[f. CRITIC or L. critic-us + -ISM: prob. formed in conjunction with criticize, of which it is the n. of action. Adopted in French in 19th c. as criticisme (in sense 2 c below).]
1. The action of criticizing, or passing judgment upon the qualities or merits of anything; esp. the passing of unfavorable judgment; fault-finding, censure.
1607. Dekker, Knt.’s Conjur., To Rdr. Therfore (reader) doe I … stand at the marke of criticisme (and of thy bolt) to bee shot at.
1637. Heywood, Royal Ship, 42. They would not allow it … But … it was rather their Criticisme than my ignorance.
1683. D. A., Art Converse, 45. Criticism or a censorious humour, condemning indifferently every thing.
1736. Butler, Anal., II. vii. 361. This … gives the largest scope for criticism.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, III. x. These acts … were not allowed to pass without criticism.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 44. No philosophy has ever stood this criticism of the next generation.
2. The art of estimating the qualities and character of literary or artistic work; the function or work of a critic.
1674. Dryden, Pref. State of Innocence, Wks. 1821, V. 106. Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant a standard of judging well; the chiefest part of which is, to observe those excellencies which should delight a reasonable reader.
1709. Pope, Ess. on Crit., 101. Then criticism the muse’s handmaid proved.
1719. J. Richardson (title), The Connoisseur: an Essay on the whole Art of Criticism as it relates to Painting.
1865. M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., i. 38–9. I am bound by my own definition of criticism: a disinterested endeavour to learn and propagate the best that is known and thought in the world.
1878. Dowden, Stud. Lit., 413. The effort of criticism in our time has been … to see things as they are, without partiality, without obtrusion of personal liking or disliking.
b. spec. The critical science that deals with the text, character, composition and origin of literary documents, esp. those of the Old and New Testaments.
Textual criticism: that whose object is to ascertain the genuine text and meaning of an author. Higher criticism: see quot. 1881.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. I. x. 51. The Knowledge of Languages, anciently stiled Grammar, and lately Criticisme.
1748. Hartley, Obser. Man, I. iii. 356. Criticism … may be defined the Art of restoring the corrupted Passages of Authors, and ascertaining their genuine Sense.
1836. R. Keith, trans. Hengstenberg’s Christol., I. 414. A fundamental principle of the higher criticism.
1864. Froude, Short Stud. (1890), I. 241 (title), Criticism and the gospel history.
1875. Scrivener, Lect. Grk. Test., 7. The problem which Textual criticism sets itself to solve.
1881. W. Robertson Smith, Old Test. in Jewish Ch. (1892), 90. A series of questions affecting the composition, the editing, and the collection of the sacred books. This class of questions forms the special subject of the branch of critical science which is usually distinguished from the verbal criticism of the text by the name of Higher or Historical Criticism.
c. Philos. The critical philosophy of Kant.
So called from its being based on a critical examination of the faculty of knowledge.
1867. J. H. Stirling, Schwegler’s Hist. Philos. (ed. 7), 216. Kant … possessed the clearest consciousness of the relation of criticism to all preceding philosophy.
1889. E. Caird, Kant, I. 2. He [Kant] opposes Criticism to two other forms of philosophy, Dogmatism and Scepticism.
3. (with pl.) An act of criticizing; a critical remark, comment; a critical essay, critique.
1608. Chapman, Byron’s Conspir., I. i. There are a number more Of these State Criticismes: That our personall view May profitably make.
1683. Dryden, Life Plutarch, 14. Philosophical questions and criticisms of humanity were their usual recreations.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, I. Pref. Some … have … got their criticisms ready for the press.
1872. E. Peacock, Mabel Heron, I. v. 75. Very much disposed to make free criticisms.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 22. A criticism may be worth making which rests only on probabilities or impressions.
† 4. A nice point or distinction, a minute particular, a nicety; a subtlety; in bad sense, a quibble.
a. 1616. Beaum. & Fl., Little Fr. Lawyer, I. i. This godly calling [of Duellist] Thou hast follow’d five-and-twenty yeares, and studied The criticismes of contentions [i.e., duelling].
1658. Sir T. Browne, Gard. Cyrus, iii. 50. To set Seeds in that posture, wherein the Leaf and Roots may shoot right … were a Criticisme in Agriculture.
1663. J. Spencer, Prodigies (1665), 82. For the omission of some petty criticisms in their Rites.
1683. Cave, Ecclesiastici, Athanasius, vi. § 12. 108. Not sufficiently understanding the Criticisms of the Greek Language.
