_The New Influences and Tendencies_
Mere statistics are untrustworthy; dates are even less dependable.
But, to avoid hairsplitting, what we call "modern" English literature
may be said to date from about 1885. A few writers who are decidedly
"of the period" are, as a matter of strict chronology, somewhat
earlier. But the chief tendencies may be divided into seven periods.
They are (1) The decay of Victorianism and the growth of a purely
decorative art, (2) The rise and decline of the AEsthetic Philosophy,
(3) The muscular influence of Henley, (4) The Celtic revival in
Ireland, (5) Rudyard Kipling and the ascendency of mechanism in art,
(6) John Masefield and the return of the rhymed narrative, (7) The war
and the appearance of "The Georgians." It may be interesting to trace
these developments in somewhat greater detail.