Let him who would feel such a love, endeavor to obtain some notion of literature as it is. In order to this let him acquaint himself with its history. Let him view it as the offspring of the human mind in all ages, wrought up to its divinest energy; as that which embodies in itself thoughts of power and images of beauty; as a purifier and refiner of the human feelings. Let him consider it also, with direct reference to his own mind and heart. For this end, he should place himself on the broad ground of our common humanity, in distinction from any prejudice, or conventional mode of thinking. Viewing himself as a man, and as such recognizing the mind and the human feelings within his own breast, let him look upon literature, as the glorious expression of what is kindred to those, and as such demanding his sympathy. By this habit of constant reference to his own mind, he will acquire in literature, a permanent interest. Distinctly conscious of the mind within his own breast, he will welcome mind wherever he meets it: recognizing the feelings of his own heart, he will go forth in sympathy with those of another; feeling within himself a love of the beautiful, he will stand ready to admire and value its objects. Unless a man cultivates such habits, so that he shall have a warm and living interest in ascertaining literary worth, he cannot be a critic. He will not seek out merits which he has not some interest in finding. If, on the other hand, a man have this habit of immediate reference to his own mind, he will not only have such an interest, but will also have placed himself in the only right point of view to judge of any literary production. He will not be guided by a set of rules which are in a manner foreign to the mind; nor will his criticism be expressed in phrases which are unmeaning, or the meaning of which he has never asked himself. It will be the faithful exhibition of the warm impressions upon a mind rightly prepared to receive them. How the mind is to be thus prepared is another question. The attitude which it should take we have stated; but to assume this it is not qualified at once, and with regard to every work. Obviously it must be enlightened by knowledge of the various departments of literature, that it may judge accurately of any one. Yet this is not all that is demanded of it. In order to judge of the intrinsic merits of any literary production, there must be an exercise of powers like those which originated it. The mind must be trained distinctly, and by itself, for this end. Otherwise, it cannot form any conception of those powers, much less can it know how to value their productions. In proportion also as the latter are of a high order, must be the activity to which feebler powers must be aroused to apprehend them. While this is true with respect to every kind of writing, its necessity is more distinctly seen in reading the works of the poet. For the powers there demanded are less in daily use.