CRITICISM, the act and art of passing judgment according to a right standard upon any literary, artistic, philosophical, or mechanical work, and pointing out its merits and defects. It is the outgrowth and aid of literature and art; valuable in proportion as it is intelligent, impartial, thorough, and free from prejudice and passion. Criticism was exercised in ancient times by men of the highest eminence, among whom were Aristotle, Horace, and Quintilian. Some of the greatest critics of modern times in England were Dryden, Pope, Johnson, Coleridge, IIazlitt, Mackintosh, Hallam, Brougham, and Macau lay. Boileau, Voltaire, Saint-I3euve, and Taine may be reckoned among the eminent critics of France; while Germany has bad a host, among whom should be mentioned Lessing, Goethe, Schlegel, and Kant. There was but a narrow field for criticism in the United States during the first fifty years after the revolution, but it. has widened rapidly since. The earliest workers in this field were prof. Andrews Norton and prof. Levi
Frisbie, of Cambridge, Willard Phillips, Samuel Gilman, and Richard H. Dana. Among those of a later day may be mentioned William Ellery Chanuing, Francis Gray, Edward and Alexander Everett, John G. Palfrey, George Ripley, George Bancroft, William H. Prescott, prof. Francis Bowen, Tames Russell Lowell, Charles Norton, Edwin P. 'Whip ple, and George S. Hillard. In the• department of theological and biblical criticism Moses Stuart, Charles Hodge, Bela B. Edwards, and Edwards A. Park have distinguished themselves. In recent years the number of critics in various departments has greatly enlarged, and much of their work is of a high order.
CRI70, a friend of Socrates, who assisted the philosopher with material aid, arrang ing for his escape from prison. He was a writer on philosophy, but none of his works are extant.