《传统与个人才能》(英)英艾略特

TraditionandtheIndividualTalent

T.S.Eliot

I

INEnglishwritingweseldomspeakoftradition,thoughweoccasionallyapplyitsnameindeploringitsabsence.Wecannotreferto"thetradition"orto"atradition";atmost,weemploytheadjectiveinsayingthatthepoetryofSo-and-sois"traditional"oreven"tootraditional."Seldom,perhaps,doesthewordappearexceptinaphraseofcensure.Ifotherwise,itisvaguelyapprobative,withtheimplication,astotheworkapproved,ofsomepleasingarcheologicalreconstruction.YoucanhardlymakethewordagreeabletoEnglishearswithoutthiscomfortablereferencetothereassuringscienceofarcheology.1

Certainlythewordisnotlikelytoappearinourappreciationsoflivingordeadwriters.Everynation,everyrace,hasnotonlyitsowncreative,butitsowncriticalturnofmind;andisevenmoreobliviousoftheshortcomingsandlimitationsofitscriticalhabitsthanofthoseofitscreativegenius.Weknow,orthinkweknow,fromtheenormousmassofcriticalwritingthathasappearedintheFrenchlanguagethecriticalmethodorhabitoftheFrench;weonlyconclude(wearesuchunconsciouspeople)thattheFrenchare"morecritical"thanwe,andsometimesevenplumeourselvesalittlewiththefact,asiftheFrenchwerethelessspontaneous.Perhapstheyare;butwemightremindourselvesthatcriticismisasinevitableasbreathing,andthatweshouldbenonetheworseforarticulatingwhatpassesinourmindswhenwereadabookandfeelanemotionaboutit,forcriticizingourownmindsintheirworkofcriticism.Oneofthefactsthatmightcometolightinthisprocessisourtendencytoinsist,whenwepraiseapoet,uponthoseaspectsofhisworkinwhichheleastresemblesanyoneelse.Intheseaspectsorpartsofhisworkwepretendtofindwhatisindividual,whatisthepeculiaressenceoftheman.Wedwellwithsatisfactionuponthepoet'sdifferencefromhispredecessors,especiallyhisimmediatepredecessors;weendeavourtofindsomethingthatcanbeisolatedinordertobeenjoyed.

Whereasifweapproachapoetwithoutthisprejudiceweshalloftenfindthatnotonlythebest,butthemostindividualpartsofhisworkmaybethoseinwhichthedeadpoets,hisancestors,asserttheirimmortalitymostvigorously.AndIdonotmeantheimpressionableperiodofadolescence,buttheperiodoffullmaturity.

Yetiftheonlyformoftradition,ofhandingdown,consistedinfollowingthewaysoftheimmediategenerationbeforeusinablindortimidadherencetoitssuccesses,"tradition"shouldpositivelybediscouraged.Wehaveseenmanysuchsimplecurrentssoonlostinthesand;andnoveltyisbetterthanrepetition.Traditionisamatterofmuchwidersignificance.Itcannotbeinherited,andifyouwantityoumustobtainitbygreatlabour.Itinvolves,inthefirstplace,thehistoricalsense,whichwemaycallnearlyindispensabletoanyonewhowouldcontinuetobeapoetbeyondhistwenty-fifthyear;andthehistoricalsenseinvolvesaperception,notonlyofthepastnessofthepast,butofitspresence;thehistoricalsensecompelsamantowritenotmerelywithhisowngenerationinhisbones,butwithafeelingthatthewholeoftheliteratureofEuropefromHomerandwithinitthewholeoftheliteratureofhisowncountryhasasimultaneousexistenceandcomposesasimultaneousorder.Thishistoricalsense,whichisasenseofthetimelessaswellasofthetemporalandofthetimelessandofthetemporaltogether,iswhatmakesawritertraditional.Anditisatthesametimewhatmakesawritermostacutelyconsciousofhisplaceintime,ofhiscontemporaneity.

Nopoet,noartistofanyart,hashiscompletemeaningalone.Hissignificance,hisappreciationistheappreciationofhisrelationtothedeadpoetsandartists.Youcannotvaluehimalone;youmustsethim,forcontrastandcomparison,amongthedead.Imeanthisasaprincipleofaesthetic,notmerelyhistorical,criticism.Thenecessitythatheshallconform,thatheshallcohere,isnotone-sided;whathappenswhenanewworkofartiscreatedissomethingthathappenssimultaneouslytoalltheworksofartwhichprecededit.Theexistingmonumentsformanidealorderamongthemselves,whichismodifiedbytheintroductionofthenew(thereallynew)workofartamongthem.Theexistingorderiscompletebeforethenewworkarrives;forordertopersistafterthesuperventionofnovelty,thewholeexistingordermustbe,ifeversoslightly,altered;andsotherelations,proportions,valuesofeachworkofarttowardthewholearereadjusted;andthisisconformitybetweentheoldandthenew.Whoeverhasapprovedthisideaoforder,oftheformofEuropean,ofEnglishliterature,willnotfinditpreposterousthatthepastshouldbealteredbythepresentasmuchasthepresentisdirectedbythepast.Andthepoetwhoisawareofthiswillbeawareofgreatdifficultiesandresponsibilities.

Inapeculiarsensehewillbeawarealsothathemustinevitablybejudgedbythestandardsofthepast.Isayjudged,notamputated,bythem;notjudgedtobeasgoodas,orworseorbetterthan,thedead;andcertainlynotjudgedbythecanonsofdeadcritics.Itisajudgment,acomparison,inwhichtwothingsaremeasuredbyeachother.Toconformmerelywouldbeforthenewworknotreallytoconformatall;itwouldnotbenew,andwouldthereforenotbeaworkofart.Andwedonotquitesaythatthenewismorevaluablebecauseitfitsin;butitsfittinginisatestofitsvalue—atest,itistrue,whichcanonlybeslowlyandcautiouslyapplied,forwearenoneofusinfalliblejudgesofconformity.Wesay:itappearstoconform,andisperhapsindividual,oritappearsindividual,andmayconform;butwearehardlylikelytofindthatitisoneandnottheother.5

Toproceedtoamoreintelligibleexpositionoftherelationofthepoettothepast:hecanneithertakethepastasalump,anindiscriminatebolus,norcanheformhimselfwhollyononeortwoprivateadmirations,norcanheformhimselfwhollyupononepreferredperiod.Thefirstcourseisinadmissible,thesecondisanimportantexperienceofyouth,andthethirdisapleasantandhighlydesirablesupplement.Thepoetmustbeveryconsciousofthemaincurrent,whichdoesnotatallflowinvariablythroughthemostdistinguishedreputations.Hemustbequiteawareoftheobviousfactthatartneverimproves,butthatthematerialofartisneverquitethesame.HemustbeawarethatthemindofEurope--Themindofhisowncountry--amindwhichhelearnsintimetobemuchmoreimportantthanhisownprivatemind--isamindwhichchanges,andthatthischangeisadevelopmentwhichabandonsnothingenroute,whichdoesnotsuperannuateeitherShakespeare,orHomer,ortherockdrawingoftheMagdaleniandraughtsmen.Thatthisdevelopment,refinementperhaps,complicationcertainly,isnot,fromthepointofviewoftheartist,anyimprovement.Perhapsnotevenanimprovementfromthepointofviewofthepsychologistornottotheextentwhichweimagine;perhapsonlyintheendbaseduponacomplicationineconomicsandmachinery.Butthedifferencebetweenthepresentandthepastisthattheconsciouspresentisanawarenessofthepastinawayandtoanextentwhichthepast'sawarenessofitselfcannotshow.6

Someonesaid:"Thedeadwritersareremotefromusbecauseweknowsomuchmorethantheydid."Precisely,andtheyarethatwhichweknow.7

Iamalivetoausualobjectiontowhatisclearlypartofmyprogrammeforthemétierofpoetry.Theobjectionisthatthedoctrinerequiresaridiculousamountoferudition(pedantry),aclaimwhichcanberejectedbyappealtothelivesofpoetsinanypantheon.Itwillevenbeaffirmedthatmuchlearningdeadensorpervertspoeticsensibility.While,however,wepersistinbelievingthatapoetoughttoknowasmuchaswillnotencroachuponhisnecessaryreceptivityandnecessarylaziness,itisnotdesirabletoconfineknowledgetowhatevercanbeputintoausefulshapeforexaminations,drawing-rooms,orthestillmorepretentiousmodesofpublicity.Somecanabsorbknowledge,themoretardymustsweatforit.ShakespeareacquiredmoreessentialhistoryfromPlutarchthanmostmencouldfromthewholeBritishMuseum.Whatistobeinsisteduponisthatthepoetmustdeveloporprocuretheonsciousnessofthepastandthatheshouldcontinuetodevelopthisconsciousnessthroughouthiscareer.8

Whathappensisacontinualsurrenderofhimselfasheisatthemomenttosomethingwhichismorevaluable.Theprogressofanartistisacontinualself-sacrifice,acontinualextinctionofpersonality.9

Thereremainstodefinethisprocessofdepersonalizationanditsrelationtothesenseoftradition.Itisinthisdepersonalizationthatartmaybesaidtoapproachtheconditionofscience.Ishall,therefore,inviteyoutoconsider,asasuggestiveanalogy,theactionwhichtakesplacewhenabitoffinelyfiliatedplatinumisintroducedintoachambercontainingoxygenandsulphurdioxide.10

II

Honestcriticismandsensitiveappreciationisdirectednotuponthepoetbutuponthepoetry.Ifweattendtotheconfusedcriesofthenewspapercriticsandthesusurrusofpopularrepetitionthatfollows,weshallhearthenamesofpoetsingreatnumbers;ifweseeknotBlue-bookknowledgebuttheenjoymentofpoetry,andaskforapoem,weshallseldomfindit.InthelastarticleItriedtopointouttheimportanceoftherelationofthepoemtootherpoemsbyotherauthors,andsuggestedtheconceptionofpoetryasalivingwholeofallthepoetrythathaseverbeenwritten.TheotheraspectofthisImpersonaltheoryofpoetryistherelationofthepoemtoitsauthor.AndIhinted,byananalogy,thatthemindofthematurepoetdiffersfromthatoftheimmatureonenotpreciselyinanyvaluationof"personality,"notbeingnecessarilymoreinteresting,orhaving"moretosay,"butratherbybeingamorefinelyperfectedmediuminwhichspecial,orveryvaried,feelingsareatlibertytoenterintonewcombinations.11

Theanalogywasthatofthecatalyst.Whenthetwogasespreviouslymentionedaremixedinthepresenceofafilamentofplatinum,theyformsulphurousacid.Thiscombinationtakesplaceonlyiftheplatinumispresent;neverthelessthenewlyformedacidcontainsnotraceofplatinum,andtheplatinumitselfisapparentlyunaffected;hasremainedinert,neutral,andunchanged.Themindofthepoetistheshredofplatinum.Itmaypartlyorexclusivelyoperateupontheexperienceofthemanhimself;but,themoreperfecttheartist,themorecompletelyseparateinhimwillbethemanwhosuffersandthemindwhichcreates;themoreperfectlywilltheminddigestandtransmutethepassionswhichareitsmaterial.12

Theexperience,youwillnotice,theelementswhichenterthepresenceofthetransformingcatalyst,areoftwokinds:emotionsandfeelings.Theeffectofaworkofartuponthepersonwhoenjoysitisanexperiencedifferentinkindfromanyexperiencenotofart.Itmaybeformedoutofoneemotion,ormaybeacombinationofseveral;andvariousfeelings,inheringforthewriterinparticularwordsorphrasesorimages,maybeaddedtocomposethefinalresult.Orgreatpoetrymaybemadewithoutthedirectuseofanyemotionwhatever:composedoutoffeelingssolely.CantoXVoftheInferno(BrunettoLatini)isaworkingupoftheemotionevidentinthesituation;buttheeffect,thoughsingleasthatofanyworkofart,isobtainedbyconsiderablecomplexityofdetail.Thelastquatraingivesanimage,afeelingattachingtoanimage,which"came,"whichdidnotdevelopsimplyoutofwhatprecedes,butwhichwasprobablyinsuspensioninthepoet'sminduntilthepropercombinationarrivedforittoadditselfto.Thepoet'smindisinfactareceptacleforseizingandstoringupnumberlessfeelings,phrases,images,whichremainthereuntilalltheparticleswhichcanunitetoformanewcompoundarepresenttogether.13

Ifyoucompareseveralrepresentativepassagesofthegreatestpoetryyouseehowgreatisthevarietyoftypesofcombination,andalsohowcompletelyanysemi-ethicalcriterionof"sublimity"missesthemark.Foritisnotthe"greatness,"theintensity,oftheemotions,thecomponents,buttheintensityoftheartisticprocess,thepressure,sotospeak,underwhichthefusiontakesplace,thatcounts.TheepisodeofPaoloandFrancescaemploysadefiniteemotion,buttheintensityofthepoetryissomethingquitedifferentfromwhateverintensityinthesupposedexperienceitmaygivetheimpressionof.Itisnomoreintense,furthermore,thanCantoXXVI,thevoyageofUlysses,whichhasnotthedirectdependenceuponanemotion.Greatvarietyispossibleintheprocessoftransmutionofemotion:themurderofAgamemnon,ortheagonyofOthello,givesanartisticeffectapparentlyclosertoapossibleoriginalthanthescenesfromDante.IntheAgamemnon,theartisticemotionapproximatestotheemotionofanactualspectator;inOthellototheemotionoftheprotagonisthimself.Butthedifferencebetweenartandtheeventisalwaysabsolute;thecombinationwhichisthemurderofAgamemnonisprobablyascomplexasthatwhichisthevoyageofUlysses.Ineithercasetherehasbeenafusionofelements.TheodeofKeatscontainsanumberoffeelingswhichhavenothingparticulartodowiththenightingale,butwhichthenightingale,partly,perhaps,becauseofitsattractivename,andpartlybecauseofitsreputation,servedtobringtogether.14

ThepointofviewwhichIamstrugglingtoattackisperhapsrelatedtothemetaphysicaltheoryofthesubstantialunityofthesoul:formymeaningis,thatthepoethas,nota"personality"toexpress,butaparticularmedium,whichisonlyamediumandnotapersonality,inwhichimpressionsandexperiencescombineinpeculiarandunexpectedways.Impressionsandexperienceswhichareimportantforthemanmaytakenoplaceinthepoetry,andthosewhichbecomeimportantinthepoetrymayplayquiteanegligiblepartintheman,thepersonality.15

Iwillquoteapassagewhichisunfamiliarenoughtoberegardedwithfreshattentioninthelightordarknessoftheseobservations:

AndnowmethinksIcoulde'enchidemyself

Fordoatingonherbeauty,thoughherdeath

Shallberevengedafternocommonaction.

Doesthesilkwormexpendheryellowlabours

Forthee?Fortheedoessheundoherself?

Arelordshipssoldtomaintainladyships

Forthepoorbenefitofabewilderingminute?

Whydoesyonfellowfalsifyhighways,

Andputhislifebetweenthejudge'slips,

Torefinesuchathing--keepshorseandmen

Tobeattheirvaloursforher?...

Inthispassage(asisevidentifitistakeninitscontext)thereisacombinationofpositiveandnegativeemotions:anintenselystrongattractiontowardbeautyandanequallyintensefascinationbytheuglinesswhichiscontrastedwithitandwhichdestroysit.Thisbalanceofcontrastedemotionisinthedramaticsituationtowhichthespeechispertinent,butthatsituationaloneisinadequatetoit.Thisis,sotospeak,thestructuralemotion,providedbythedrama.Butthewholeeffect,thedominanttone,isduetothefactthatanumberoffloatingfeelings,havinganaffinitytothisemotionbynomeanssuperficiallyevident,havecombinedwithittogiveusanewartemotion.16

Itisnotinhispersonalemotions,theemotionsprovokedbyparticulareventsinhislife,thatthepoetisinanywayremarkableorinteresting.Hisparticularemotionsmaybesimple,orcrude,orflat.Theemotioninhispoetrywillbeaverycomplexthing,butnotwiththecomplexityoftheemotionsofpeoplewhohaveverycomplexorunusualemotionsinlife.Oneerror,infact,ofeccentricityinpoetryistoseekfornewhumanemotionstoexpress;andinthissearchfornoveltyinthewrongplaceitdiscoverstheperverse.Thebusinessofthepoetisnottofindnewemotions,buttousetheordinaryonesand,inworkingthemupintopoetry,toexpressfeelingswhicharenotinactualemotionsatall.Andemotionswhichhehasneverexperiencedwillservehisturnaswellasthosefamiliartohim.Consequently,wemustbelievethat"emotionrecollectedintranquillity"isaninexactformula.Foritisneitheremotion,norrecollection,nor,withoutdistortionofmeaning,tranquillity.Itisaconcentration,andanewthingresultingfromtheconcentration,ofaverygreatnumberofexperie