Englishmen Quote by George Saintsbury
“But at the time when he wrote, Englishmen, with the rarest exceptions, wrote only in French or Latin; and when they began to write in English, a man of genius, to interpret and improve on him, was not found for a long time.”
About This Quote
Source Book: A History of Criticism, 1905
When English writers began using English, there was a long period lacking a brilliant interpreter to refine the language.
In simple terms: Early English lacked a great literary critic.
Key Takeaway
Support development of literary criticism in emerging languages.
Themes
language evolution
literary criticism
historical context
Mood
analytical
historical
Type
literary
educational
When to use this quote
- academic curricula
- publishing houses
- literary societies
Key Concepts
cultural development
critical standards
intellectual history
Questions to Reflect On
- What factors delay the emergence of literary critics?
- How does language maturity affect literary quality?
A Different Perspective
Some argue other languages faced similar gaps.
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