Introduction: “Not a Having and a Resting, but a Growing and Becoming

Abstract

Introduces a Special Issue of Nineteenth-Century Prose dedicated to Matthew Arnold on the bicentenary of his birth. Explains why studying Arnold’s prose is relevant in the twenty-first century. Provides a sketch of Arnold’s life focused on the development of his lifelong project of promoting the study and appreciation of culture in a world becoming more obsessed with materialism. Briefly sketches the contributions of the six scholars whose essays appear in the issue.