essays and lectures-第18章

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will　grow　up　'in　a　simple　atmosphere　of　all　fair　things'　…　I　quote

from　the　passage　in　the　REPUBLIC　…　'a　simple　atmosphere　of　all　fair

things；　where　beauty；　which　is　the　spirit　of　art；　will　come　on　eye

and　ear　like　a　fresh　breath　of　wind　that　brings　health　from　a　clear

upland；　and　insensibly　and　gradually　draw　the　child's　soul　into

harmony　with　all　knowledge　and　all　wisdom；　so　that　he　will　love

what　is　beautiful　and　good；　and　hate　what　is　evil　and　ugly　（for

they　always　go　together）　long　before　he　knows　the　reason　why；　and

then　when　reason　comes　will　kiss　her　on　the　cheek　as　a　friend。'



That　is　what　Plato　thought　decorative　art　could　do　for　a　nation；

feeling　that　the　secret　not　of　philosophy　merely　but　of　all

gracious　existence　might　be　externally　hidden　from　any　one　whose

youth　had　been　passed　in　uncomely　and　vulgar　surroundings；　and　that

the　beauty　of　form　and　colour　even；　as　he　says；　in　the　meanest

vessels　of　the　house；　will　find　its　way　into　the　inmost　places　of

the　soul　and　lead　the　boy　naturally　to　look　for　that　divine　harmony

of　spiritual　life　of　which　art　was　to　him　the　material　symbol　and

warrant。



Prelude　indeed　to　all　knowledge　and　all　wisdom　will　this　love　of

beautiful　things　be　for　us；　yet　there　are　times　when　wisdom　becomes

a　burden　and　knowledge　is　one　with　sorrow：　　for　as　every　body　has

its　shadow　so　every　soul　has　its　scepticism。　　In　such　dread　moments

of　discord　and　despair　where　should　we；　of　this　torn　and　troubled

age；　turn　our　steps　if　not　to　that　secure　house　of　beauty　where

there　is　always　a　little　forgetfulness；　always　a　great　joy；　to　that

CITTE　DIVINA；　as　the　old　Italian　heresy　called　it；　the　divine　city

where　one　can　stand；　though　only　for　a　brief　moment；　apart　from　the

division　and　terror　of　the　world　and　the　choice　of　the　world　too？



This　is　that　CONSOLATION　DES　ARTS　which　is　the　key…note　of

Gautier's　poetry；　the　secret　of　modern　life　foreshadowed　…　as

indeed　what　in　our　century　is　not？　…　by　Goethe。　　You　remember　what

he　said　to　the　German　people：　　'Only　have　the　courage；'　he　said；

'to　give　yourselves　up　to　your　impressions；　allow　yourselves　to　be

delighted；　moved；　elevated；　nay　instructed；　inspired　for　something

great。'　　The　courage　to　give　yourselves　up　to　your　impressions：

yes；　that　is　the　secret　of　the　artistic　life　…　for　while　art　has

been　defined　as　an　escape　from　the　tyranny　of　the　senses；　it　is　an

escape　rather　from　the　tyranny　of　the　soul。　　But　only　to　those　who

worship　her　above　all　things　does　she　ever　reveal　her　true

treasure：　　else　will　she　be　as　powerless　to　aid　you　as　the

mutilated　Venus　of　the　Louvre　was　before　the　romantic　but　sceptical

nature　of　Heine。



And　indeed　I　think　it　would　be　impossible　to　overrate　the　gain　that

might　follow　if　we　had　about　us　only　what　gave　pleasure　to　the

maker　of　it　and　gives　pleasure　to　its　user；　that　being　the　simplest

of　all　rules　about　decoration。　　One　thing；　at　least；　I　think　it

would　do　for　us：　　there　is　no　surer　test　of　a　great　country　than

how　near　it　stands　to　its　own　poets；　but　between　the　singers　of　our

day　and　the　workers　to　whom　they　would　sing　there　seems　to　be　an

ever…widening　and　dividing　chasm；　a　chasm　which　slander　and　mockery

cannot　traverse；　but　which　is　spanned　by　the　luminous　wings　of

love。



And　of　such　love　I　think　that　the　abiding　presence　in　our　houses　of

noble　imaginative　work　would　be　the　surest　seed　and　preparation。　　I

do　not　mean　merely　as　regards　that　direct　literary　expression　of

art　by　which；　from　the　little　red…and…black　cruse　of　oil　or　wine；　a

Greek　boy　could　learn　of　the　lionlike　splendour　of　Achilles；　of　the

strength　of　Hector　and　the　beauty　of　Paris　and　the　wonder　of　Helen；

long　before　he　stood　and　listened　in　crowded　market…place　or　in

theatre　of　marble；　or　by　which　an　Italian　child　of　the　fifteenth

century　could　know　of　the　chastity　of　Lucrece　and　the　death　of

Camilla　from　carven　doorway　and　from　painted　chest。　　For　the　good

we　get　from　art　is　not　what　we　learn　from　it；　it　is　what　we　become

through　it。　　Its　real　influence　will　be　in　giving　the　mind　that

enthusiasm　which　is　the　secret　of　Hellenism；　accustoming　it　to

demand　from　art　all　that　art　can　do　in　rearranging　the　facts　of

common　life　for　us　…　whether　it　be　by　giving　the　most　spiritual

interpretation　of　one's　own　moments　of　highest　passion　or　the　most

sensuous　expression　of　those　thoughts　that　are　the　farthest　removed

from　sense；　in　accustoming　it　to　love　the　things　of　the　imagination

for　their　own　sake；　and　to　desire　beauty　and　grace　in　all　things。

For　he　who　does　not　love　art　in　all　things　does　not　love　it　at　all；

and　he　who　does　not　need　art　in　all　things　does　not　need　it　at　all。



I　will　not　dwell　here　on　what　I　am　sure　has　delighted　you　all　in

our　great　Gothic　cathedrals。　　I　mean　how　the　artist　of　that　time；

handicraftsman　himself　in　stone　or　glass；　found　the　best　motives

for　his　art；　always　ready　for　his　hand　and　always　beautiful；　in　the

daily　work　of　the　artificers　he　saw　around　him　…　as　in　those　lovely

windows　of　Chartres　…　where　the　dyer　dips　in　the　vat　and　the　potter

sits　at　the　wheel；　and　the　weaver　stands　at　the　loom：　　real

manufacturers　these；　workers　with　the　hand；　and　entirely　delightful

to　look　at；　not　like　the　smug　and　vapid　shopman　of　our　time；　who

knows　nothing　of　the　web　or　vase　he　sells；　except　that　he　is

charging　you　double　its　value　and　thinking　you　a　fool　for　buying

it。　　Nor　can　I　but　just　note；　in　passing；　the　immense　influence　the

decorative　work　of　Greece　and　Italy　had　on　its　artists；　the　one

teaching　the　sculptor　that　restraining　influence　of　design　which　is

the　glory　of　the　Parthenon；　the　other　keeping　painting　always　true

to　its　primary；　pictorial　condition　of　noble　colour　which　is　the

secret　of　the　school　of　Venice；　for　I　wish　rather；　in　this　lecture

at　least；　to　dwell　on　the　effect　that　decorative　art　has　on　human

life　…　on　its　social　not　its　purely　artistic　effect。



There　are　two　kinds　of　men　in　the　world；　two　great　creeds；　two

different　forms　of　natures：　　men　to　whom　the　end　of　life　is　action；

and　men　to　whom　the　end　of　life　is　thought。　　As　regards　the　latter；

who　seek　for　experience　itself　and　not　for　the　fruits　of

experience；　who　must　burn　always　with　one　of　the　passions　of　this

fiery…coloured　world；　who　find　life　interesting　not　for　its　secret

but　for　its　situations；　for　its　pulsations　and　not　for　its　purpose；

the　passion　for　beauty　engendered　by　the　decorative　arts　will　be　to

them　more　satisfying　than　any　political　or　religious　enthusiasm；

any　enthusiasm　for　humanity；　any　ecstasy　or　sorrow　for　love。　　For

art　comes　to　one　professing　primarily　to　give　nothing　but　the

highest　quality　to　one's　moments；　and　for　those　moments'　sake。　　So

far　for　those　to　whom　the　end　of　life　is　thought。　　As　regards　the

others；　who　hold　that　life　is　inseparable　from　labour；　to　them

should　this　movement　be　specially　dear：　　for；　if　our　days　are

barren　without　industry；　industry　without　art　is　barbarism。



Hewers　of　wood　and　drawers　of　water　there　must　be　always　indeed

among　us。　　Our　modern　machinery　has　not　much　lightened　the　labour

of　man　after　all：　　but　at　least　let　the　pitcher　that　stands　by　the

well　be　beautiful　and　surely　the　labour　of　the　day　will　be

lightened：　　let　the　wood　be　made　receptive　of　some　lovely　form；

some　gracious　design；　and　there　will　come　no　longer　discontent　but

joy　to　the　toiler。　　For　what　is　decoration　but　the　worker's

expression　of　joy　in　his　work？　　And　not　joy　merely　…　that　is　a

great　thing　yet　not　enough　…　but　that　opportunity　of　expressing　his

own　individuality　which；　as　it　is　the　essence　of　all　life；　is　the

source　of　all　art。　　'I　have　tried；'　I　remember　William　Morris

saying　to　me　once；　'I　have　tried　to　make　each　of　my　workers　an

artist；　and　when　I　say　an　artist　I　mean　a　man。'　　For　the　worker

then；　handicraftsman　of　whatever　kind　he　is；　art　is　no　longer　to　be

a　purple　robe　woven　by　a　slave　and　thrown　over　the　whitened　body　of

a　leprous　king　to　hide　and　to　adorn　the　sin　of　his　luxury；　but

rather　the　beautiful　and　noble　expression　of　a　life　that　has　in　it

something　beautiful　and　noble。



And　so　you　must　seek　out　your　workman　and　give　him；　as　far　as

possible；　the　right　surroundings；　for　remember　that　the　real　test

and　virtue　of　a　workman　is　not　his　earnestness　nor　his　industry

even；　but　his　power　of　design　merely；　and　that　'design　is　not　the

offspring　of　idle　fancy：　　it　is　the　studied　result　of　accumulative

observation　and　delightful　habit。'　　All　the　teaching　in　the　world

is　of　no　avail　if　you　do　not　surround　your　workman　with　happy

influences　and　with　beautiful　things。　　It　is　impossible　for　him　to

have　right　ideas　about　colour　unless　he　sees　the　lovely　colours　of

Nature　unspoiled；　impossible　for　him　to　supply　beautiful　incident

and　action　unless　he　sees　beautiful　incident　and　action　in　the

world　about　him。



For　to　cultivate　sympathy　you　must　be　among　living　things　and

thinking　about　them；　and　to　cultivate　admiration　you　must　be　among

beautiful　things　and　looking　at　them。　　'The　steel　of　Toledo　and　the

silk　of　Genoa　did　but　give　strength　to　oppression　and　lustre　to

pride；'　as　Mr。　Ruskin　says；　let　it　be　for　you　to　create　an　art　that

is　made　by　the　hands　of　the　people　for　the　joy　of　the　people；　to

please　the　hearts　of　the　people；　too；　an　art　that　will　be　your

expression　of　your　delight　in　life。　　There　is　nothing　'in　common

life　too　mean；　in　common　things　too　trivial　to　be　ennobled　by　your

touch'；　nothing　in　life　that　art　cannot　sanctify。



You　have　heard；　I　think；　a　few　of　you；　of　two　flowers　connected

with　the　aesthetic　movement　in　England；　and　said　（I　assure　you；

erroneously）　to　be　the　food　of　some　aesthetic　young　men。　　Well；　let

me　tell　you　that　the　reason　we　love　the　lily　and　the　sunflower；　in

spite　of　what　Mr。　Gilbert　may　tell　you；　is　not　for　any　vegetable

fashion　at　all。　　It　is　because　these　two　lovely　flowers　are　in

England　the　two　most　perfect　models　of　design；　the　most　naturally

adapted　for　decorative　art　…　the　gaudy　leonine　beauty　of　the　one

and　the　precious　loveliness　of　the　other　giving　to　the　artist　the

most　entire　and　perfect　joy。　　And　so　with　you：　　let　there　be　no

flower　in　your　meadows　that　does　not　wreathe　its　tendrils　around

your　pillows；　no　little　leaf　in　your　Titan　forests　that　does　not

lend　its　form　to　design；　no　curving　spray　of　wild　rose　or　brier

that　does　not　live　for　ever　in　carven　arch　or　window　or　marble；　no

bird　in　your　air　that　is　not　giving　the　iridescent　wonder　of　its

colour；　the　exquisite　curves　of　its　wings　in　flight；　to　make　more

precious　the　preciousness　of　simple　adornment。



We　spend　our　days；　each　one　of　us；　in　looking　for　the　secret　of

life。　　Well；　the　secret　of　life　is　in　art。









HOUSE　DECORATION









IN　my　last　lecture　I　gave　you　something　of　the　history　of　Art　in

England。　　I　sought　to　trace　the　influence　of　the　French　Revolution

upon　its　development。