KNOWLEDGE AND ORIGINALITY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXV, Issue 7170, 10 March 1892, Page 3

KNOWLEDGE AND ORIGINALITY.

Too much knowledge is killing to originality in all branches of art, says tho London Evening Standard, as those who have looked into such matters arc sadly aware. That is a sullicient reason for the non-appearance of a great poet iu our time, though there may be others, of course. The painter who ciiu rise above the teachiug of academies and the dogmas of connoisseurs must have a vory strong individuality. Even iu such a rudimentary art as journalism every ex-, perifiiiced editor has learned that to' entrust the writing of an article to a mnu who knows everything about the subject is a risky proceeding, But we havo been used to think that this grave

law does not apply to science. In all departments of research, it is supposed, the move acquaintance one lms with tho principles laid down, .ind the experiences recorded by great men in the past, tho better one is equipped for this task. Bui unles Mr Edison was making fun of a court of justice tho other day— which is very improbable—he owes his success, in part at least, to the same ignorance which made great poets and great artists in a less , sophisticated age, Mr Edison declares himself utterly unacquainted with the accepted theories of science. He is not an expert even in electricity. The very basis of knowledge in that matter is the principle recognised as" Ohm's Law," The great inventor has never studied it. hardly knows, earefully avoids it. The reason he gave is just that which we all admit in the realm of art. Familiarity with the rules and experiences of his forerunnei'3 would check the flights of his own genius, This consideration it is which chills tho enthusiasm of thoughtful persons when they hnar such blessed resulte predicted from our technioal schools.