o r w a r d . . o n any one s i d e , w i t h v i o l e n c e and s e l f w i l l *. l 2) This he sought to do ' a s a p l a i n c i t i z e n of th e r e p u b l i c of letters Like a l l A r n o l d ' s work, the Essays i n C r i t i c i s m must be re a d as a whole i f t h e i r s i g n i f i c a n c e i s to be g ra s p e d ; b u t f o r the p r e s e n t purpose i t i s n e c e s s a r y to shew th e more d i r e c t r o u t e s from them to C u ltu r e and Anarchy. essay,

The f i r s t

'On the F u n c tio n of C r i t i c i s m a t the P r e s e n t Time*,

i s , as i t s p l a c e would s u g g e s t , t h e most i m p o r t a n t , and the way i n which A r n o l d ' s t h e o r y o f c r i t i c i s m , as s e t o ut i n

(1) 'A P e r s i a n P a s s i o n P l a y ' , a l e c t u r e g iv e n a t Birmingham i n I 67 I ; was added i n t h e e d i t i o n o f 1875. ( 2 ) Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , p. v i i . ( 3 ) I b i d , p. X.

- 35 -

t h i s e s s a y , l e a d s on to h i s i d e a of c u l t u r e , i s d i s c u s s e d in a l a t e r chapter.

This l e a v e s two o u t s t a n d i n g themes

to be d e a l t w i t h h e r e :

s o c i a l c r i t i c i s m , and r e l i g i o n .

Both a r e prom inent i n t h e s e e s s a y s , which, i t must be remembered, r e p r e s e n t work w r i t t e n f i v e o r s i x y e a r s b e f o r e th e p u b l i c a t i o n of C u l tu r e and Anarchy. I n th e f i r s t e s s a y (2) Arnold p r o t e s t s a g a i n s t the u g l i n e s s of l i f e around him, of which t h e names ' W r a g g , . . . . (o )

lü g g in b o tto m , S t i g g i n s , BuggJ ’ ® a r e sym bolic.

The

\ e i r t u e of d etachm ent, of t r y i n g to see t h i n g s as th e y a r e , i s what h i s countrymen need to c u l t i v a t e i n the m id s t of ' t h e r u s h and r o a r of p r a c t i c a l l i f e * . ^ ^ ^

V/ithout a ' f r e e

d i s i n t e r e s t e d t r e a t m e n t o f t h i n g s , t r u t h and t h e h i g h e s t c u l t u r e a r e o u t o f t h e q u e s t i o n ' . A r n o l d has a l r e a d y diag no sed th e d i s e a s e , and begun to a d v o c ate th e c u r e . The e s s a y on H e i n e c o n t a i n s h i s f i r s t use of th e word ' P h i l i s t i n e ' a n d ' P h i l i s t i n i s m ' :

'P h ilis tin is m .^

have n o t the e x p r e s s i o n i n E n g l i s h .

We

Perhaps we have n o t th e v/ord because we have so much o f th e t h i n g . ' ( 7 ) He

(]_ )

(2) 3) 4) 5) (6) (7 )

JDÛL.

P u b l is h e d f i r s t i n th e K a t i o n a l Review, Nov. 1864. Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , p. 27. I b i d , p. 29. I b i d , p. 31. The C o m h i l l . Aug. 1863. Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , p. 188.

-

36

-

c o n t i n u e s on t h i s theme, l o o k i n g a t th e B r i t i s h P h i l i s t i n e th ro u g h th e eyes of Heine, and c o n t r a s t i n g ' t h e e n t h u s i a s t f o r the id e a , f o r r e a s o n '

^

P h i l i s t i n i s m i s simply

' i n v e t e r a t e i n a c c e s s i b i l i t y to i d e a s ' . ( 2 )

B e s id e s t h i s

s p e c i f i c m ention o f P h i l i s t i n i s m , t h e r e i s th e i m p l i c i t c r i t i c i s m of E n g l i s h middle c l a s s l i f e th ro u g h o u t th e volume. I t i s c l e a r t h a t d u r i n g th e y e a r s 1863-4 Arnold was c o n t i n u i n g to t h i n k about th e E n g l i s h middle c l a s s e s alo n g the l i n e s

'

s u g g e s te d to him by h i s e d u c a t i o n a l work. ^ ^ Por Arnold, s o c i a l c r i t i c i s m was i n s e p a r a b l e from relig io n ;

th e B r i t i s h middle c l a s s was narrow and u n c u l t u r e d

b ecause i t had embraced a narrow and crude P r o t e s t a n t i s m , and by t h e time he wrote C u ltu r e and A narchy. Arnold b e l i e v e d t h a t th e only way to save E n g l i s h s o c i e t y was to f r e e th e middle c l a s s from P u r i t a n i s m .

This a t t i t u d e i s

r e v e a l e d i n th e e s s a y on Eugenie de Guerin,

where A m o ld

employs his f a v o u r i t e method of g e n e r a l i s i n g from one o r two examples.

He compares the C a t h o l i c Eugenie de Guerin

(1) I b i d , p . 192. 2 ) I b i d , p . 2 O4 . 3 ) I n a l e t t e r to h i s m other, d a t e d Peb. 16, 1864, he w r i t e s : ' I mean . . . . to d e l i v e r the middle c l a s s o ut of th e . hand of t h e i r D i s s e n t i n g m i n i s t e r s . The mere d i f f i c u l t y o f t h e task, i s i t s e l f r a t h e r an a d d i t i o n a l i n c e n t i v e to u n d e rta k e i t . ' - B e t t e r s I , p. 2 6 4 . ( 4 ) The d o r n h i l l , June, I 86 3 .

- 37 -

w i t h a P r o t e s t a n t Englishwoman, Emma Tatham, and, though he has n o t h i n g to say i n d i s p r a i s e of th e l a t t e r * s C h r i s t i a n i t y , he f i n d s i t s outward d e t a i l s l e s s a t t r a c t i v e th a n th o s e of th e Frenchwoman's f a i t h . Here, as i n C u ltu r e and Anarchy and S t. Paul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m , Arnold seems to l o s e h i s c r i t i c a l t a c t when v / r i t i n g o f P r o t e s t a n t s ; w i t h amazing u n g r a c i o u s n e s s , i f n o t h i n g w orse, he sc o rn s words which, though th ey meant n o t h i n g to him, a r e s a c r e d to many.

He cannot f o r g e t t h a t

't h e Englishwoman i s a P r o t e s t a n t a t I.Iargate; Ivlargate, t h a t h r i c k - a n d - m o r t a r image of E n g l i s h P ro testan tism , re p resen tin g i t , in a l l i t s prose, a l l i t s u n c o m e lin e s s , - l e t me add, a l l i t s salubrity'. / This i s c l e a r l y the to n e of th o s e w r i t i n g s on r e l i g i o n which have been supposed to belon g only to t h e decade 1868-78. 'Pagan and Mediaeval R e l i g i o u s S e n t i m e n t ' , t h e e s s a y from which have^ been l o s t some comments on P r o t e s t a n t i s m ( 2 ) , s t i l l p r o v i d e s A r n o l d ' s e s t i m a t e of. t h e Roman Church as ' a power, f o r h i s t o r y a t any r a t e , em in e n tly the Church;

not,

p e r h a p s , th e Church of the f u t u r e , b u t i n d i s p u t a b l y th e Church of th e p a s t , and, i n th e p a s t , the Church of th e

(1) Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , p. 164. (2) The C o m h i l l , A p r i l , 1864. T i t l e , R e l i g i o u s Sentiment '

'Pagan and C h r i s t i a n

- 38 -

m u ltitu d e ^

Again, i n *J o u b e r t *^ ^ \ Arnold q uo tes

s e v e r a l of h i s s u b j e c t ' s v/ri t i n g s on r e l i g i o n ;

h e 'e x tra c ts

from them the p r o p o s i t i o n t h a t ' the B r i t i s h and N o rth American P u r i t a n s a r e th e c h i l d r e n of t h e Old T estam ent, as Joachim o f F l o r a and S t. F r a n c i s a r e t h e c h i l d r e n of the N e w \ )

He a l s o q u otes * i t h a p p r o v a l J o u b e r t ' s o p in io n

t h a t ' th e a u s t e r e s e c t s e x c i t e th e most e n th u siasm a t f i r s t ; b u t th e tem p era te s e c t s have always been th e most d u ra b le \^ ^ ^

' .

The t r e a t m e n t o f r e l i g i o n i n the Spinoza

e s s a y and i t s companion o u t s i d e Essays i n C r i t i c i s m i s discussed l a t e r .

(s )

There a r e o t h e r l i n k s w i t h C u l tu r e and jlnarchy i n t h e s e e s s a y s , b u t what has been s a i d w i l l p erh ap s i n d i c a t e the t r e n d of A r n o l d 's th o u g h t i n th e e a r l y '60s and shew how th e Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , w hile rem ain in g p re d o m in a n tly ' l i t e r a r y ' , l e a d n a t u r a l l y to C u ltu r e and Anarchy w it h o u t a b r u p t t r a n s i t i o n .

(1) Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , p. 228. ( 2 ) N a t i o n a l Review. J a n . 1864* T i t l e , ' J o u b e r t ; French C o l e r i d g e ' . ( 3 ) Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , p . 3 3 6 . 4 ) Ib id ," p . 337, ( 5 ) pp. (6) e . g ; remarks on t h e P r e s s , and on Oxford.

or a

- 39 -

III#

*C u ltu r e and Anarchy *.

I n 1867 l'Æatthev/ Arnold completed h i s t e n years* P r o f e s s o r s h i p o f P o e t r y a t Oxford, and i n J u l y o f t h a t y e a r t h e r e ap peared i n th e C o m h i l l Magazine an e s s a y ,

’C u ltu r e

and i t s Enemies*, which embodied h i s c l o s i n g l e c t u r e a t Oxford.

between J an u a ry and August 1868 th e C o m h i l l

p r i n t e d f u r t h e r e s s a y s u n d er th e g e n e r a l t i t l e and A u tho rity * #

’Anarchy

I n 1869 Am old c o l l e c t e d a l l t h e s e ,

f u s e d and condensed th e t i t l e s i n t o C u l tu r e and Anarchy, and added t h e s u b - t i t l e , C riticism * . chapter,

’An Essay i n P o l i t i c a l and S o c ia l

The Oxford l e c t u r e remained as th e f i r s t

’Sweetness and L i g h t * , and a P r e f a c e was added,

which expanded some p o i n t s and d e a l t w i t h c r i t i c i s m s # The s u b - t i t l e i s s i g n i f i c a n t , f o r i t p o i n t s to th e r o o t s o f th e new work;

t h i s i s a n o t h e r ’e s s a y i n c r i t i c i s m * ,

o nly t h i s time th e e x a c t k in d o f c r i t i c i s m i s denoted. Of th e Essays i n C r i t i c i s m , t h e e s s a y of 1864 *0n th e F u n c tio n o f C r i t i c i s m a t th e P r e s e n t Time * may be s i n g l e d o u t a s t h e p a r e n t stem o f C u ltu r e and Anarchy# f o r t h e r e i s a c l o s e c o n n e c tio n between A r n o l d ’s ’c r i t i c i s m * and h i s ’c u l t u r e *#

C r i t i c i s m g e t s to know ’th e b e s t t h a t i s known

and th o u g h t i n th e w o r l d ’ , and so c r e a t e s ’a c u r r e n t o f

_

40 -

t r u e and f r e s h i d e a s * , w h i l e

cu ltu re is

*a p u r s u i t of

o ur t o t a l p e r f e c t i o n hy means o f g e t t i n g to k n o w . . . • t h e b e s t wnich has bee n th o u g h t and s a i d i n th e w o rld * , so t u r n i n g *a s tre a m of f r e s h and f r e e t h o u g h t upon o u r s t o c k n o t i o n s and h a b i t s * .

(2

)

This i s sim ply s a y i n g t h a t

c u l t u r e p u r s u e s p e r f e c t i o n by means o f c r i t i c i s m ; *t h e whole scope* o f C u l t u r e and Anarchy i s

and

*to recommend

c u l t u r e as t h e g r e a t h e l p o u t o f o ur p r e s e n t d i f f i c u l t i e s * . A m old c o n tin u e s,

*The c u l t u r e we recommend i s , above a l l ,

an inw ard o p e r a t i o n * . a l o o f from p r a c t i c e . th e t i t l e

( '3. )

Li ke c r i t i c i s m , i t must keep Though A rnold would have r e p u d i a t e d

' p h i l o s o p h e r * , and though he may have b ee n m i s ta k e n

i n g i v i n g so many i l l u s t r a t i o n s from c u r r e n t p o l i t i c s . C u l t u r e and Anarchy i s n e a r e r to b e i n g a p h i l o s o p h i c a l t r e a t i s e th a n a p o l i t i c a l p am p h let. A rnold *s f i n a l c o u r s e of l e c t u r e s as P r o f e s s o r o f P o e t r y , on th e s t u d y o f C e l t i c L i t e r a t u r e , was g i v e n d u r i n g t h e y e a r s 1865 and 1866, t h u s f i l l i n g t h e i n t e r v a l between t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f E ssay s i n C r i t i c i s m (1865) and th e a p p e aran c e o f *C u l t u r e and i t s Enemies*.

The C e l t i c l e c t u r e s c o n t a i n

much s p e c u l a t i o n b a s e d on r a c i a l t h e o r i e s t h a t a r e now

(1) (2) (3) (4)

E ssay s i n C r i t i c i s m , p . 43. C u l t u r e and Anarchy, n.X. i b i d 7 - p . T ; ------------I b i d , p.X.

- 41 \

d i s c r e d i t e d , m ing led w i t h some of h i s b e s t l i t e r a r y judge­ m ents;

b u t above a l l , th e y r e v e a l Arnold m e d i t a t i n g .on

th o s e d e f e c t s i n h i s countrymen v/hich were h i n d e r i n g t h e work o f c r i t i c i s m and r e s i s t i n g t r u e c u l t u r e .

The E n g l i s h

have t h e Germanic b a s i s of s t e a d i n e s s , t h e Germanic e x c e l l e n c e of ‘f i d e l i t y to n a t u r e ‘ , b u t t h e y s u f f e r from t h e Germanic d e f e c t , th e te n d en c y t o commonness and the humdrum. Arnold a n a l y s e s P h i l i s t i n i s m , c r y s t a l l i s i n g - i t s v i r t u e s and r e v e a l i n g i t s f a u l t s . ^

The E n g l i s h sh o u ld welcome

and c h e r i s h t h e C e l t i c i n t h e i r makeup, l e s t t h e y f a l l i n t o u n a l l o y e d Teutonism, f o r

^

‘we a r e becoming av/are t h a t we have s a c r i f i c e d -to P h i l i s t i n i s m c u l t u r e , and i n s i g h t , and d i g n i t y , and a c c e p t a n c e , and w eig h t among t h e n a t i o n s . . . . and y e t t h a t i t ca n n o t even g iv e us t h e f o o l ‘s p a r a d i s e i t prom ised u s . ‘

(1) ‘P h i l i s t i n i s m , t h a t p l a n t of e s s e n t i a l l y Germanic growth what a s o u l of goodness t h e r e i s i n P h i l i s t i n i s m i t s e l f j . . . . This s t e a d y - g o i n g h a b i t l e a d s a t l a s t • • • • up t o s c i e n c e , up t o t h e com prehension and i n t e r ­ p r e t a t i o n o f t h e w orld . . . . How i t has augmented t h e c o m fo rts and c o n v e n ie n c e s of l i f e f o r u s . Doors t h a t open, windows t h a t s h u t , l o c k s t h a t t u r n , r a z o r s t h a t s h a v e , c o a t s t h a t wear, w atches t h a t go, and a th o u san d more such good t h i n g s , a r e t h e i n v e n t i o n o f th e P h ilistin es* . Yet t h e r e i s t h e o t h e r s i d e : .* When o ur r a c e has b u i l t Bold S t r e e t , L i v e r p o o l , and pronounced i t v e r y good, i t h u r r i e s a c r o s s th e A t l a n t i c , and b u i l d s N a s h v i l l e , and J a c k s o n v i l l e , and M ille d g e v i l l e , and t h i n k s i t i s f u l f i l l i n g th e d e s i g n s o f P ro v id e n c e i n an in co m p ara b le m a n n e r . * V-/ Qn.the Study o f C e l t i c L i t e r a t u r e , pp. 110, i l l , 175-176. l a j TBTd, p, 1 8 Ü.

- 42 -

Arnold r a r e l y spoke more e a r n e s t l y t h a n t h i s on t h e s u b j e c t of P h i l i s t i n i s m . F u r t h e r ev id e n c e of A r n o l d ’s t r e n d o f th o u g h t d u r i n g t h e l a t e r S i x t i e s i s found i n F r i e n d s h i p ’s G arland CI 87 I ) . This was a s e r i e s o f l e t t e r s p u b l i s h e d i n th e P a l l I%11 G-azette between 1866 and I 87 O, d e f e n d i n g h i s a r t i c l e

’My

Countrymen’ , which a p p e a re d i n t h e C o m h i l l Magazine i n F e b ru a ry 1866.^^^

F r i e n d s h i p ’s G arland t h e r e f o r e spans a

p e r i o d b e g i n n i n g b e f o r e th e C e l t i c l e c t u r e s and c o n t i n u i n g beyond t h e p u b l i c a t i o n of S t. P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m , and i t has c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h a l l t h e work o f t h a t t i m e . Arm inius von Thunder-1e n - Tronckh, t h e f i c t i t i o u s P r u s s i a n w h o -s e rv e s as m outhpiece f o r A r n o l d ’s i d e a s i n t h e s e l e t t e r s , s h a r p l y c r i t i c i s e s England and h e r ways. ( 2

)

A r m i n i u s ’ a t t i t u d e to th e P h i l i s t i n e s , and h i s c r e a t o r ’s supposed p a i n i n f a c e of i t , may s e r v e as an example of t h e

( 1 ) ’My Countrymen’ c l o s e s w i t h t h e l i n e s on England, ’th e weary T i t a n ’ , which were to be i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t h e poem ’H e i n e ’s C r a v e ’ , p u b l i s h e d i n New Poems. 1867. { 2) Mr. T r i l l i n g s ay s of Arm inius: ’A p e r f e c t Bentham i n P r u s s i a n c l o t h e s , he a t t a c k s th e i r r a t i o n a l i t y o f E n g l i s h e d u c a t i o n , E n g l i s h law , E n g l i s h l a n d s y s te m s , E n g l i s h l e g a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ; he r a g e s a g a i n s t a m iddle c l a s s which m a i n t a i n s t h e i r r a t i o n a l i t y of f e u d a l i s m ; w i t h re d ^ ^ r e v o lu tio n a r y p a s s i o n he p o i n t s o ut t h a t t h e s t r e n g t h o f France i s i n th e F rench working c l a s s . . . . But t h e E n g l i s h have no demos o n ly masses w i t h v u l g a r t a s t e s , c o r r u p t e d by t h e P h i l i s t i n e s ’. - L i o n e l T r i l l i n g , Ivlatthew A m o l d . p . 232.

- 43 ikiilr

i r o n y i n t h e s e l e t t e r s , and irbv k i n s h i p w i t h C u l t u r e and Anarchy.

Arminius d i v i d e s th e B r i t i s h P h i l i s t i n e i n t o

th re e groups:

th e r e l i g i o u s P h i l i s t i n e , th e w e l l - t o - d o

P h i l i s t i n e , and t h e rowdy P h i l i s t i n e .

A m o ld bans r e l i g i o n ,

so Arminius c o n t i n u e s , / t h e rowdy P h i l i s t i n e i s r e p r e s e n t e d by t h e D a i l y l e l e C T a p h .and t h e w e l l - t o - d o P h i l i s t i n e by th e Times \

This l a t t e r new spaper t h e n r e c e i v e s some

scathing c r itic is m ;

and one can imagine what would have

b ee n s a i d , had A m o ld allo w ed i t ,

of t h e r e l i g i o u s

P h ilistin e. There i s a l s o t h e d e l i g h t f u l comment o f A r n o l d ’s P r u s s i a n f r i e n d upon t h e A t l a n t i c t e l e g r a p h : r e p l i e d A rm inius, c o n te m p tu o u s ly ;

* ’’Pshaw.*”

’’t h a t g r e a t r o p e , w i t h

a P h i l i s t i n e a t each end o f i t t a l k i n g i n u t i l i t i e s . ’ ” I n a more s e r i o u s v e i n i s t h e l e t t e r ^

i n which Arminius

t e l l s Arnold t h a t t h e E n g l i s h ’have no n a t i o n , ’ b u t o n ly th e P h i l i s t i n e s . not.

The a r i s t o c r a c y once l e d , now i t does

I t t e a c h e s the P h i l i s t i n e s l u x u r i o u s

i t no l o n g e r r u l e s ;

' l i v i n g , ' , ’b u t

a t most i t b u t a d m i n i s t e r s ;

the

P h i l i s t i n e s r u l e ’ , the P h i l i s t i n e s

’have no i d e a g r e a t

e n o u g h ’ t o make them i n e a r n e s t .

They want t r a d e , and

(1) F r i e n d s h i p ’s G a r l a n d , p . 37. ( 2) T b id , 5 . 5 7 . ( 3) Aug. 9 , 1870, I b i d , p . 76.

— 44 —

i m p o r t a n c e , and th e pov/er t o c r i t i c i s e a l l t h a t i s b e i n g done, and complete p e r s o n a l l i b e r t y ;

b u t 't h e y have no i d e a

deep and s t r o n g enough to s u b o r d i n a t e e v e r y t h i n g e l s e to i t s e l f * - t h a t i s , th e y have no c u l t u r e ; l i k e s to s a y , no 'G -eist*, no i n t e l l i g e n c e . f r i e n d ' , he c o n t i n u e s ,

o r , as Arminius 'My d e a r

' I have t o l d you o u r German programme,

- t h e e l e v a t i o n o f a whole p e o p le th r o u g h c u l t u r e ' .

The

B r i t i s h have o n ly ' t h e b e a t i f i c a t i o n o f a whole peo p le t h r o u g h c l an -1 ra n ' #

In a fu rth e r l e t t e r

Mr. Lowe and

t h e Times. t h e E d in b u rg h Review, and t h e B r i t i s h P h i l i s t i n e in gen eral, are p i l lo r ie d ;

and t h r o u g h o u t F r i e n d s h i p ' s

G arland Arnold a t t a c k s , i n h i s most e n t e r t a i n i n g manner, t h e a n a rc h y of E n g l i s h s o c i e t y f o r which c u l t u r e was th e o n ly remedy. The o r i g i n a l E ssays i n C r i t i c i s m , t h e r e f o r e , l e d A m o ld i n t o a wide f i e l d # was a l i e n to him#

No m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f th e human s p i r i t I n t h e e s s a y 'On t h e f u n c t i o n of

C r i t i c i s m ' he q u o te s from t h e Homer l e c t u r e s of 1862 h i s own d e f i n i t i o n o f a ' c r i t i c a l e f f o r t ; th e e n d e av o u r, i n a l l b ra n c h e s -o f knowledge, t h e o l o g y , p h i l o s o p h y , h i s t o r y , a r t , s c i e n c e , t o see t h e o b j e c t as i n i t s e l f i t r e a l l y is# ' ^

(1) Nov. 21, 1870, I b i d , P# 86. (2 j E ssay s i n C r i t i c i s m , p# 1.

- 45 -

Arnold '8 t h e o r y o f c r i t i c i s m l e a d s on to h i s i d e a c u l t u r e , which i n t u r n b r i n g s him to r e l i g i o n . trie s is

'O f

C ulture

*to make r e a s o n and th e w i l l of God p r e v a i l i t

'a n endeavour to come a t r e a s o n and t h e w i l l o f God by

means o f r e a d i n g , o b s e r v i n g , and t h i n k i n g \ ^ ^ ^

I t s aim

I

i s human p e r f e c t i o n , an aim s a n c t i o n e d by r e l i g i o n , f o r re lig io n i t s e l f is

' t h e g r e a t e s t and most i m p o r t a n t of t h e

e f f o r t s by v/hich t h e human r a c e has m a n i f e s t e d i t s im pulse to p e r f e c t i t s e l f .

R eligion say s,

' t h e kingdom o f God

i s v / i t h i n y o u ' , and c u l t u r e a l s o p l a c e s human p e r f e c t i o n w ithin.

Yet c u l t u r e goes beyond r e l i g i o n - t h a t i s ,

beyond r e l i g i o n i n o u r u s u a l narrow and p a r t i a l sen se - f o r i t see k s t h e harmonious development o f a l l t h e human powers, as d i d t h e a n c i e n t Greek i d e a l .

Arnold f e a r e d l e s t

r e l i g i o n y by s u p p l y i n g th e P h i l i s t i n e s w i t h gra n d lan g u ag e f o r t h e i r ' r u d i m e n t a r y e f f o r t s * a t p e r f e c t i o n , sh o u ld delude them i n t o t h i n k i n g t h e y had a t t a i n e d p e r f e c t i o n , when t h e y had a c h ie v e d o n ly a o n e - s i d e d development i n v o l v i n g th e m oral powers o n ly . This o n e - s i d e d development i s a f r u i t o f Hebraism t r i u m p h a n t , and A r n o l d ' s d o c t r i n e o f Hebraism and H e lle n is m ,

11) C. and A. , p . 8; A rnold t a k e s t h e p h r a s e from Bishop W ilson. 12) I b i d , p . 71. 13) I t i d , p . 11.

-

46

-

which i s one o f th e f i b r e s ru n n i n g t h ro u g h b o t h C u l t u r e and Anarchy and 8 t . Paul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m , o c c u p ie s a whole c h a p t e r i n t h e e a r l i e r work, fo rm in g t h e c e n t r e o f t h e argu m ent.

Arnold g i v e s s l i g h t l y v a r i e d d e f i n i t i o n s o f each

of th e two f o r c e s :

Hebraism r e p r e s e n t s

p r a c t i c e * , Hellenism,

' i n t e l l i g e n c e d r i v i n g a t th o s e id e a s *

which a r e t h e b a s i s o f p r a c t i c e . r i g h t l y , to obey;

*energy d r i v i n g a t

Hebraism t r i e s t o a c t

H e lle n is m s t r i v e s to see t h i n g s as t h e y

a r e , to t h i n k c l e a r l y ; c o n s c i e n c e , i n d o in g ;

Hebraism c o n s i s t s i n s t r i c t n e s s o f H e lle n is m , i n s p o n t a n e i t y o f

c o n s c i o u s n e s s , i n knowing.

'Both aim a t m an's s a l v a t i o n o r

p e r f e c t i o n , y e t th e y have n e v e r e x i s t e d i n a p e r f e c t harmony, and t h e w o rld f l u c t u a t e s u n e a s i l y between them. B oth a r e good, i n t h e i r p e r f e c t fo rm s , b u t n e i t h e r s h ou ld be allo w ed to p re d o m in ate ;

each i s a c o n t r i b u t i o n t o , n o t

th e law o f , human developm ent. I n an a t t r a c t i v e , i f o v e r - s i m p l i f i e d , h i s t o r i c a l s k e t c h , Arnold t r a c e s t h e predominance o f each ten denc y i n t u r n . The H e l l e n i c c o n c e p t i o n of human l i f e proved i n a d e q u a t e , ( t h e r e f o r e t h e b r i g h t prom ise of H e lle n is m f a d e d , and Hebraism r u l e d t h e w orld * . ^^ ^

The form of Hebraism t h a t

s u p e r s e d e d t h e a n c i e n t H ellen is m was C h r i s t i a n i t y , and t h e

( 1 J C u l t u r e and A narchy, p . 96.

- 47 -

C l a s s i c a l R en a is s a n c e o f t'he S ixteenth* C en tu ry was a r e v i v a l o f H elle n is m .

This H e lle n ism , l i k e i t s p r e d e c e s s o r , had a

s t r a i n o f moral w eakness, and i t was soon c o n f r o n t e d w i t h a ' renewed and purged* Hebraism i n t h e P r o t e s t a n t R e fo rm a tio n , *a r e a c t i o n o f Hebraism a g a i n s t H e lle n is m * .

But th e

R eform ation l a c k e d t h e b e a u t y and power o f p r i m i t i v e C h r i s t i a n i t y , and t h e S i x t e e n t h C en tu ry was *not a l t o g e t h e r th e ho ur of Hebraism* as was t h e F i r s t C e n t u r y . ^ Thus Arnold i s l e d to c o n s i d e r v/hat he c a l l s

*Puritanismii,’ ,

t h e r e l i g i o n of th e P r o t e s t a n t R efo rm a tio n as expounded by th e f o l l o w e r s o f C a l v i n , and e x e m p l i f i e d i n t h e N on con fo rm ists o f h i s tim e .

The p u g n ac io u s motto o f t h e N onconform ist

a r o u s e d h i s s a rc a s m , C2 ) and he s e e s i n t h e l i f e o f m id d le c l a s s D i s s e n t t h e a n t i t h e s i s of *s w e e tn e s s and l i g h t * . Our r e l i g i o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s r e p r e s e n t th e most c o n s i d e r a b l e e f f o r t y e t made by our r a c e tow ards p e r f e c t i o n , b u t i t i s a p a r t i a l e f f o r t , and th e c h i e f o f f e n d e r s a g a i n s t t o t a l i t y are the D is s e n te r s .

( 1 ) I b i d , p. 1 0 3 .

T h e i r type o f r e l i g i o n may have been

This view i s an i n t e r e s t i n g i n s t a n c e o f ikmoDdJ® n o t i o n o f t h e / Z e i t g e i s t . ^ 1 2 ) I b i d , p. 2 4 .

- 48 -

n e c e s s a r y a t a c e r t a i n p e r i o d of our h i s t o r y ,

h u t i t has

p roduced 't h e hideous and g r o t e s q u e i l l u s i o n s of m i d d le c la s s Protestantism *. I t may he i n so g r i e v o u s

( p )

^

douhted w h eth e r t h e h e s t k in d o f P u r i t a n was

.

a s t a t e as Arnold f e a r e d , and he c e r t a i n l y

found i t d i f f i c u l t to see any good i n N o n co n fo rm ity •

Yet

he was hy no means h i g o t e d , and he d i d n o t d e s i r e to s u p p re s s N onconform ist forms of worship o r c h u rc h government.

In

t h e 1869 P r e f a c e to C u l tu r e and A narchy, he p ro p o s e s a cure f o r th e p r o v i n c i a l i s m and n arro w n ess o f t h e D i s s e n t e r s . I n s t e a d of a l e v e l l i n g down hy d i s e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e Church, he s u g g e s t s t h e r e v e r s e p r o c e s s :

l e t a ch u rc h o f P re s b y ­

t e r i a n o r d e r he e s t a b l i s h e d a l o n g s i d e th e e x i s t i n g one, w i t h f u l l e q u a l i t y of s t a t u s .

U nlike h i s f a t h e r o r h i s f r i e n d

Dean S t a n l e y , he v/ould n o t sim ply r e l a x t h e f o r m u l a r i e s o f t h e Church o f England and h i d th e N on co n fo rm ists e n t e r i t ; ' t h i s i s h a r d l y p e r h a p s , to ta k e s u f f i c i e n t a c c o u n t o f t h e (1)

P u r i t a n i s m was perhaps n e c e s s a r y t o d ev elo p th e moral f i b r e of th e E n g l i s h r a c e . Nonconform ity t o b r e a k t h e yoke o f e c c l e s i a s t i c a l dom inatio n o v e r m en's minds and t o p r e p a r e th e way f o r freedom o f t h o u g h t . . . . s t i l l , c u l t u r e p o i n t s o u t t h a t th e harmonious p e r f e c t i o n of g e n e r a t i o n s o f P u r i t a n s and N o n co n fo rm ists has b e e n , i n consequence, s a c r i f i c e d * . - I b i d , pp. 31-32. I n t h i s d i s c u s s i o n , Arnold t o u c h e s on t h e ' b e s t s e l f ' , and t h e t r e a t m e n t of S t. P au l by P u r i t a n i s m , b o t h o f which p o i n t s he expands i n S t . P. & P .

( 2 ) C u ltu r e and Anarchy, p . 1 0 .

-

c o u r s e of h i s t o r y * .

49

-

N e i t h e r e p is c o p a c y n o r p r e s h y t e r i a h i s m

i s e s s e n t i a l , h u t much may he s a i d f o r b o t h , and b o t h were p r e s e n t i n th e e s t a b l i s h e d church a t th e Reformation* s e v e r i t i e s p r a c t i s e d upon D i s s e n t e r s

The

*have o f th e m s e lv e s made

u n io n on an E p i s c o p a l i a n f o o t i n g i m p o s s i b l e *, and f u r t h e r , * P re s b y te r ia n is m , th e p o p u l a r a u t h o r i t y o f e l d e r s , . . . 0 has t h a t v /arran t g iv e n to i t by S c r i p t u r e and by th e p r o c e e d i n g s o f t h e e a r l y C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h e s , i t i s so co nson an t w i t h t h e s p i r i t o f P r o t e s t a n t i s m which made t h e R e fo r m a tio n , . . . i t i s so predominant i n t h e p r a c t i c e o f o t h e r 'Reformed Churches, i t was so s t r o n g i n th e o r i g i n a l Reformed Church o f E ngland, t h a t one can no t h elp d o u b tin g w h e th e r any s e t t l e m e n t / which s u p p r e s s e d i t co u ld have been r e a l l y pe rm anent. '* This p r o p o s a l s u r e l y c l e a r s Arnold o f any a c c u s a t i o n o f n e g a t i v e c r i t i c i s m , and shews him to be n o t o nly ahead of I

h i s own tim e , b u t , i n t h i s a t l e a s t , ahead o f o u r s . With a l l h i s c o n c e s s i o n s i n t h e m a t t e r o f r e u n i o n , Arnold was i n e x o r a b l e i n h i s o p p o s i t i o n to t h e P u r i t a n type of r e l i g i o n v/hich, w h ile overcoming t h e g r o s s e r f a u l t s of character, is a t i t s w orst.

*narrow and i n a d e q u a t e *, r e v e a l i n g Hebraism The N o n co n fo rm ists, he t h o u g h t , were doing

much harm by em ph asisin g a q u a l i t y o f which t h e E n g l i s h had to o much a l r e a d y :

en ergy w i t h o u t l i g h t .

This emphasis

p r e v e n t e d any f r e e p l a y of t h o u g h t , and must be a l t e r e d .

( l ) C u l tu r e and A narchy, p.

-

50

I t was time *to H e l l e n i s e a l i t t l e * ;

the fo u n d atio n s of t h i s

n arrow P r o t e s t a n t i s m must be undermined. *A more f r e e p l a y o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s , an i n c r e a s e d - d e s i r e f o r sw eetness and l i g h t , and a l l t h e b e n t which v/e c a l l H ell en i s i n g , i s th e mas t e r mmpulse even now o f t h e l i f e o f o ur n a t i o n and of h u m a n i t y . *H / This was t h e ch o ice t h a t Arnold saw b e f o r e B r i t a i n :

eith er

t h i s d i s c i p l i n e o f t r u e c u l t u r e t h r o u g h a r i g h t use of c r i t i c i s m , o r - Anarchy.

And C u l t u r e and A narchy, i n

s p i t e of i t s i n c u r s i o n s i n t o p r a c t i c a l p o l i t i c s , was w r i t t e n to recommend t h i s cure by H e llen ism .

( 1 ) C u l t u r e and Anarchy, p. 2 3 8 .

-

51

-

IV» From C u l t u r e and Anarchy* t o *St>Paul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m * St» Paul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m » l i k e C u l t u r e and A n archy » ( 1)

a p p e a re d f i r s t i n th e C o r n h l l l Lîagazine»

I t i s an

a t t e m p t a t a f r e s h c r i t i c i s m o f St» P au l ' s t h o u g h t . o b j e c t o f t h i s t r e a t i s e * , Arnold s a y s ,

'The

'i s not re lig io u s

e d i f i c a t i o n , b u t th e t r u e c r i t i c i s m of a g r e a t and m isunderstood- a u t h o r ' .

(2 )

D uring t h e ' S i x t i e s Arnold had

become e v e r more c e r t a i n t h a t E n g l i s h s o c i e t y wouldnever be h e a l t h y u n t i l t h e m iddle c l a s s had been d e l i v e r e d from i t s t h i r d - r a t e s c h o o l s , i t s N o nconform ist r e l i g i o n , i t s ' p r i s o n - h o u s e of P u r i t a n i s m ' »

I n o rd e r to help the

m id d le c l a s s tow ards t h i s exodus he had to f r e e t h e D i s s e n t e r s from t h e f a l s e t h e o l o g y which t h e y b e l i e v e d to be t a u g h t

by St» P a u l . He s e t a b o u t t h i s ta d k h o p e f u l l y ,

i n the s p i r i t t h a t l a t e r

( l 8 8 l ) prompted him to w r i t e

that

'th e E n g l i s h p e o p le a r e im p ro v a b le , I ho p e........ our s e r i o u s middle c l a s s , which has so t u r n e d a r e l i g i o n f u l l of g ra c e and t r u t h i n t o a r e l i g i o n f u l l o f h a r d n e s s and m is a p p r e h e n s io n , i s n o t doomed to l i e i n i t s p r e s e n t dark o b s t r u c t i o n f o r e v e r , i t i s im provable (1 ) The e s s a y s ap p e a re d i n t h e C o m h i l l i n th e f o l l o w i n g o r d e r : ' S t . Paul & P r o t e s t a n t i s m ' ( l ) , O cto b e r, 1869, p . 432. i S t . P aul & P r o t e s t a n t i s m ' ( 2 ) , November, 1869, p . 598» ( P u r i t a n i s m & t h e Church o f E n g l a n d ' , F e b r u a r y , 1 8 7 0 ,p . 180. The f i r s t e d i t i o n , w i t h a P r e f a c e on Modern D i s s e n t , was p u b l i s h e d i n 18?0. (2 ) S t . P. & P . , p . 75 (3 ) I r i s h " E s s a y s » pp. 38-39.

— 52 —

When C u ltu r e and Anarchy and i t s s u c c e s s o r a r e s t u d i e d t o g e t h e r i t becomes c l e a r t h a t th e l a t e r e s s a y s were no sudden i n c u r s i o n i n t o an a l i e n f i e l d , b u t a n a t u r a l developm ent.

Whether c o n s c i o u s l y o r n o t , t h e y were t a k i n g

shape w h ile C u ltu r e and Anarchy was b e i n g w r i t t e n .

It is

n o t s u r p r i s i n g to f i n d a c r i t i c l i k e P r o f e s s o r E. K, Brown v / r i t i n g o f S t. Paul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m a s *a p r o j e c t i o n of t h e c h a p t e r on Hebraism and H e lle n is m i n C u l t u r e and Anarchy®;

b u t we may c a l l to w i t n e s s a c r i t i c o f t h e o l d e r

s c h o o l who did n o t emphasise t h e i n t e g r i t y of A r n o l d ’s work. H, W. P au l w r i t e s o f S t . Paul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m . * I t i s r a t h e r p h i l o s o p h i c a l t h a n t h e o l o g i c a l , and c a r r i e s a s t e p f u r t h e r the p r i n c i p l e s l a i d down i n C u l t u r e and A n a r c h y *. The same c r i t i c s ay s a g a i n ,

(2 )

*S t . P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m i s

n o t r e a l l y a t h e o l o g i c a l book*,

^ and he q u o te s a l e t t e r

w r i t t e n by Arnold t o M. P o n tan es i n 1872, i n which Arnold s a y s , *En ^ p a r l a n t de S t . P a u l , j e n * a i pas p a ^ l e en - t h é o l o g i e n , mais en homme de l e t t r e s m écon ten t de l a t r è s mauvaise c r i t i q u e l i t t é r a i r e qu*on a p p l i q u a i t à a n grand e s p r i t *. More i m p o r t a n t t h a n t h e o p i n i o n s o f h i s c r i t i c s i s

(1) E. K. Brown, Matthew A rnold: A Study i n C o n f l i c t . (1 9 4 9 ), p .1 4 4 . , ^ , ( 2 ) H. W. P a u l , I^Iatthew A rn o ld . ( 1 9 O2 ), p . 121. (3 ) I b i d , p . 131.

—

A r n o l d ' s own w i t n e s s ;

53

""

and i t i s c l e a r t h a t he r e g a r d e d th e

t r e a t i s e on St« P aul as a c o n t i n u a t i o n o f . t h e work begun i n C u l t u r e and a n a r c h y .

A f t e r s t a t i n g h i s aim he s a y s ,

' This

we prop ose now to do, and, i n d e e d , to do i t v / i l l o n ly be to com plete what we have a l r e a d y b e g u n ' . '( 1) to C u l t u r e and Anarchy , he s a y s ,

Again, r e f e r r i n g

'

'When we were s p e a k in g o f Hebraism and H e lle n is m , -we were l e d to remark how t h e o v e r - H e b r a i s i n g o f P u r i t a n i s m , and i t s want of a wide c u l t u r e , do so narrow i t s range and i m p a i r i t s v i s i o n t h a t even t h e documents which i t t h i n k s a l l - s u f f i c i e n t . . . . i t does not- r i g h t l y u n d e r s t a n d , I n C u l tu r e and Anarchy Arnold has to uch ed on t h e d e a l i n g s o f P u r i t a n i s m w i t h Ht, P a u l ;

now he w i l l

' t a k e th e p r e s e n t

o p p o r t u n i t y of going f u r t h e r i n t h e same r o a d ' , ' t o make Hebraism , , , , f i n d i t s t r u e s e l f , ' (4) ^

He hopes - an aim

not s t r i c t l y th eological a t all* S t , Paul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m , as P r o f e s s o r Brown has o b s e r v e d , c a r r i e s on t h e t h e o r y of Hebraism and H e l l e n i s m . A rn o ld 's c h ie f care i s

' n e i t h e r f o r t h e Church n o r f o r (5 ) P u r i t a n i s m , b u t f o r human p e r f e c t i o n ' , Not o n ly would a t r i u m p h a n t P u r i t a n i s m e s t a b l i s h Hebraism, b u t t h e type o f

(ij 12j (3) (4) (5 )

S t . P, & P , , p, 6 I b i d , p p .~ 6 - 7 . I b i d , p. 7. I b i d , p, Ib id , p.

-

54

-

Hebraism i t v/ould e s t a b l i s h . *is one i n v/hich n e i t h e r g e n e r a l human p e r f e c t i o n , n o r y e t Hebraism i t s e l f , can t r u l y f i n d th eir a c c o u n t \ ^

He r e c a l l s ^ ^ ^ t h e d i s t i n c t i o n between

Hebraism and H ellenism which he has a l r e a d y e s t a b l i s h e d , and i n s i s t s t h a t Hebraism p re d o m in a te s i n England. s e r v e s Hebraism; m in isters.

^

The B i b l e

so do t h e whole body of c l e r g y and Yet Hebraism alo n e w i l l n o t do, and H e lle n is m

a l o n e w i l l n o t do: (Hebraism s t r i k e s too e x c l u s i v e l y upon one s t r i n g - i n u s ; H ellenism does n o t a d d r e s s i t s e l f w i t h s e r i o u s energy enough to m o ra ls and r i g h t e o u s n e s s . For our t o t a l i t y , f o r our g e n e r a l p e r f e c t i o n , we need t o u n i t e t h e two.* 1 5 ) Hebraism and H e lle n is m a r e complementary, b u t t h e y can o n ly be u n i t e d when ea ch i s a t i t s b e s t .

Their decadent,

e x c l u s i v e forms Arnold c a l l s IH a lism and M iH igm ,

^ and

w h ile t h e s e p r e v a i l t h e r e can be no u n i o n , b u t o n ly unhappy a l t e r n a i t i o n p , * a ll s t e r i l e * .

t7 )

Hebraism must *r a i s e i t s e l f

above Ivlialism, f i n d i t s t r u e s e l f , shew i t s e l f i n i t s b e a u ty (

and power, and h e l p , n o t h i n d e r , m an's t o t a l i t y . *

Cl) (2 ) (3 ) (4 ) (5) C6) (7) (8 )

I b i d , p. x x x i i i . I b i d , p. x x x i i i . G. & A. . C h ap ter IV, p . 128, S t . P. & P . , p. x x x i v . I b i d , P.XXXV. I b i d , p. x x x v i. I b i d , p . x x x ix . I b i d , p . x x x ix .

8)

^

In

-

55

-

o r d e r to b r i n g t h i s a b o u t , Arnold must *d is e n g a g e t h e r e l i g i o n o f i h g l a n d from u n s c r i p t u r a l P r o t e s t a n t i s m and a s p i r i t of w a tc h fu l j e a l o u s y * . (1) ïh e words *a s p i r i t o f w a t c h f u l j e a lo u s y * a r e qu oted by Arnold (p .x x ) from a speech i n P a r l i a m e n t by Henry S e l f e ' Page Y/interbotham (1837-1873 who was th e N o nco nfo rm ist l e a d e r i n t h e House of Commons f o r some y e a r s . He was ed u c a te d a t U n i v e r s i t y C o l l e g e , London, and g r a d u a t e d w i t h honours i n 1856. Three y e a r s l a t e r he g r a d u a t e d L l . D . , a f t e r g a i n i n g th e Hume S c h o l a r s h i p i n J u r i s p r u d e n c e . In i8 6 0 he was c a l l e d to t h e Bar a t L i n c o l n * s I n n , and g a in e d a r e p u t a t i o n i n Chancery p r a c t i c e . I n 1867 he e n t e r e d th e House as L i b e r a l M.P. f o r S tr o u d ; he r e f u s e d to j o i n w i t h t h e r e g u l a r L i b e r a l s , b e i n g more advanced , and was r e g a r d e d as one of the coming l e a d e r s . I n 1871 he became U n d e r s e c r e t a r y of S t a t e f o r t h e Home Departm ent; i t i s s a i d t h a t th e work of t h i s o f f i c e k i l l e d him. Two y e a r s a f t e r w a r d s he was t a k e n i l l a f t e r a d d r e s s i n g a m e e tin g a t B r i s t o l ; he went to I t a l y f o r a r e s t , and d i e d ( l 8 7 3 ) i n Rome. (v. The Times, 15 and 22 Dec. 1873> t h e S tro ud G a z e t t e , and t h e I n d e p e n d e n t ; a l s o D . H . B .) , The f u l l c o n t e x t of th e words used by Arnold i s as f o l l o w s * It i s u s e l e s s to co n c eal th e f a c t t h a t t h e a t t i t u d e -of t h e Church towards D i s s e n t e r s i s , s p e a k in g g e n e r a l l y , one o f d i s l i k e and contempt . . . . Hence a l i e n a t i o n , an absence of c o - o p e r a t i o n i n s o c i a l and p M l a n t h r o p i c o b j e c t s , a h a b i t o f w a t c h f u l jealo u sy , a readiness (I confess i t ) to take o f f e n c e , sometimes i r r i t a t i o n , o c c a s i o n a l l y open s t r i f e * . (Ainual R e g i s t e r , I 8 7 G, p. 59)* Arnold seems to have no i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g V/interbotham, i n s p i t e o f t h e vague t r i b u t e i n s e r t e d a f t e r t h e N onconform ist l e a d e r * s d e a t h ( P o p u l a r e d i t i o n , p . l 3 1 ) ; he p l a y s w i t h h i s name i n a way t h a t makes him l o o k r i d i c u l o u s , and seems to t h i n k he was condoning th e ( w a tc h fu l jealo u s y * i n s t e a d o f sim ply e x p l a i n i n g i t . But worse th a n t h i s , he changes V/iiîterbotham*s words from *a h a b i t o f v/atchfu l jea lo u s y * to *a s p i r i t of w a t c h f u l je a lo u s y * - a f a r more e v i l a n d - p e r v a s i v e t h i n g , and b e t t e r s u i t e d to h i s own p o le m ic a l p u rp o s e . To say t h i s i s n o t to s u g g e s t t h a t Arnold c o n s c i o u s l y and d e l i b e r a t e l y made th e a l t e r a t i o n , o r r e p r e s e n t e d V/interbotham u n f a i r l y ; b u t i t i s a g l a r i n g i n s t a n c e of th e worse s i d e of h i s c r i t i c i s m , when h i s d i s l i k e o f D i s s e n t p r e v e n t e d him from s e e i n g t h i n g s *as th e y r e a l l y were *.

- 56 -

I t remained f o r E r n e s t.R e n a n to p r o v i d e t h e s p a rk which f u s e d t h e s e th o u g h t s i n t o Ste P aul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m ;

in

1369 he p u b l i s h e d t h e t h i r d volume o f h i s H i s t o i r e des O r i g i n e s du C h r i s t i a n i s m e ; Paul.

t h i s volume was a s t u d y of S t .

Henan's ap p ro ach i s i n th e

o f h i s day;

' s c ie n tific ' trad itio n

he g i v e s no p l a c e to t h e c o n v e r s i o n s t o r y ,

e x c e p t as a fa n c y of P au l3 s by which he proved h i s a p o s t l e s h i p . Cl ) Unlike t h e g e o g r a p h i c a l and h i s t o r i c a l backg rou nd , *

__

>

t h e c h a r a c t e r of S t . Paul i s n o t a t t r a c t i v e l y drav/n.

Renan

t r a n s f e r s to th e a p o s t l e h i s own d i s t a s t e f o r P r o t e s t a n t i s m . / 'La Reforme' , he s a y s , ' ouvre po ur s a i n t P a u l une e r e n o u v e l l e /

de g l o i r e e t d ' a a ù t o r i t e . '

( o)

And a g a i n ,

'Le p erso n n a g e

h i s t o r i q u e qui a l e p l u s d ' a n a l o g i e avec s a i n t P a u l , c ' e s t • L u th e r'.

A ccording to h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , P au l i s moved

c h i e f l y by a m b i t io n , and by a j e a l o u s d e s i r e to be e q u a l w i t h ' t h e 'Twelve ' ;

he i s contemptuous of r e a s o n , l o v e s

t r a n s c e n d e n t a l p a r a d o x , and i s i n s a n e l y a t t a c h e d to c e r t a i n dogmas.

'H is c h ie f v i r t u e i s h is

admirable'

'"bon sens p r a t i q u e

and h i s o r g a n i s i n g a b i l i t y .

The French s c h o l a r ' s a t t i t u d e a r o u s e d A r n o l d 's im agination;

th e v e r y t i t l e o f h i s n e x t e s s a y i s b e f o r e Mm,

(1) E r n e s t Renan, S t . P aul ( P a r i s , 1 8 6 9 ) , p . 21. (2) I b i d , p. 566. (3) I b i d , p. 569. (4) I b i d , p. 60.

—

57

—

f o r ' a l l th ro u g h h i s hook M. kenan i s p o s s e s s e d w i t h a sense of t h i s c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p between S t . P aul and Protestantism ^

He t r a n s l a t e s f o r h i s r e a d e r s t h e

words t h a t had im p ressed him: 'A f t e r h aving been f o r t h r e e hundred y e a r s , th a n k s -to P r o t e s t a n t i s m , t h e C h r i s t i a n d o c t o r p a r e x c e l l e n c e , P au l i s now coming to an end o f h i s re ig n '.^ 2;

P r e s h from w r i t i n g C u l tu r e and A narchy, Arnold must have m e d i t a t e d on R enan's v/ords, as h i s h a b i t was when any t h o u g h t g r i p p e d him, and dec ide d t h a t ' a t r u e c r i t i c i s m of men and t h i n g s ' ^ ^ proved Renan wrong. coming to an end, in d e e d ;

P r o t e s t a n t i s m was

b u t the re ig n of d t. P au l, fre e d

from P r o t e s t a n t m i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f h i s t h o u g h t , was o n ly beginning. Arnold r e c a l l s how, i n C u l t u r e and A narchy, he iias s a i d t h a t ' f o r us i n t h i s c o u n t r y , P u r i t a n i s m i s t h e s t r o n g and s p e c i a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of P r o t e s t a n t i s m * . to c a l l t h e Church of England P r o t e s t a n t ;

He r e f u s e s i t i s the S tate

Church, i t e x i s t e d b e f o r e P r o t e s t a n t i s m , and i t i s u p h e ld by o t h e r s u p p o r t s t h a n P r o t e s t a n t dogma.

The schemes of

j u s t i f i c a t i o n and e l e c t i o n a r e th e f o u n d a t i o n of P u r i t a n i s m ,

(1) S t. P. & P . , p. 3 . { 2) I b i d , p.3.^cf. Renan, S t. P aul ( I 8 6 9 J, pp. 569-5fO. (3) I b i d , p. 4 . (4) I b i d , p. 4.

-

o f modern Nonconformity;

58

-

i f i t can Toe shewn t h a t t h e y a r e

n o t th e e s s e n t i a l s of P au l *s t e a c h i n g , t h e l i i r i t a n Churches, \

d e p r i v e d of t h e i r p r o p s , must f a l l .

Arnold t h e r e f o r e

c o n c e i v e s th e i d e a of comparing th e d o c t r i n e s o f Noncon­ f o r m i t y w i t h th o s e of S t . P a u l ; ^ ^ ^

and i t i s t h i s t a s k

w hich, he s a y s , w i l l he the c o m p le tio n of C u l t u r e and Anarchy. I f Arnold needed the encouragement o f a f a v o u r a b l e r e a c t i o n to C u l tu r e and Anarchy, he. seems t o have found i t . V/hile t h a t work was s t i l l i n th e C o r n h i l l s t a g e , he w rote t o h i s m o th er, *I am a s t o n i s h e d , and so i s George Smith, C2 ) a t -th e f a v o u r a b l e r e c e p t i o n what I have s a i d meets w i t h , b u t t h i s shows how r i p e p e o p l e ’s minds a r e f o r a change i n some of t h e i r f i x e d n o t i o n s on t h e s e m a t t e r s . *^8/ Two months l a t e r , he i s t e l l i n g Lady de R o t h s c h i l d ,

(1) He seems to t h i n k t h a t i t i s h i s s p e c i a l m i s s i o n t o do t h i s , f o r contem porary P u r i t a n i s m w i l l n o t be re a c h e d by ’p h i l o s o p h i c a l w o r k s ’ l i k e th e H i s t o i r e de l a T héologie C h ré tie n n e a u - S i è c l e A p o s t o l i q u e o f Edouard R e u ss ; what i s needed i s ^ o g i v e e f f e c t to t h e . p redom inant p o i n t s i n P a u l - s t e a c h i n g , and to e x h i b i t t h e s e i n so p l a i n and p o p u l a r a manner as to i n v i t e and alm ost compel a l l men’s c o m p re h e n s io n ’. ( S t . P . & P . , pp. 7 - 3 ) . (2) 0T"3mith7” E l d e r & C o., p u b l i s h e r s o f t h e C o r n h i l l Ijagazine and o f C u l tu r e & A narchy. S t . P au l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m and o t h e r s of A r n o l d ’s boo ks. (3) June 13, 1868. (L e t t e r s , I . pp. 4 5 5 -5 6 ).

-

59

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' I met Mr. Deutsch th e o t h e r day . . . Any d i f f i d e n c e -I f e l t . • • • was s e t a t r e s t hy h i s t e l l i n g me t h a t he was d i s t i n c t l y c o n s c i o u s , w h ile w r i t i n g h i s a r t i c l e on th e Talmud. t h a t i f i t had n o t been f o r what I had done he co u ld n o t have w r i t t e n t h a t a r t i c l e i n th e Q u a r t e r l y , and the B r i t i s h p u b l i c could n o t have r e a d i t . * / A tt a c k s

on th e P r e fa c e to C u ltu r e and Anarchy he

tak es

c h e e r f u l l y , as ev id en c e t h a t he has g a in e d a h e a r i n g ; *The i i i b e r a l

n ew sp apers one and a l l a t t a c k i t * ,

he w r i t e s ,

*and t h i s , t o o , t h e y a r e l i k e l y to do more and mor e' . ^^' ^ A week l a t e r he a d d s ,

'However much I may be a t t a c k e d , my

manner of w r i t i n g i s one t h a t t a k e s , h o l d o f p e o p le and p ro v e s e f f e c t i v e .

^

I n June, 1869, he makes even more

c o n f i d e n t cla im s : ' The c h a p t e r s on H ellen ism and Hebraism a r e i n th e -main, I am co n vinced , so t r u e t h a t t h e y w i l l form a k in d o f c e n t r e f o r E n g l i s h t h o u g h t and ) s p e c u l a t i o n on th e m a t t e r s t r e a t e d i n t h e m ' . ^ P ro b a b ly Arnold g a t h e r e d much o f h i s i n f o r m a t i o n ' f r o m comments made to him p e r s o n a l l y , and l a t e r from t h e s a l e s o f t h e book.

I n 1869 he w r i t e s ,

' I h e a r on a l l s i d e s o f t h e P r e f a c e b e in g r e a d , and making an i m p r e s s i o n ' . (5 ) But t h e p r e s s was n o t s i l e n t .

The S p e c t a t o r was a t f i r s t

sym pathetic;

on J an u a ry 4, 1868, i t c a r r i e d an e d i t o r i a l ,

(1) August 9, 12) Peb. 20, (3) Peb. 27, (4) June 12, (5) Peb. 27,

1868, 1869, 1869, 1869, 1869,

(Ibid, (Ibid, (Ibid, (Ibid, (Ibid,

I, II, II, II, II,

pp. 458-59) p« 4 ) . p*6) . p . 1 3 ). p. 6 ) .

-

60

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'Mr, Arnold and th e S t a t e w h i c h A r n o l d ' s d o c t r i n e of a u t h o r i t y . a r t i c l e a p p e a re d , ( 2

)

s u p p o r t e d and extend ed

I n d u ly a n o t h e r l o n g

c o n t r a s t i n g A rnold and C a r l y l e as

p r o p h e t s o f H ellenism and Hebraism r e s p e c t i v e l y . ^ ^

The

to n e i s s t i l l s y m p a t h e t i c , though i t i s p o i n t e d o u t t h a t ' f r e e p l a y of c o n s c i o u s n e s s ' may become an end i n i t s e l f , w i t h co n sequ ent p a r a l y s i s of t h e power o f a c t i o n .

A short

n o t i c e i n the f o llo v /in g number^^^ p l a c e s 'H r. A r n o l d ' s p a p e r ' a s one of t h e two b e s t f e a t u r e s o f t h e c u r r e n t C o r n h i l l tiaA'azine. A f t e r th e p u b l i c a t i o n of C u l tu r e and Anarchy i n book form, t h e S p e c t a t o r was l e s s f r i e n d l y . An a r t i c l e on 'Mr. (5 ) iviatthew A r n o l d 's P r a i s e o f C u l t u r e ' c a l l s t h e w o rk 'a n e f f u s i o n o r s e r i e s of e f f u s i n n s i n which t h e a u t h o r ' s mind i s poured o u t v /ith o u t much o r d e r ' .

The most v a l u a b l e

(1) S p e c t a t o r , J a n . 4> 1868, p. 5* i t has proved i m p o s s i b l e to i d e n t i f y th e a u t h o r of t h e s e S p e c t a t o r a r t i c l e s , b u t as R ich ard H olt Hutton was e d i t o r a t th e time and u s u a l l y d e a l t w i t h m a t t e r s l i t e r a r y and t h e o l o g i c a l (v. D i c t i o n a r y o f R a t i o n a l Bio^raphV' (1 9 9 1 ), u n d e r R. H. Hut t o n , p . 21T, l i t may be assumed t h a t he v/rote them. C2) S p e c t a t o r , J u l y 4, 1868, p. 786. (3) Phis a r t i c l e q u o te s a new ly-found l e t t e r o f C a r l y l e ' s t o a Mr. Rodgers, t e l l i n g him t h a t ' t h e end of man i s an a c t i o n , n o t a th o u g h t ' , and e x h o r t i n g iiim to s t r e n o u s work; t h e s u g g e s t i o n i s made t h a t , had A rnold known t h i s l e t t e r , he would have see n i n i t an i l l u s t r a t i o n o f Hebraism. (4) I b i d , J u l y 11, 1868, p. 829. 15) I b i d , March 6, 1869, p. 295. .

-

61

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' e f f u s i o n * , says t h i s re v ie w , i s t h e d i s c u s s i o n of Hebraism and Hellenism*

I t i s d o u b t f u l v/hether an a rc h y i s

n e c e s s a r i l y the o p p o s i t e of c u l t u r e , and *a l i t t l e more d i s c r i m i n a t i o n would g iv e h i s u t t e r a n c e s more w e i g h t ' . One may surm ise t h a t t h i s f a i l u r e of sympathy was due t o t h e ou tspoken P r e f a c e of 1869. ^he Examiner p u b l i s h e d e n c o u ra g in g s h o r t comments on t h e C o r n h i l l p a p e rs as th e y a p p e a re d ;

t h e f i r s t m entions

' a t h o u g h t f u l , e a r n e s t p a p e r ' , d e s e r v i n g of a t t e n t i o n and r e s p e c t even from th o s e who do not, s h a r e A r n o l d ' s v i e w s , and t h e f i n a l n o t i c e speaks o f t h e c o n c lu d i n g p a p e r as 'a b o un ding w i t h pro fo u nd th o u g h t and i n t e l l i g e n t r e f l e c t i o n s ' . 12 )

These p o s s i b l y r a t h e r p a t r o n i s i n g remarks

were n o t fo llo w e d up by any f u l l re v ie w , and no f u r t h e r m en tio n of C u l tu r e and Anarchy i s to be found i n t h i s p a p e r d u r i n g 1869. The S aturd ay Review, on t h e o t h e r hand, was s i l e n t u n t i l 1869, v/hen i t made some s h a rp comments.

I,latthew

A rn o ld , i t s a i d , though e x c e l l e n t a s a l i t e r a r y c r i t i c , was 'p l a y e d o u t ' as a c r i t i c of s o c i e t y ; 'go f a r i n t o th e h e a r t of t h e m a t t e r ' .

h is a n a ly s is did not L e t him quote

11j The Exam iner, J a n . 4> 1868, p. 8. (2) I b i d , . A u g . 1 , 1868, p. 488. The d a te of t h e o t h e r n o t i c e i s Peb. 8, 1868, p . 88.

-• 62 -

Bishop Wilson as much, as he l i k e s , b u t he must n o t t a l k l i k e him when d i s c u s s i n g p o l i t i c s ; sometimes become 'w o r k '.

' p l a y ' of c o n s c i o u s n e s s sh o u ld

A rnold was a d v o c a t i n g ' c u l t u r e

i n t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n and anarchy m e a n w h ile ' @ ^ The r e l i g i o u s w e e k l ie s were n o t g r e a t l y s t i r r e d . ^he Q-uardian reviewed t h e book k i n d l y , b u t s u g g e s t e d t h a t i t was n o t to be t a k e n s e r i o u s l y .

The C h r i s t i a n World.

an organ of C o n g re g a tio n a lis m , u n d e r t h e t i t l e

'A P o e t on

S t a t e - C h u r c h i s m ' , to o k Arnold to t a s k f o r h i s a t t i t u d e to I r i s h d i s e s t a b l i s h m e n t , and f o r h i s b e l i e f t h a t g r e a t men were n o t r e a r e d o u t s i d e e s t a b l i s h e d c h u r c h e s .

The E n g l i s h

In d e p e n d e n t i g n o r e d t h e book, and Edward Mi a l l ' s o t h e r o rg a n , t h e N o n c o n f o rm is t. gave no re v ie w u n t i l 1869, th ough i t p u b lish ed sh o rt n o tic e s of the C o rn h ill essay s.

(

2 )

In

t h e o p i n i o n of t h i s p a p e r , A r n o l d 's work was 'd e e p l y i n t e r e s t i n g b u t e m in e n tly u n s a t i s f a c t o r y ' ;

l e t him

c o n t i n u e i n t h i s v e i n i f i t p l e a s e s him, s a i d M i a l l i n e f f e c t , f o r i t i s amusing and does t h e ' P h i l i s t i n e s ' no harm. Of th e monthly and q u a r t e r l y j o u r n a l s , t h e Q u a r t e r l y Review, E r a s e r ' s I%gazine and Liacmillan ' s Liagazine i g n o r e d

( l ) The S atu rd a y Review, March 6,' 1669, p . 318. 12 ) The N o n c o n f o rm is t, Jan . 11, 1868, p. 42; J u l y 8, 1868, p . 683; ^ug. 5, 1868, p. 779.

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63

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t h e p u b l i c a t i o n of C u l t u r e and Anarchyo

The Conteraporary

Review p u b l i s h e d a s y m p a th e tic b u t n o t u n c r i t i c a l e s t i m a t e ,

^

i n which i t i s s u g g e s te d t h a t Arnold would have a b e t t e r h e a r i n g i f he dropped th e tone of th e ’salon* and a v o id e d c r u e l humour 0

The r e v ie w e r a l s o q u e s t i o n s v/hether Hebraism

and H ellen ism a r e u l t i m a t e l y com patibleo The review i n t h e F o r t n i A 'h t l y 3 ^ s i g n e d by W illiam K i r k u s , i s c o u r te o u s b u t guard ed ; in

A rn old, i t s a y s , i n d u l g e s

’r a t h e r u n f a i r sarcasm *, and what i s w o rse, h i s

’c u l t u r e ’

seems i n c a p a b l e of a c t i n g u n t i l p e r f e c t i o n has been a t t a i n e d . The A t h e n a e u m ^ ^ i s amusing a t A r n o l d ’s expense;

cu ltu re,

i t s a y s , o b v i o u s l y means iiatthew A rn o ld , and a n a r c h y th e r e s t of us.

He has f a l l e n a v i c t i m to h i s lo v e o f p h r a s e -

making, and h i s s t y l e i s l o s i n g i t s c l e a r n e s s i n consequence much of C u ltu r e and Anarchy seems to have been v / r i t t e n by ’a dandy C a r l y l e * .

L et Arnold beware; _ o t h e r s

’may wish

to l e t t h e i r c o n s c io u s n e s s p l a y f r e e l y upon fir. fiat th e w A rnold.

V/e hope i t v / i l l n o t p u t him o u t* .

The Edinburgh Review, ^^

as m ight be e x p e c t e d , has

(1) The Contem porary R e v ie w, fla y , 1869, p. 150. is in itia lle d

The a r t i c l e

’G- . S. ’

(2 ) F o r t n i g h t l y Review, - Jan-A pr. , 1869, p. 371. ( 3 ) Athenaeum, Feb. 20, 1869, p. 271 $ has 'p-re v e d i mpoa a i b i a- to t r a c e ■th@" ■au tho • r av i »v/,—a«.-the ■f i l es have n o t - b o e n k ept»Thts rcvjevs/ is signed in hhe fvle, ^Miller field*. C4 j Edinburgh Review, A p r ., 1869, p. 4 8 6 .

—

little

64

s u p p o r t to o f f e r A rnold, though i t d e fe n d s him

ag ain ^ tith e lab el Hebraism, which i s

' e l e g a n t . t r i f 1 e r *.

I t champions

'good i n i t s e l f ' , w h ile H e lle n is m i s

o n ly v a l u a b l e as the I n s t r u m e n t o f g o o d ' . ‘^he B r i t i s h Q u a r t e r l y Review.

( 1 )

though i t c a l l s

C u l t u r e and Anarchy ' a v e r y ra c y and s u g g e s t i v e e s s a y ' , u p b r a i d s Arnold h e a v i l y , and one f e e l s , w i t h o u t a g r a s p of e s s e n t i a l s , f o r i t c o n s i d e r s t h a t ' t h e p i t h and p o i n t * o f th e e s s a y i s A r n o l d 's wish to a r r e s t t h e d i s e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e I r i s h Church.

I t n a t u r a l l y t a k e s much n o t i c e of

h i s a t t i t u d e to th e N o n c o n fo rm is ts , and, though th e c o m p la in ts a r e o f t e n j u s t , the l i g h t e r a p p ro ach of t h e Athenaeum seems more e f f e c t i v e . The N o rth B r i t i s h Review d ev oted more space t h a n any

.

o f t h e s e j o u r n a l s to A r n o l d 's book, u s i n g i t as t h e b a s i s of a 36 -page a r t i c l e e n t i t l e d

'What i s Man's C hief 2 n d ? '

The r e v i e w e r p u t s an undue s t r a i n on C u l t u r e and A n arch y , t r e a t i n g i t w i t h th e s e v e re l o g i c from which Arnold always r e c o i l e d , and com plaining t h a t th e theme i s

'n e e d le ssly

cum bered' by c r i t i c i s m o f p o l i t i c s , n e w s p a p e rs , and c h u r c h e s . The review p r o p e r i s p r e f a c e d by a p h i l o s o p h i c a l

(1) B r i t i s h Q u a r t e r l y Review. Apr. 1 , 1869, p. 569, c f . &t. Bq & P . , -p~. 102. [ 2 ) N orth B r i t i s h Review, M a r c h - J u l y , 1869, p. 190^

-

65

-

d i s s e r t a t i o n on c u l t u r e - a c o n t i n u a i p r o c e s s of e d u c a t i o n a s th e c h i e f end of man*

A r n o l d ’s Hebraism and H e lle n is m

a r e t h e n examined, and ’a v e r y d e c id e d H e l l e n i c b i a s * i s noticed.

Arnold i s i n d i s p o s e d to a c t i o n u n t i l t h e wisdom

of each s t e p i s f u l l y a s s u r e d ;

b u t t h e law o f Hebrew a c t i o n

i s nobler. He has no c o n s t r u c t i v e s o l u t i o n , and h i s c r i t i c i s m o f L i b e r a l measures and of the n o n c o n f o r m is t s i s u nfair^

He r e f e r s e v e r y t h i n g t o

law o f t h i n g s ’ ;

but,

’t h e f i r m i n t e l l i g i b l e

'when we as k what t h i s law i s , we

g e t no f i r m i n t e l l i g i b l e ansv /er’ o

i-ian must f i n d t h e u rge

to c u l t u r e , n o t i n h i m s e l f o r i n some ’b a r r e n a p h o r i s m ’ , b u t i n h i s o r i g i n and d e s t i n y as a b e i n g ’ c a s t i n th e image o f th e C r e a t o r * . These re vie w s do n o t r e f l e c t wide agreem ent w i t h A r n o l d ’s t h e s i s i n C u l tu r e and Anarchy, b u t most of them t r e a t Mm w i t h r e s p e c t , and th e y p r o v id e ev id en c e t h a t he v/as making p eo ple think # s e r i o u s people ;

V/i de s p r e a d i n t e r e s t among

th e e n c o u ra g in g a t t i t u d e of M s f r i e n d s ;

above a l l , p e r h a p s , th e knowledge t h a t he must make h i m s e l f c l e a r e r on some p o i n t s - a l l t h e s e f a c t o r s p r o b a b ly u rg e d A rnold to ' r e p e a t th e d o s e ’* F i n a l l y , i n c o n s i d e r i n g th e p a s s a g e from C u l t u r e and Anarchy to S t. P au l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m * i t sh o u ld be remembered t h a t i n 1868 Arnold l o s t b o t h h i s e l d e s t and h i s

-

y o u n g e s t son.

66

Of such an e x p e r i e n c e no-one who has n o t

s u f f e r e d i t can spealc w i t h c o n f i d e n c e , and any a t t e m p t t o do so would be presum ptuous;

b u t i t seems, a s f a r a s one

can s e e , to have deepened and m atured h i s mind.

Ivlr. L io n e l

T r i l l i n g * s s t a t e m e n t t h a t Arnold *is n o t b r o u g h t to r e l i g i o n , a s men so o f t e n a r e , by t h o u g h t s o f d e a t h ^

p e r h a p s needs

some m o d i f i c a t i o n , though he i s r i g h t i n s a y i n g t h a t ' t h e i n t e n s e s t emotion seems to have gone i n t o t h e h id d e n stream*. ( 2 ) I n a l e t t e r to h i s s i s t e r , Mrs. W illia m F o r s t e r , w r i t t e n on t h e day o f h i s y o u n g e s t c h i l d ' s d e a t h , Arnold remarks t h a t t h e l o s s has come, j u s t a f t e r h i s f o r t y - f i f t h b i r t h d a y , a lo n g w i t h o t h e r c a r e s which i n c l u d e

'a n a lm o s t

p a i n f u l a n x i e t y ab o u t p u b l i c m a t t e r s ' , t o remind him t h a t ' t h e time p a s t o f our l i f e may s u f f i c e u s ' , and t h a t 'we s h o u ld no l o n g e r l i v e t h e r e s t o f o u r time i n t h e f l e s h t o t h e l u s t s o f men, b u t to th e w i l l o f God' .

He a d d s ,

'However d i f f e r e n t t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n we may p u t on much o f t h e f a c t s and h i s t o r y o f C h r i s t i a n i t y , v/e may u n i t e i n t h e bond o f t h i s c a l l , which i s t r u e f o r a l l o f u s , and f o r me, (1) above a l l , how f u l l o f meaning and w arn in g . ' A f t e r th e second b ereav em en t, i n November 1868, he

' 1 ) L io n e l T r i l l i n g , Matthew Arnold (1 9 3 9 ), p . 297. g :2 9 7 . 3 ) J a n . 4, 1 8 6 8 , L e t t e r s . I , p. 443#

— 6Y —

s pea ks more f u l l y , t h i s time i n a l e t t e r to h i s m o th e r. He f e e l s t h a t t h i s y e a r has heen ' t h e b e g i n n i n g o f la new time* f o r him, and m entions *t h e g r a d u a l s e t t l e m e n t o f my own th o u g h t * and t h e two deaïihs as m arking i t p a r t i c u l a r l y . 'Tommy's d e a th * , he c o n t i n u e s , ' • • • . was a s s o c i a t e d w i t h s e v e r a l awakening and epochmaking t h i n g s . The c h a p t e r f o r t h e day o f h i s d e a t h was t h a t g r e a t c h a p t e r , th e 1 s t o f I s a i a h ; t h e f i r s t Sunday a f t e r h i s d e a t h was Advent Sunday, w i t h i t s g l o r i o u s C o l l e c t , / and i n t he E p i s t l e t h e p a s s a g e w h i c h c o n v e r t e d S t. A u g u s tin e . .A ll t h e s e t h i n g s p o i n t to a new b e g i n n i n g * . C h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y , he has found s o l a c e i n t h e B i b l e and t h e A n g lican l i t u r g y ;

and s u r e l y i t i s s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t

th e s e t p assag e from S t. P a u l made such an i m p r e s s i o n on him a t t h i s c r i s i s .

The Advent E p i s t l e opens w i t h th e

(1 ) The C o l l e c t f o r th e F i r s t Sunday i n A dvent: 'Almighty Cod, g iv e us g r a c e t h a t we may c a s t away th e works of d a r k n e s s , and p u t upon us t h e armour o f l i g h t , now i n th e time of t h i s m o r t a l l i f e , i n which Thy Son J e s u s C h r i s t came to v i s i t us i n g r e a t h u m i l i t y ; t h a t i n t h e l a s t day, when He s h a l l come a g a i n i n His g l o r i o u s m a j e s t y to judge t h e q u ick and t h e dead, we may r i s e to t h e l i f e im m o r ta l, th r o u g h Him who l i v e t h and r e i g n e t h w i t h Thee and th e Holy G-hqst, now and e v e r* . (2 ) Homans X I I I 8- I 4 . ( 3 ) Romans X I I I ^ 3 % *Let us walk h o n e s t l y , a s i n t h e day, n o t i n r i o t i n g and d r u n k e n n e s s , n o t i n chambering and w anton n ess, n o t i n s t r i f e and e n v y i n g ' . ( 4 ) Dec. 24 ( h i s b i r t h d a y ) , 1868. L e t t e r s . I , 4 6 6 .

-

words,

68

-

'Owe no man a n y t h i n g , b u t t o lo v e one a n o t h e r :

f o r he t h a t l o v é t h h a t h f u l f i l l e d t h e law *, a few months l a t e r , t h e s e words ap p e a re d i n t h e second e s s a y on S t . P a u l : *Our d u t i e s towards our n e i g h b o u r we p e rfo rm , n o t i n d e f e r e n c e to e x t e r n a l commands and p r o h i b i t i o n s , b u t th ro u g h i d e n t i f y i n g o u r s e l v e s w i t h him, by sympathy w i t h C h r i s t who i d e n t i f i e d h i m s e l f w i t h him. T h e r e f o r e , we owe no man a n y t h i n g b u t t o lo v e one a n o t h e r , and he who /n \ l o v e s h i s n e ig h b o u r f u l f i l s t h e law tow ards him*. The whole passage from Romans which forms t h e E p i s t l e i s an example o f t h a t t h i r s t a f t e r r i g h t e o u s n e s s which Arnold most s t r e s s e d i n h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of P a u l ' s t e a c h i n g . With h i s ten d en c y to dw ell on t h e s e m a t t e r s a c c e n t u a t e d by th e double b e re a v e m e n t, and encouraged by t h e knowledge t h a t what he had s a i d , e s p e c i a l l y a b o u t 'Hebraism and H e lle n is m , was r e a c h i n g t h e p u b l i c and making them t h i n k , Arnold w rote h i s p r e f a c e to t h e f i r s t e d i t i o n o f C u l t u r e and Anarchy.

'(

2)

. I n i t he t e l l s h i s r e a d e r s

t h a t ' t h e whole scope of t h e e s s a y i s to recommend c u l t u r e (o)

a s t h e g r e a t h e l p o u t o f our p r e s e n t d i f f i c u l t i e s ' . ^ ® ' I n r e - s t a t i n g h i s p o s i t i o n he comes to t h e s u b j e c t of Puritanism .

' C e r t a i n l y we a r e no enemies o f t h e Noncon-

(1 ) S t . P. & P . . p . 80. ( 2 ) A l e t t e r d a t e d P e c . 24, 1868, f i x e s t h e d a t e o f w r i t i n g : ' I am up a t s i x , and work a t t h e p r e f a c e t o my C u l t u r e & Anarchy E s s a y s ' . (L e t t e r s . I , p. 4 6 7 ). ( 3 ) C. & A. . P. X .

-

f o r m i s t s * , he p r o t e s t s , a t i s th e ir p e rfe c tio n '. need i s

69

-

' f o r on t h e c o n t r a r y what we aim (l )

But he s e e s t h a t what t h e y

' a more f u l l and harmonious develo p m en t' o f t h e i r

humanity ' , and d e l i v e r a n c e from p r o v i n c i a l i t y # ( 2 ) E s t a b l i s h m e n t keeps a church i n c o n t a c t w i t h t h e main c u r r e n t o f th e n a t i o n ' s l i f e , w h ile d i s s e n t t e n d s tow ard n arro w n ess and l a c k o f b a l a n c e , a s we see when we compare th e Church o f S c o t l a n d , o r t h e Reformed Churches on th e C ontinent, w ith t h e i r n o n -e s ta b lis h e d s i s t e r c o m m u n i o n s . ^ The e s t a b l i s h e d Churches have r e t a i n e d a c a p a c i t y to produce 'men o f n a t i o n a l m a r k ', which th e N o n co n form ists have f o r f e i t e d .

The tendency t o H e b ra ise i s b a l a n c e d , i n

an e s t a b l i s h m e n t , by c o n t a c t w i t h th e c u r r e n t o f n a t i o n a l

1) x2) (3 )

I b i d , p. x i i i # I b i d , pp# x v - x v i . As c h o l a r of o u r day who i s b o t h a man o f l e t t e r s and a competent t h e o l o g i a n p r o v i d e s an i n t e r e s t i n g s u p p l e ­ ment to A r n o l d ' s view of 'h o l e and c o m e r * r e l i g i o n : 'Any sm all c o t e r i e , bound t o g e t h e r by some i n t e r e s t which o t h e r men d i s l i k e o r i g n o r e , t e n d s to develop i n s i d e i t s e l f a h o th o u se mutual a d m i r a t i o n , and tow ards t h e o u t e r w o rld , a g r e a t d e a l o f p r i d e and h a t r e d which i s e n t e r t a i n e d w i t h o u t shame b ec a u se t h e "Cause" i s i t s s p o n s o r and i t i s t h o u g h t to be im p e rs o n a l . . . » We want t h e Church t o be am all (a d e v i l i s s p e a k in g ) n o t o n ly t h a t fe w e r men may know th e Enemy b u t a l s o t h a t th o s e who do may a c q u i r e t h e u n ea sy i n t e n s i t y and t h e d e f e n s i v e s e l f - r i g h t e o u s n e s s o f a secret society or a c liq u e '. - C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape L e t t e r s . ( l 9 4 3 ) , pp#40-41.

- 70 -

l i f e and t h o u g h t;

i n B i s s e n t i t c o n t i n u e s unchecked,

h e b r a i s i n g America, w i t h no E s t a b l i s h m e n t , sh o u ld be a w arn in g to would-be d i s e s t a b l i s h e r s i n B r i t a i n . As a s u g g e s te d cure f o r t h i s d e f e c t i v e n e s s of D i s s e n t , Arnold o u t l i n e s h i s p l a n f o r e s t a b l i s h i n g a P r e s b y t e r i a n Church o f England on e q u a l term s w i t h t h e E p i s c o p a l Church; t h i s has been d i s c u s s e d a b o v e , a n d h e r e i t i s o n ly n e c e s s a r y to say t h a t A rnold, l i k e h i s f a t h e r , was an _ extreme E r a s t i a n , and e n t i r e l y f a i l e d to see why h i s scheme would have been u n a c c e p t a b l e to men l i k e R. V/, D ale , who, w i t h most Congreg a t i o n a l i s t s and B a p t i s t s , r e g a r d e d an e s t a b l i s h e d Church as an encroachment on t h e s o v e r e i g n r u l e of C h r i s t o v e r His own.

The scheme would p r o b a b ly

have been a c c e p t a b l e t o P r e s b y t e r i a n s , and p e r h a p s t o t h e M ethodists. The r e s t of t h i s c o n s i d e r a b l e P r e f a c e i s dev o ted to a f u r t h e r e l u c i d a t i o n of A r n o l d ’s d o c t r i n e o f c u l t u r e . C u l t u r e does n o t condemn Hebraism a b s o l u t e l y , ,as many c r i t i c s o f t h e e s s a y s had supposed: ’The h a b i t s and d i s c i p l i n e r e c e i v e d from Hebraism rem ain f o r our r a c e an e t e r n a l p o s s e s s i o n , and . . . ♦ one must n e v e r a s s i g n to them t h e second rank t o d a y , w i t h o u t b e i n g p r e p a r e d to r e s t o r e to them t h e f i r s t ra n k t o m o r r o w , * ^ 2 ;

1)

V.

pp.

.

2) C, & A . , pp. x l v i i - x l v i i i .

—

71

^

.

This p r e f a c e , w r i t t e n a t th e end of 1868 and p u b l i s h e d i n th e f o l l o w i n g y e a r , i s t h e c h i e f c o n n e c t i n g l i n k between C tiltu re and Anarchy and 8t# Paul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m . I n i t , Arnold f a c e s t h e c e n t r a l problem o f liis s o c i a l c r i t i c i s m - t h e n a rro w n e s s , p r o v i n c i a l i t y , and o v e r H e b r a i s i n g tendency o f th e B r i t i s h m iddle c l a s s , w i t h t h e N onconform ists as i t s c o r e .

This problem was f e r t i l i s e d

i n h i s mind by h i s i n t e r e s t i n t h e B i b l i c a l w r i t e r s , and t h i s p r o c e s s , as f a r as we can t r a c e i t , produced S t, P aul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m ,

- 72 VST> PAUL Aim PR0TE8TAIiTI8:i' AS LITERARY CRITICISM

It P au lin e

is

c le a r t h a t A rnold in te n d e d h i s

e p i s t l e s t o Ue l i t e r a r y

th e fa c t th a t h is than h is

c ritic ism

c riticism

treatm en t o f th e

r a t h e r than t h e o l o g i c a l ,

of S t, Paul is

and

s o much h a p p i e r

o f C a lv in is m and t h e P u r i t a n s ,

may "be

c l a i m e d a s e v i d e n c e t h a t h e r e m a i n e d e s s e n t i a l l y a man o f letters. th is

Many s u m m a r i e s o f S t .

s u r v e y i s n o t an a t t e m p t e d

Paul

and P r o t e s t a n t i s m

ad d itio n

to

them , L u t

e x ist;

a study

' of A rn o ld ’s approach to m isu n d ersto o d a u th o r * .'

Hhe tru e

c ritic ism

o f a g r e a t and

^

As m i g h t "be e x p e c t e d , ' h e " b e g i n s "by r e s o l v i n g t o k e e p h i s e y e on t h e o b j e c t :

-

’When we a r e t o l d t h a t S t . P a u l i s a P r o t e s t a n t d o c t o r w h o s e r e i g n i s e n d i n g ....................... we i n m n g la rad, a t a n y r a t e , can b e s t t r y t h e a s s e r t i o n b y f i x i n g o u r e y e s on o u r own P u r i t a n s , and c o r o p a r i n g t h e i r d o c t r i n e a n d t h e i r h o l d on v i t a l t r u t h w i t h S t . P a u l ’ s ’ T h is,

s a y s A rn o ld , w i l l c o m p lete t h e work begun

A narchy; w ill

’T h i s we now p r o p o s e t o

only be to

c o m p l e t e w h a t we h a v e

I n C u l t u r e and j\nai?chy h e h a s o f the P u r i t a n s ;

and i n d e e d ,

p . 75

and

t o do i t

alread y b eg u n ’ .

c ritic ise d

the

now h e w i l l s h e w t h e m t h a t

support th e ir d o c trin e s.

1) S t.P . & P . 2) Ib id , p . 6 3) I b i d , p . 6

do,

in C u ltu r e

He h o p e s t h a t h i s

r i g i d H ebraism S t. P a u l does n o t in te rp re ta tio n

w ill

- 73 -

rescue aiid h i s

* t h e g r e a t name o f S t . P a u l * f r o m P u r i t a n p e r v e r s i o n s , one q u a l i f i c a t i o n

th e need f o r

f o r t h i s attem p t

is h is b e l i e f in

* s e e in g th in g s as th e y r e a l l y a re * .^ ^ ^

m ethod w i l l be t h a t o f t r u e

c ritic ism ,

s c i o u s n e s s work q u i t e f r e e l y , ' a n d

the * le ttin g

His o u r con­

f o l l o w i n g t h e m ethods

o f s t u d y i n g and j u d g i n g t h u s g e n e r a t e d ' . A rnold t h e r e f o r e t r e a t s lite ra tu re ,

the B ib le

a s h e w ould t r e a t

t h o u g h h e would h a v e c l a i m e d t h a t h i s

any

m e t h o d was

v e ry d i f f e r e n t in s p i r i t from t h a t o f th e l i b e r a l t h e o l o g i a n s . He a p p r o a c h e s S t . P a u l a s a l i t e r a r y h im self fo r h is task by g e ttin g a nd t h o u g h t

in

th e w o r l d * h e

c ritic

who h a s e q u i p p e d

t o loiow * t h e b e s t t h a t i s known r e a d s him

’w i t h t h e s o r t o f c r i t i c a l t a c t w h i c h t h e s t u d y o f t h e human min d and i t s h i s t o r y , a n d t h e a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h many g r e a t w r i t e r s , n a t u r a l l y g i v e s f o r f o l l o w i n g t h e movement o f a n y o n e s i n g l e g r e a t w r i t e r ’ s t h o u g h t * . ' He t r i e s

to

approach h i s ta s k w ith o u t b i a s ,

’r e a d i n g ( P a u l ) . . . .

w ithout preconceived th e o rie s

t o w h i c h we w a n t t o make h i s

tho u g h ts f i t

The q u e s t i o n

them selves * .'

^

c e s s f u l in t h i s w i l l be c o n s id e re d l a t e r

w h e t h e r h e was s u c ­

in th e

chapter.

A rn o ld does n o t s t u d y S t . P a u l as a t h e o l o g i a n a rily

do, w ith a w e i ^ t y

apparatus of te x ts

Ib id , p .8 Ib id , p .8 E s s a y s i n C r i t i c i s m , p . 45 S t . P . & p . p . 29 I b i d , p . 29 "

'

would n e c e s s ­

and c o m m e n t a r i e s ;

-

he ta k e s from th e

74

-

t h e o l o g i a n s what he n e e d s ,

to d isc o v e r the e s s e n tia l s p i r i t to

of h is a u t h o r . H e

i n d i c a t e w hat i s p r i m a r y and e s s e n t i a l

and what i s

and t h e n

s e c o n d a r y a nd s u b o r d i n a t e ;

in P a u l ' s

sets

out

w ill try

th o u g h t,

and b y t h e s e te rm s he

m eans, 's o f a r as th e a p o s tle is c o n c e rn e d , a g r e a t e r o r l e s s a p p r o a c h t o what r e a l l y c h a r a c t e r i s e s him and g i v e s h i s t e a c h i n g i t s o r i g i n a l i t y a n d p o w e r ................So f a r as t r u t h i s concerned a g r e a t e r or l e s s agreem ent w ith f a c t s w h i c h can b e v e r i f i e d ç n d a g r e a t e r o r l e s s power of e x p la in in g th e m * .(2; A f t e r t h i s p r e l i m i n a r y s k e t c h o f h i s m ethod, A rn o ld o u t ­ lin es

C a l v i n i s t th e o lo g y as he u n d e rs ta n d s

v ario u s

co n fessio n s, He t h e n

U n l i k e many,

's o se p a ra te d E xperience m eaning;

d r a w i n g upon

c h i e f l y th e W estm inster C o n fessio n o f

tu rn s

to S t. P au l t o p o in t th e c o n tr a s t.

i f n o t most t h e o l o g i a n s

the d i f f ic u lt y

it,

of h is

day,

he u n d e rs ta n d s

of know ing e x a c t l y what P a u l m eant, f r o m us b y t i m e ,

in l i t e r a r y

race,

c ritic ism

train in g

can h e l p

m ore t h a n t h a t we c a n n o t a t t a i n *

when h e i s

and c i r c u m s t a n c e s ' .

us to g e t n e a r h i s ^ M oreover,

th e E n g lish

(1) P r o f e s s o r B a s i l W ille y b rin g s out A rn o ld 's p o s i t i o n c l e a r l y : 'T o e x t r a c t t h e e s s e n t i a l t h i n g s f r o m t h e New T e s t a m e n t , we r e q u i r e n o t s o much p r o f o u n d s c h o l a r s h i p , a n d c e r t a i n l y n o t s o much s c h o l a s t i c s u b t l e t y , a s w i s d o m » a n d p u r i t y : wisdom i n t h e s e n s e o f r i p e n e s s ; e x p e r i e n c e o f m e n ' s w a ys o f t h i n k ­ i n g , f e e l i n g and s p e a k in g ; l i t e r a r y t a c t above a l l ; and p u r i t y , to f e e l w ith o u t im pedim ent t h e i r r e s t i b l o f o r c e of C h r i s t ' s t e a c h i n g and e x a m p le '. - B a s i l W i l l e y , N i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y S t u d i e s (L o n d o n 1 9 4 9 ) n o . 274-5 (2) S t. P. & P . p . 9 (3 ) V. Velow, p p . ( 4 ) S t* P . & P . p . 29

(4)

75

-

tra n s la tio n presents m o st m a tu re work,

o b s t a c l e s ;f o r ,

the S p i s tl e to

A u t h o r is e d V e rsio n had trin e s

of electio n

-

in t r a n s l a t i n g P a u l

t h e Romans, t h e m a k e rs o f t h e

't h e i r heads f u l l

of the

c u r r e n t doc­

and j u s t i f i c a t i o n ^ g i v i n g

t h e i r work a

b i a s w h i c h n e e d s t o b e .waÿched. A fu rth er d iffic u lty th in k s,

is P a u l's h a b it

in

t h e way o f t r u e c r i t i c i s m ,

of u s i n g h i g h l y - c o l o u r e d

A rnold

lan g u ag e,

lik e

o th er B ib lic a l w riters, 'h e u s e s w i t h in t h e s p h e r e e x p r e s s i o n s w h ic h , in t h i s and a p r o p r i e t y , b u t w h ic h o f i t a n d made i n t o f o r m a l It

is

an a b u s e o f S c r i p t u r e t o

gomOi O ld T e s t a m e n t p r o p h e t , tio n

th at

God i s v e n g e f u l .

s a fe g u a rd s th e true c r i t i c

o f r e l i g i o u s em otion s p h e r e h a v e an e l o q u e n c e a r e n o t to be tak e n out /g\ s c i e n t if i c p r o p o s itio n s '.^ '

tak e,

f o r exam ple,

and u s e i t

to

the p ro p o si­

F a m i l i a r i t y w ith o th e r l i t e r a t u r e s ag ain st th is ;

h e linows i t w o u l d b e

false

t o t a k e a c h o r u s from ^'A sscIiylu s, c a s t

sty le

of A r i s t o t le ,

p h ilo so p h y .

'p ro v e '

a t e x t from

and r e g a r d

it

it

in to

th e form al

a s t h e t e a c h i n g o f G reek

To h i s B i b l e - w o r s h i p p i n g c o m t e m p o r a r l e s A r n o l d

r e c o m m e n d s a maxim o f t h e m e d i a e v a l J e w i s h r a b b i s ; sp eak s w ith th e tongue of th e c h ild re n

' T h e Law

o f m en '.^ ^ ^ \

In c h a r a c t e r i s t i c m an n er, A rn o ld f i n d s a word t o d e s c r i b e P a u l's

eastern

sty le:

he c a l l s

it

'O r ie n ta lis in g '.

Y'fïien t h e

( 1 ) The A u t h o r i s e d V e r s i o n o f 1 6 1 1 was t h e n t h e o n l y s t a n d a r d one a v a i l a b l e i n E n g l i s h , a n d A r n o l d was w r i t i n g f o r a p u b l i c u n l i k e l y t o know G r e e k . 9 ) S t . P . & P . poS9 3) I b i d , p . 30 4 ) I b i d , p . 31

- 76 -

a p o s tle expresses re lig io u s language, h is

he O r i e n t a l i s e s ,

em otion in r i c h l y f i g u r a t i v e and W este rn r e a d e r s s h o u l d n o t talie

im ages a s a b a s i s f o r f o r m a l t h e o l o g y .

In c l e a r i n g

th is

cause of m is u n d e rs ta n d in g , A rnold f i n d s

also

*Judaises*,

th at is ,

an o th er,

away

fo r Paul

h e u s e s t h e Old T e s t a m e n t S c r i p t u r e s

i n an u n c r i t i c a l way i n o r d e r t o f i n d

ad d itio n al proof fo r h is

d o c trin es ; *a nd t h u s P u r i t a n i s m , w h i c h h a s o n l y i t s e l f t o h l a m e f o r m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g h im when h e O r i e n t a l i s e s , may f a i r l y p u t upon t h e a p o s t l e h i m s e l f some o f i t s h l a m e f o r m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g h im when h e J u d a i s e s . * ( l ) A n o th e r p o i n t w hich A rhold c o n s i d e r s id eas,

for

'th e

i d e a s c om e,

is

o r d e r in w hich, of great

is

in any s e r i e s

im portance t o

of id e a s,

the

the f i n a l r e s u l t .

P a u l, w ritin g to ed ify ,

did n o t s e t o u t h i s

s c i e n t i f i c v/ay, a n d t h e

c r itic 's

in w hich P a u l ' s

the ord er of P a u l's

task

is

ideas n a tu r a ll y sta n d ,

teach in g

in a

to d iscover

'th e

and th e

order

c o n n e c tio n betw een

one o f them and t h e o t h e r . H a v i n g e x p l a i n e d h i s a im a n d p o i n t e d

out p o s s ib le p i t f a l l s ,

A r n o ld g r a s p s h i s s u b j e c t b o l d l y and e x t r a c t s P a u l ' s im pulse of the

'th e

d esire fo r rig h te o u sn e ss.'

As l i t e r a r y

' i n c o m p a r a b l e h o n e s t y and d e p t h in P a u l ' s

eousness '

A rnold q u o te s h i s l i s t s

( 1 ) I b i d , P . 34 2 ) I b i d , p . 34 31 I b i d , p p . 3 4 - 3 5 4 ) I b i d , p . 38

of v irtu es

love

raasterev id en ce of r i g h t ­

and v i c e s .

An

- 77 -

asto u n d in g

B riticism *

m an , who *i s

has

deduced

A n tin o m ia n ism

from

th is

in t r u t h so p o s s e s s e d w ith h o r r o r of A ntinoraianisra

t h a t he goes to g ra c e f o r th e s o le p u rp o s e of e x t i r p a t i n g U sing h i s s k i l l S t.

P a u l's

as th e

th o u g h t,

clu e.

as a c r i t i c

of l i t e r a t u r e ,

w ith the a p o s t le 's

th irst

At t h i s p o i n t may h e n o t i c e d

f o r A rnold p o i n ts

out^^)

h is

the s p i r i t .

f le s h , but to

'b e s t s e l f

of C u ltu re

A rnold fo llo w s

fo r rig h teo u sn ess

one o f t h e

i n g l i n k s b e tw ee n S t . P a u l and P r o t e s t a n t i s m

f1 ) it.*' '

in te rest­

and i t s p r e d e c e s s o r ,

t h a t P a u l s p e a k s o f a man s o w i n g t o By f o l l o w i n g t h e

s p i r i t - the

and A n a r c h y , now i n e v i t a b l y e x p r e s s e d i n

m o r e t h e o l o g i c a l l a n g u a g e - men a r e

'u n ite d ,

im p erso n al,

at

13)

h arm o n y .' '

^

in h is ten d en cies

s e a rc h f o r power to govern th e of the f l e s h ',

S t. Paul d iscovered a f a c t

n a t u r e which i s v e r i f i a b l e b y exact k n o w l e d g e . T h i s make a man r i g h t e o u s . th e c lo se

of th e f i r s t

's e lf - s e e k in g

's c ie n c e ',

f a c t was t h a t

In t h i s ess^,

o f human

th e se n se w hich seeks a code of r u l e s

cannot

dilem m a A r n o l d l e a v e s him a t

th u s m arking

'th e

c r itic a l p o in t

________________________________i__________ 1______________________________ 1) 2) 3) 4)

I b i d , p . 42 I b i d , P . 48 0 . & A, p . 8 0 , a n d 3^ . above. Profes^sor B a s i l W ille y saya of A r n o ld 's 's c i e n c e ': A rnold h a s s o m e t i m e s b e e n t a k e n t o t a s k f o r an a l l e g e d o v e r ­ d e f e r e n c e t o ' s c i e n c e ' ; h e w a s ................ a n x i o u s t o s e p a r a t e f r o m r e l i g i o n t h o s e e l e m e n t s w h i c h e :x p osed i t t o s c i e n t i f i c attack . B u t b y ' s c i e n c e * he m e a n s s i m p l y t h e s e a r c h f o r t r u t h , o r , m ore s p e c i f i c a l l y , t h e m o d e r n s p i r i t , i n s o f a r t h a t s p i r i t s e e k s t o p r o v e a l l t h i n g s , and h o l d f a s t o n l y t h a t w hich i s s u r e . ' B a s i l W i l l e y , N i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y S t u d i e s (London 1 9 4 9 ) . p . 272.

T 78 -

f o r th e s c i e n t i f i c worth of h i s d o c t r i n e ’,

Puritanism

e x p e c t s Paul to have r e c o u r s e to th e dogmata of e l e c t i o n and j u s t i f i c a t i o n ;

h u t , says A rnold,

’we w i l l p ro c e e d

to show t h a t Paul has r e c o u r s e to n o t h i n g o f th e k i n d ’«

(

1

)

Phis stu d y does n o t a t t e m p t to f o l l o w Arnold i n t o t h e d e t a i l e d i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of 3 t . P a u l ' s th o u g h t which he g i v e s i n th e second e s s a y .

A f t e r l e a d i n g h i s r e a d e r s to

f a c e P a u l ’s c e n t r a l problem, he t r a c e s t h e s o l u t i o n p ro v i d e d by th e A p o s t l e ’s p o s i t i v e t e a c h i n g .

P au l i s

’i n c o l l i s i o n w i t h a - f a c t of human n a t u r e , b u t i n i t s e l f a s te r ile f a c t ’( 2 )

- the f a c t of s in .

b u i l d s on t h e f o u n d a t i o n of

Here aga&n Arnold

C u l tu r e and Anarchy, f o r i n

th e c h a p t e r on Hebraism and H e lle n is m he has n o t i c e d

th e

p r e o c c u p a t i o n of Hebraism w i t h s i n : 'As one p a s s e s and r e p a s s e s from H ellen ism to .ïHebraism, from P l a t o to S t . P a u l , one f e e l s i n c l i n e d to rub o n e ' s eyes and a s k o n e s e l f whether man i s in d eed a g e n t l e and sim ple b e i n g , showing th e t r a c e s o f a n o b le and d i v i n e n a t u r e ; o r an unhappy c h a in e d c a p t i v e , l a b o u r i n g w i t h g ro a n in g s t h a t c a nn ot be u t t e r e d , to f r e e h i m s e l f from t h e body o f t l i i s d e a t h ’. ( 8 / How, i n S t . P aul and P r o t e s t a n t i s m . Arnold c o n t r a s t s th e ri a t t i t u d e s of Hebraism and H e lle n is m , b o t h o f which need

I D S t. P. & P . , p. 51 12) I b i d , p . 55. (3) C. & A ,, p . 138.

- 79 -

m o d ify in g to a t t a i n th e r e a l i s m of St# PaifJ.;

's in i s not

a m o n ste r to be mused on, b u t an impotence t o be g o t r i d of *

.

Paul had a sense of moral g u i l t , and f e l t

i m p u ls i o n o u t s i d e o u r s e l v e s ' b u t he k e p t h i s b a l a n c e .

't h e

^ which overwhelms C alv in is m ;

He saw t h e n o n - f u l f i l m e n t o f

r i g h t e o u s n e s s by men, and t h e f u l f i l m e n t of i t by C h r i s t , and th u s he conceived h i s c e n t r a l d o c t r i n e - d ying w i t h C h r i s t to s i n ,

' n e c r o s i s H i s

e s s e n tia l ideas are

' d y in g v/ith C h r i s t , r e s u r r e c t i o n from th e dead, growing into C h r is t';

Arnold c o n t r a s t s th e P u r i t a n ' c a l l i n g ,

j u s t i f i c a t i o n , s a n c t i f i c a t i o n '# I n o r d e r to b r i n g o u t more c l e a r l y v/hat he b e l i e v e s to be e s s e n t i a l i n P a u l ' s d o c t r i n e , Arnold a n a l y s e s th e E p i s t l e to th e Romans, d i v i d i n g i t i n t o p r i m a r y , sub­ p rim a ry and secondary s e c t i o n s .

He q uo tes Romans v i ^ as

an e x p r e s s i o n of P a u l ' s c e n t r a l t h o u g h t : 'We a r e b u r i e d w i t h C h r i s t t h r o u g h b a p tis m i n t o d e a t h , t h a t l i k e as he was r a i s e d up from th e dead by th e g l o r y o f th e F a th e r^ ^ven so we a l s o s h a l l v/alk i n newness of l i f e

(1) S t , P. & P . , p, 56. (2) c f . th e 'power, n o t o u r s e l v e s , t h a t makes f o r r i g h t e o u s ­ n e s s ' . L i t e r a t u r e & Do^ma, p , 43* Î3) S t. P. & P . , pp. 75-76. 14 ) I b i d 7 p.*”5 l • ( 5 j I b i d , p , 100.

-

ïhe

80

-

^

r e s u r r e c t i o n o f w hich P au l h e re

p h y s ic a l m ira c le , h u t the d eath to in

th is

process

life ,

speaks i s

s i n and r e s u r r e c t i o n

w hich th e b e l i e v e r s h a r e s w ith C h r i s t by a

o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h Him*

D octrines lik e

p re d e s tin a tio n are a c c id e n ta l a d d itio n s , t h e w hole d r i f t p h y sical

not a

of P a u l's

th o u g h t;

R e su rrec tio n of C h ris t,

b eliev ed in i t ,

was n o t t h e t r u e

A rnold com pletes h i s

co n trast*

c o n tr a d ic te d by

even b e l i e f

in

the

th o u g h P au l u n d o u b te d ly c e n t r e f o r him* Paul h im self,

^

So

he s a y s ,

'w o u ld hav e t o l d P u r i t a n i s m t h a t e v e r y S u n d a y , -w h e n i n a l l i t s c o u n t l e s s c h a p e l s i t r e a d s h i m and p r e a c h e s from him , t h e v e i l i s upon i t s h e a r t ' * 12; S i n c e A r n o l d ' s a im was to t r e a t any o th e r g r e a t a u th o r,

it

h i s m ethod from a l i t e r a r y t h a t must a r i s e a s he r e a l l y

is',

task ;

ap p ro p riate

p o in t o f view ;

to c r i t i c i s e and th e

q u e stio n

's e e in g

S t.

Paul

i n a p p r o a c h i n g him w i t h o u t p r e j u d i c e

c an n o t be s a i d

d iffic u lt

P a u l a s he w o u ld

i s w h e t h e r he s u c c e e d e d i n

in accordance w ith h is It

is

S t.

the

own p r i n c i p l e s * t h a t he d i d

succeed e n ti r e l y

in

th is

f a u l t i n St* P a u l a n d P r o t e s t a n t i s m

seem s t o be t h a t he a p p r o a c h e d h i s

s u b je c t w ith to o

I b i d , p . 83. o f . p p .