These illustrations in the history of criticism have been sug gested in order to indicate that distrust of criticism , especially as applied to current literature, has been deep -seated and of long duration . The historian in his use of criticism as found in the
periodical press must seek the explanation of this distrust; he must attempt to ascertain how far this distrust is well founded before he is justified in using criticism in his efforts to reconstruct
the past. Several elements have discredited the criticisms of literature, and one of these is that the review has not always stood the test
of time;45 books of genuine merit have been passed by without notice, while " the best seller” has been extravagantly praised and then quickly forgotten . For this situation the publisher rather than the newspaper must largely be held accountable , yet a certain amount of blamemust be attached to the press. The
desire to secure and to keep the advertisements of publishing houses, as has been suggested , may quite unconsciously affect the reviews of the books coming from their presses and give to
the author the benefit of the doubt in the case ofmediocre works. The newspaper itself becomes uncritical of its own reviewers and throws upon them the responsibility of adverse or of favor able criticism , reserving to itself only the right of interfering
when business interests are affected . The review has been discredited because in the hands of some of the most famous reviewers it has been made the instrument
of exploiting the superior knowledge of the reviewer. It has been discredited because excessive amiability on the part of an over
sympathetic reviewer has led to undue appreciation of the work of young writers or of personal friends, while, on the other hand ,
the vindictive review hasbeen used as a means of “ getting even " with writers with whose views or personal characteristics the reviewer is out of sympathy . The book review is discredited because it is written on the the
45 “ The Quarterly Review once despised everybody who could stop to notice Landor's faults, and eloquently described the process of the elevation of his fame, till it should become transcendent among the worthies of
England ; but it may be questioned whether the Quarterly Review has any more expectation than the Edinburgh that the writings of Landor will survive, except as curiosities of literature.” — Harriet Martineau , “ Walter Savage Landor," Biographical Sketches, pp . 121 -
