GILBERT。Thedifferencebetweenobjectiveandsubjectiveworkisoneofexternalformmerely。Itisaccidental，notessential。Allartisticcreationisabsolutelysubjective。TheverylandscapethatCorotlookedatwas，ashesaidhimself，butamoodofhisownmind；andthosegreatfiguresofGreekorEnglishdramathatseemtoustopossessanactualexistenceoftheirown，apartfromthepoetswhoshapedandfashionedthem，are，intheirultimateanalysis，simplythepoetsthemselves，notastheythoughttheywere，butastheythoughttheywerenot；andbysuchthinkingcameinstrangemanner，thoughbutforamoment，reallysotobe。Foroutofourselveswecanneverpass，norcantherebeincreationwhatinthecreatorwasnot。Nay，Iwouldsaythatthemoreobjectiveacreationappearstobe，themoresubjectiveitreallyis。ShakespearemighthavemetRosencrantzandGuildensterninthewhitestreetsofLondon，orseentheserving-menofrivalhousesbitetheirthumbsateachotherintheopensquare；butHamletcameoutofhissoul，andRomeooutofhispassion。Theywereelementsofhisnaturetowhichhegavevisibleform，impulsesthatstirredsostronglywithinhimthathehad，asitwereperforce，tosufferthemtorealisetheirenergy，notonthelowerplaneofactuallife，wheretheywouldhavebeentrammelledandconstrainedandsomadeimperfect，butonthatimaginativeplaneofartwhereLovecanindeedfindinDeathitsrichfulfilment，whereonecanstabtheeavesdropperbehindthearras，andwrestleinanew-madegrave，andmakeaguiltykingdrinkhisownhurt，andseeone’sfather’sspirit，beneaththeglimpsesofthemoon，stalkingincompletesteelfrommistywalltowall。ActionbeinglimitedwouldhaveleftShakespeareunsatisfiedandunexpressed；and，justasitisbecausehedidnothingthathehasbeenabletoachieveeverything，soitisbecauseheneverspeakstousofhimselfinhisplaysthathisplaysrevealhimtousabsolutely，andshowushistruenatureandtemperamentfarmorecompletelythandothosestrangeandexquisitesonnets，even，inwhichhebarestocrystaleyesthesecretclosetofhisheart。Yes，theobjectiveformisthemostsubjectiveinmatter。Manisleasthimselfwhenhetalksinhisownperson。Givehimamask，andhewilltellyouthetruth。
ERNEST。Thecritic，then，beinglimitedtothesubjectiveform，willnecessarilybelessablefullytoexpresshimselfthantheartist，whohasalwaysathisdisposaltheformsthatareimpersonalandobjective。
GILBERT。Notnecessarily，andcertainlynotatallifherecognisesthateachmodeofcriticismis，initshighestdevelopment，simplyamood，andthatwearenevermoretruetoourselvesthanwhenweareinconsistent。Theaestheticcritic，constantonlytotheprincipleofbeautyinallthings，willeverbelookingforfreshimpressions，winningfromthevariousschoolsthesecretoftheircharm，bowing，itmaybe，beforeforeignaltars，orsmiling，ifitbehisfancy，atstrangenewgods。Whatotherpeoplecallone’spasthas，nodoubt，everythingtodowiththem，buthasabsolutelynothingtodowithoneself。Themanwhoregardshispastisamanwhodeservestohavenofuturetolookforwardto。Whenonehasfoundexpressionforamood，onehasdonewithit。Youlaugh；butbelievemeitisso。YesterdayitwasRealismthatcharmedone。OnegainedfromitthatNOUVEAUFRISSON
whichitwasitsaimtoproduce。Oneanalysedit，explainedit，andweariedofit。AtsunsetcametheLUMINISTEinpainting，andtheSYMBOLISTEinpoetry，andthespiritofmediaevalism，thatspiritwhichbelongsnottotimebuttotemperament，wokesuddenlyinwoundedRussia，andstirredusforamomentbytheterriblefascinationofpain。To-daythecryisforRomance，andalreadytheleavesaretremulousinthevalley，andonthepurplehill-topswalksBeautywithslimgildedfeet。Theoldmodesofcreationlinger，ofcourse。Theartistsreproduceeitherthemselvesoreachother，withwearisomeiteration。ButCriticismisalwaysmovingon，andthecriticisalwaysdeveloping。
Nor，again，isthecriticreallylimitedtothesubjectiveformofexpression。Themethodofthedramaishis，aswellasthemethodoftheepos。Hemayusedialogue，ashedidwhosetMiltontalkingtoMarvelonthenatureofcomedyandtragedy，andmadeSidneyandLordBrookediscourseonlettersbeneaththePenshurstoaks；oradoptnarration，asMr。Paterisfondofdoing，eachofwhoseImaginaryPortraits-isnotthatthetitleofthebook？-presentstous，underthefancifulguiseoffiction，somefineandexquisitepieceofcriticism，oneonthepainterWatteau，anotheronthephilosophyofSpinoza，athirdonthePaganelementsoftheearlyRenaissance，andthelast，andinsomerespectsthemostsuggestive，onthesourceofthatAufklarung，thatenlighteningwhichdawnedonGermanyinthelastcentury，andtowhichourowncultureowessogreatadebt。Dialogue，certainly，thatwonderfulliteraryformwhich，fromPlatotoLucian，andfromLuciantoGiordanoBruno，andfromBrunotothatgrandoldPaganinwhomCarlyletooksuchdelight，thecreativecriticsoftheworldhavealwaysemployed，canneverloseforthethinkeritsattractionasamodeofexpression。Byitsmeanshecanbothrevealandconcealhimself，andgiveformtoeveryfancy，andrealitytoeverymood。