cation of a few formative ideas to life;
not so much by multiplicity of de-
tached thoughts as by the habit of
thinking. The genius of Carlyle is
evidenced not by prodigal growth of
ideas, but by an impressive interpre-
tation of life through the application
to all its phenomena of a few ideas of
great depth and range. And this is
true of all the great writers who have
given us fresh views of life from some
central and commanding height rather
than a succession of glimpses or out-
looks from a great number of points.
The closer the approach to the central
force behind any course of develop-
ment, the fewer in number are the
elements involved. The rootage of
literature in the spiritual nature and
experience of the race is the funda-
mental fact not only in the history of
this rich and splendid art, but in its

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v?