Page:Shelley, a poem, with other writings (Thomson, Debell).djvu/91

Rh a glorious light of truth, a burning fire of love, a breath of divine inspiration, can perhaps render him no better public service, in addition to that intimate service of devout following on his pathway so far as their strength will permit, than the very humble one of endeavouring, while it is yet time, to make his text as clear, accurate, genuine, and complete as possible, removing chance blemishes, restoring right readings, gathering stray pieces and fragments, marking, and to the best of their power obviating, difficulties, for the benefit of those who shall come after them. Truly a very humble service, open to much contemptuous misrepresentation by the clever, careless world, as well as unpoetical misrepresentations on their own part, yet valuable and even invaluable to themselves and to others when performed with patient zeal and reverence. No matter how poor the vessel, it is beyond price when filled with the consecration of the Elixir.

It cannot, however, be denied that commentators in general are regarded not only with easy scorn by the careless common reader, but with sharp hostile distrust by the most advanced students of the great works commented. Nor by any means without cause; so many of the tribe having been mainly intent on showing their own learning and acuteness in contrast with the ignorant obtuseness of their predecessors, rather than on piously elucidating what might be obscure in their text. They have swept in the room to raise a dust, not swept it to make clean and neat for the master and his guests;