Prolegomena to Musical Criticism

Extract

It has been said, with a great deal of truth, —and I think that few of those present will want to question the validity of the statement,—that a love of discussion is one of the most elementary and most permanent characteristics of the human race. It is, indeed, natural and right that our desire should be to exercise actively those gifts which have placed us above the lower animals; and the progress towards freedom of thought and conduct in all spheres, which is a mark of the English speaking races beyond others, is assuredly due to our highly-developed love of combat in word as well as in action. So true is this, that as a nation we are commonly accused of being willing, and even anxious, to maintain a position we have no belief in, provided only we can thereby provoke and sustain an argument.