Will it be possible to describe what is happening in this article?
what is its purpose?
is it to get readers to be critics or is it a deeper purpose
If possible, please summarize
Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at a very small expence. The power of invention has been conferred by Nature upon few, and the labour of learning those sciences which may, by mere labour, be obtained, is too great to be willingly endured; but every man can exert such judgment as he has upon the works of others; and he whom Nature has made weak, and Idleness keeps ignorant, may yet support his vanity by the name of a Critic.
I hope it will give comfort to great numbers who are passing through the world in obscurity, when I inform them how easily distinction may be obtained. All the other powers of literature are coy and haughty, they must be long courted, and at last are not always gained; but Criticism is a goddess easy of access and forward of advance, who will meet the slow and encourage the timorous; the want of meaning she supplies with words, and the want of spirit she recompenses with malignity.
This profession has one recommendation peculiar to itself, that it gives vent to malignity without real mischief. No genius was ever blasted by the breath of Critics. The poison which if confined, would have burst the heart, fumes away in empty hisses, and malice is set at ease with very little danger to merit. The Critic is the only man whose triumph is without another's pain, and whose greatness does not rise upon another's ruin.
To a study at once so easy and so reputable, so malicious and so harmless, it cannot be necessary to invite my readers by a long or laboured exhortation; it is sufficient, since all would be Critics if they could, to show by one eminent example that all can be Critics if they will.
You need to read the article over again so you understand what is happening so your able to explain yourself. It's up to you to find the purpose because someone else might have a different viewpoint then you. Read through this carefully and think about the main key aspects of it.
Based on the given passage, it appears to be an essay or a piece of writing discussing the concept of criticism. The purpose of the article seems to be twofold:
1. To highlight the accessibility and ease of becoming a critic: The author suggests that while the power of invention is limited to a few, anyone can become a critic by sharing their judgment on the works of others. It is portrayed as a profession that requires minimal effort and expense, allowing individuals to gain distinction and support their vanity.
2. To emphasize the harmless nature of criticism: The author asserts that criticism allows individuals to express their negative opinions without causing real harm or damaging the reputation of the target. They argue that critics have no power to destroy genius and that their hisses and malice only offer temporary relief to their own spiteful tendencies.
In summary, the article discusses the accessibility and ease of becoming a critic, highlighting it as a profession that allows individuals to gain distinction and vent their negative opinions without causing any real harm. It seems to have a satirical tone and could be interpreted as suggesting that criticism is a somewhat frivolous and self-serving activity.