Page:Jean Jacques Rousseau, a new criticism (IA jeanjacquesrouss01macd).pdf/29

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INTRODUCTION

3

supporters of the doctrine (essentially modern, as everyone will admit) that a corrupt tree brings forth the choicest fruit, and that only a hair divides genius from insanity. It also determines the method of criticizing the author of the Contrat Social by psychological, instead of by historical methods. And that this theory of his personality serves as the foundation of the criticism of Rousseau's life and doctrines accepted as authoritative by the vast majority of English readers at the present hour, is proved by the verse of Victor Hugo's which Mr. John Morley prints on his title page, as an appropriate text and clue to his study of Rousseau.

"Comme

dans

les etangs, assoupis sous les bois

Dans plus d'une Time, on voit deux choses a Le ciel, qui teint les eaux, a peine remuees, Avec tous ses rayons, et toutes ses nuees;

la fois

Et

la vase, fond morne, affreux, sombre, et

Ou

des reptiles noirs, fourmillent vaguement."



dormant, ^

In other words, the starting-point, and raison d'etre, method of criticizing Rousseau is the extraordinary problem his genius and his repulsive personality are supposed to other psychologists. And if this problem have no existence, if there were no reptiles swarming in Rousseau's under-nature, then this criticism is unsatisfactory; because a method that starts with wrong assumptions will not reach right conclusions.

On the other hand, with regard to the study of his books, and a just and clear understanding of his doctrines and influences, these conditions of modern opinion show that the theory of his abominable private life, and detestable personal character, leads to

1" As in still pools, beneath the forest green,

In many a soul, two things at once are seen:

The sky reflected, beauteous to behold,

In sunlit radiance, and clouds touch'd with gold,--

And sullen depths, of stagnant water, sleeping

Where, swarming in black slime, reptiles are vaguely creeping."

(Free translation.)