Matthew Arnold Critical Essay | Critical Essay by Douglas W. Sterner

Critical Essay by Douglas W. Sterner

SOURCE: “Matthew Arnold, The Apostle of Culture,” in Priests of Culture: A Study of Matthew Arnold and Henry James, Peter Lang, 1999, pp. 23-67.

In the following essay, Sterner studies Arnold's conception of culture and the implications of this ideal for his evaluation of modernity.

Culture is then properly described not as having its origin in curiosity, but as having its origin in the love of perfection; it is a study of perfection. It moves by the force, not merely or primarily of the scientific passion for pure knowledge, but also of the moral and social passion for doing good. … there is no better motto which it can have than these words of Bishop Wilson: “To make reason and the will of God prevail!”

—Matthew Arnold

Poor Matt, he’s gone to Heaven, no doubt—but he won’t like God.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

The smile of paradox may be glimpsed in...
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