Essays in Criticism, one gathered at the outset, was to be, in a positive way, a criticism of Scrutiny. Scrutiny was lacking in scholarship: the new quarterly from Oxford would show us how a critical vigour not inferior to Scrutiny's might, as it should, be combined with true scholarly precision. How many of the readers of Essays in Criticism—or of the Editorial Board—judge that intention to have been realized I do not know, and I shall not, perhaps, be taken for an impartial observer; but I can only, with a whole and very regretful sincerity, report that we have not as a matter of fact felt ourselves challenged or rivalled by Essays in Criticism; that we have not at any time found its pages characterized by such notable examples of scholarly or critical or scholarly-critical practice as might call forth the blush of shame and stimulate us to higher endeavours; and that we should have supposed the formulators of the initial pretension themselves not unready to wonder whether Essays in Criticism has yet begun to teach the lessons, and provide the high pattern, aimed at.

And here perhaps I point to the significance of the long statement of position and elaboration of programme contributed to the issue for January this year by the Editor, Mr F. W. Bateson, under the heading, The Function of Criticism at the Present Time. Mr Bateson surveys the varieties, as he sees them, of contemporary critical practice, tells us what is wrong with each, and at the same times gives us his account of the right performance of the function of criticism—the ideal to which we are to regard Essays in Criticism as henceforward dedicated.