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GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

critic of conventional view-point is dismayed by the di
that Shaw is bound by no conventions whatever,, ^
possible exception of the mechanical conventions of tn<
Shaw is essentially an intellectual, not an emotional.,
the critic of large imaginative sympathy discovers in ]
who on occasion disclaims the possession of imagination,
the idealist critic, Shaw is never a hero-worshipper; he
heroism and makes game of humanity. To the analyti
with his schools, his classifications, his labellings, Snai
elusive and unanalyzable quantity—a fantastic original,,;
wholly sw generis. With all his realism, he cannot be cj
exponent of a school. It would be nearer the truth, to \
he is himself a school. ^:

It is futile to attempt to measure Shaw with the f oo'
prejudice or convention. Only by placing oneself ex
his peculiar point of view and recording the impressions
without prejudice, preference or caricature, can one e!
to fathom the mystery of this disquieting intellig-enc*
mocking when moat serious, most fantastic when most¹his every word belies hig intent. The antipode to th.e f &
of pompous dulness, his gravity is that of the masqu^
motley, the mordant humour of the licensed fool, Conts
between manner and meaning, between method and essel
stitutes the real secret of his career. The truly nd
consideration is not that Shaw is incorrigibly £ant<
frivolous; the alarming fact is that he is remarkably <|

$nd profoundly in earnest. The willingness of the ]
the artist at his face value blinds its eyes to tHe
grim, geriousws of the man. The grea,t
fact of Ms ^ft'is tfcat he has used the artisti
*o conceal &* tittswerving purpoie of the

of the career

is-£oi»l the almort unprecedented c
hum-out with th« m
» even in our
ft Ug«kd. It migh

finally determine'
orm with tfe.® life of our



	GEORGE BERNARD SHAW critic of conventional view-point is dismayed by the di that Shaw is bound by no conventions whatever,, ^ possible exception of the mechanical conventions of tn< Shaw is essentially an intellectual, not an emotional., the critic of large imaginative sympathy discovers in ] who on occasion disclaims the possession of imagination, the idealist critic, Shaw is never a hero-worshipper; he heroism and makes game of humanity. To the analyti with his schools, his classifications, his labellings, Snai elusive and unanalyzable quantity—a fantastic original,,; wholly sw generis. With all his realism, he cannot be cj exponent of a school. It would be nearer the truth, to \ he is himself a school. ^: It is futile to attempt to measure Shaw with the f oo' prejudice or convention. Only by placing oneself ex his peculiar point of view and recording the impressions without prejudice, preference or caricature, can one e! to fathom the mystery of this disquieting intellig-enc* mocking when moat serious, most fantastic when most¹his every word belies hig intent. The antipode to th.e f & of pompous dulness, his gravity is that of the masqu^ motley, the mordant humour of the licensed fool, Conts between manner and meaning, between method and essel stitutes the real secret of his career. The truly nd consideration is not that Shaw is incorrigibly £ant< frivolous; the alarming fact is that he is remarkably <\|

		$nd profoundly in earnest. The willingness of the ] the artist at his face value blinds its eyes to tHe grim, geriousws of the man. The grea,t fact of Ms ^ft'is tfcat he has used the artisti o conceal & tittswerving purpoie of the of the career is-£oi»l the almort unprecedented c hum-out with th« m » even in our ft Ug«kd. It migh finally determine' orm with tfe.® life of our