. A study in certain seventeenth century essays. yone subject has generally investigated itwith the idea of setting forth the facts in the clearest fashion,in the truest light, rather than in the always prejudiced mannerof the essayist, I said that we might consider that the essay is to prosewhat- the lyric is to poetry; and in as far as this relates to theexpression of the writers individuality I believe this willgenerally hold true, but in another way it is misleading. Thelyric is primarily emotional; it is, seemingly at least, aspontaneous outburst of feeling, while the essay is in this re-
. A study in certain seventeenth century essays. yone subject has generally investigated itwith the idea of setting forth the facts in the clearest fashion,in the truest light, rather than in the always prejudiced mannerof the essayist, I said that we might consider that the essay is to prosewhat- the lyric is to poetry; and in as far as this relates to theexpression of the writers individuality I believe this willgenerally hold true, but in another way it is misleading. Thelyric is primarily emotional; it is, seemingly at least, aspontaneous outburst of feeling, while the essay is in this re- spect entirely different. The latter is first and foremost re- flective instead of emotional; spontaneous it may be, at leastas much so as many lyrics, but it is concerned largely with the , H. W. Counsel Upon the Reading of Books (Cambridge 1901),P ^ G G 2^This I believe can be proved by a close analysis of ThomasBrownes Religio Medici. There is not space in this thesis, how-ever, to consider what form of literature Religio Medici 20 the affairs of others, it is occupied primarily with observingand classifying men, with reflecting upon their actions and ad-vising them concerning their modes of behaviour. It is a personalanalysis of outside things,generally, rather than an outpouringof the authors emotions. As far as reflections and classifica-tions and advice are molded by the writers feeling, it bears adistinct relation to the lyric; hut otherwise, with its subject-matter of mentality rather than emotion, it is profoundly different Then - since these are the distinguishing features of tnisliterary form - according as the revealed personality is livelyor stolid, strong or weak, intellectually creative or intellect-ually imitative, will he the value of the resulting the man is immature - as were many seventeenth century essayists- the reflections, the generalizations, will he faulty and of nolasting interest, If in addition to being immature the mind
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectenglishliterature
