Part III, Section VI, Savoir Faire, The New Learning: Part Two, Examples of Civilization, Books Summary and Analysis

"Savoir Faire" begins by asking what we mean to do when we act. One measure of a civilization is how it answers this question, and its hopes. Great intelligence leads to truth, as both Mussolini and Confucius show. These questions are also answered with mystery. Pound then argues that the lessons of Greek epics and writings for poetry have been given insufficient attention. He concerns himself in this essay to praise intelligence; he finds great stupidity in the age, particularly because Chinese literature has not been more often translated.

Shakespeare, on the other hand, is discussed enough, but he is not often read as a poet. Pound then lists the books a man...