William White, Life of Emanuel Swedenborg, (Philadelphia, 1866), Intro. (writ by B. F. Barrett), pp. 7-8:
It is difficult to paint in language the grandest scenes in nature. To him who essays it, words seem powerless and wholly unequal to the task of conveying an adequate description. Any one who has stood by the side of Niagara, and listened to its deafening roar, and felt the grandeur and inspiration of the scene, is never quite satisfied with any written or oral description of that mighty cataract. And the reason is plain. It is not in the power of language, however skilfully employed, to kindle such emotions in the soul as are awakened by the scene itself.
The case is similar in regard to all great geniuses, and especially great authors. It is not easy to describe the loftiest human souls, or adequately to paint their characters in words. And those who are most familiar with their writings, are usually least satisfied with their biographies however vigorously or gracefully written. It is with the most gifted thinkers and writers as with the great Author of the volume of nature; they are best seen and understood in their works. And in any biographies wherein it is attempted to show us such men apart from, or outside of, their writings, it can hardly be otherwise than that they should appear considerably dwarfed. We miss those grand and symmetrical features which reveal themselves on every page of their works, but are to be truly seen no where else.
No comments:
Post a Comment