"Classical and romantic: private language of a family quarrel, a dead dispute over the distribution of emphasis between man and nature"

This quote by Cyril Connolly is referring to the two major creative motions of the 18th and 19th centuries, Classical and Romantic. Connolly is suggesting that the two movements are like a household quarrel, a conflict between two sides that is now dead. He is indicating that the two motions had various views on the emphasis in between man and nature. The Classical movement focused on the rational and sensible elements of life, while the Romantic motion concentrated on feeling and the beauty of nature. Connolly is suggesting that the two motions had a disagreement over which ought to be given more emphasis. He is implying that the disagreement is now dead, as both movements have been replaced by more modern artistic movements. This quote is a tip of the value of comprehending the history of art and the impact of various creative motions.