The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Art of Literature, by Arthur Schopenhauer

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Art of Literature

Author: Arthur Schopenhauer

Release Date: January 14, 2004 [EBook #10714]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ART OF LITERATURE ***

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team.

THE ESSAYS

OF

ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER

TRANSLATED BY

T. BAILEY SAUNDERS, M.A.

THE ART OF LITERATURE.

CONTENTS.

PREFACE
ON AUTHORSHIP
ON STYLE
ON THE STUDY OF LATIN
ON MEN OF LEARNING
ON THINKING FOR ONESELF
ON SOME FORMS OF LITERATURE
ON CRITICISM
ON REPUTATION
ON GENIUS

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

The contents of this, as of the other volumes in the series, have been
drawn from Schopenhauer's _Parerga_, and amongst the various subjects
dealt with in that famous collection of essays, Literature holds an
important place. Nor can Schopenhauer's opinions fail to be of special
value when he treats of literary form and method. For, quite apart
from his philosophical pretensions, he claims recognition as a great
writer; he is, indeed, one of the best of the few really excellent
prose-writers of whom Germany can boast. While he is thus particularly
qualified to speak of Literature as an Art, he has also something to
say upon those influences which, outside of his own merits, contribute
so much to an author's success, and are so often undervalued when he
obtains immediate popularity. Schopenhauer's own sore experiences in
the matter of reputation lend an interest to his remarks upon that
subject, although it is too much to ask of human nature that he should
approach it in any dispassionate spirit.

In the following pages we have observations upon style by one who
was a stylist in the best sense of the word, not affected, nor yet a
phrasemonger; on thinking for oneself by a philosopher who never did
anything else; on criticism by a writer who suffered much from the
inability of others to understand him; on reputation by a candidate
who, during the greater part of his life, deserved without obtaining
it; a