SOURCE: "The Pathetic Fallacy," in The Yale Review, Vol. 74, No. 4, Summer, 1985, pp. 481-99.

In the following essay, Hecht explores the meaning of "pathetic fallacy," a term coined by Ruskin.

Un paysage quelconque est un etat de l'ame.

—Henri-Frederic Amiel

The world is a fair field fresh with the odor of Christ's name.

—St. Augustine

My title is a famous coinage of John Ruskin's, and comes from his five-volume study called Modern Painters. I want to begin by quoting Ruskin at some length, intruding an occasional impertinent interruption, as a way of recalling to you his original and provocative formulation, while permitting myself an obbligato of comment. I begin with a sentence of his full of high disdain and mockery.

German dulness, and English affectation, have of late much multiplied among us the use of two of the most objectionable words that were ever coined by the troublesomeness of...