They are profound and suggestive, because
based upon theory, the Theory of Aesthetic,
with which some readers will be acquainted in
the original others in the version by the present
translator. These will not need to be told that
Croce's theory of the independence and auto-
nomy of the aesthetic fact, which is intuition-
expression, and of the essentially lyrical char-
acter of all, art, is the only one that completely
and satisfactorily explains the problem of
poetry and the fine arts.

But this is not the place for philosophical dis-
cussion, although it is important to stress the
point, that all criticism is based upon philos-
ophy, and that therefore if the philosophy upon
which it is based is unsound, the criticism suf-
fers accordingly. Croce has elsewhere shown
that the shortcomings of such critics as Sainte-
Beuve, Taine, Lemaître and Brunetière are
due to incorrect or insufficient philosophical
knowledge and a similar criterion, can be ap-
plied at home with equal truth.

The translator will be satisfied if the present
version, receives equal praise from the author
with that accorded to the four translations of
the Philosophy into English, which Croce has
often declared to come more near to his spirit

-iv-