“唯美主义”(Aestheticism),是四方近代重大的文艺思潮。Aestheticism,也有人译为“美学主义”。十几年前西方编篡一套《西洋文学术语丛刊》,由英美文学专家分别执笔。R·V·约翰逊的《美学主义》就是《丛刊》中的一种。笔者通读此书后,深感作者征引材料丰富,繁简得体,对于“唯美主义”来龙去脉所做的考察和批评,颇富发启性。《美学主义》一书共分为四章:美学主义的几个论点;美学主义的出现;诗与美学主义:从爱尔仑坡到摩尔;美学主义之代表——佩特与王尔德。从这四章先后顺 “Aestheticism” is a major literary and artistic trend of thought in the four modern times. Aestheticism, some people translated as “aestheticism.” A dozen years ago the West compiled a set of “Western Literary Terms Series,” written by Anglo-American literary experts. RL Johnson’s Aestheticism is one of the series. After reading through this book, I deeply believe that the author solicits abundant materials and is simple and concise. It is quite inspiring for the investigation and criticism made by the “Aestheticism”. The book Aestheticism is divided into four chapters: A Few Arguments of Aestheticism; Aestheticism; Poetry and Aesthetics: From Allan Poe to Moore; Representatives of Aesthetics - Pate and Wilde. Follow these four chapters