essays and lectures-第26章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



spangles　of　the　modern　costumier。　　He　has　even　had　his　niche　in　the

novels　of　our　age；　and　if　MANETTE　SALOMON　be　the　unmasking　of　the

model；　LES　FRERES　ZEMGANNO　is　the　apotheosis　of　the　acrobat。



As　regards　the　influence　of　the　ordinary　model　on　our　English

school　of　painting；　it　cannot　be　said　that　it　is　altogether　good。

It　is；　of　course；　an　advantage　for　the　young　artist　sitting　in　his

studio　to　be　able　to　isolate　'a　little　corner　of　life；'　as　the

French　say；　from　disturbing　surroundings；　and　to　study　it　under

certain　effects　of　light　and　shade。　　But　this　very　isolation　leads

often　to　mere　mannerism　in　the　painter；　and　robs　him　of　that　broad

acceptance　of　the　general　facts　of　life　which　is　the　very　essence

of　art。　　Model…painting；　in　a　word；　while　it　may　be　the　condition

of　art；　is　not　by　any　means　its　aim。



It　is　simply　practice；　not　perfection。　　Its　use　trains　the　eye　and

the　hand　of　the　painter；　its　abuse　produces　in　his　work　an　effect

of　mere　posing　and　prettiness。　　It　is　the　secret　of　much　of　the

artificiality　of　modern　art；　this　constant　posing　of　pretty　people；

and　when　art　becomes　artificial　it　becomes　monotonous。　　Outside　the

little　world　of　the　studio；　with　its　draperies　and　its　BRIC…E…BRAC；

lies　the　world　of　life　with　its　infinite；　its　Shakespearean

variety。　　We　must；　however；　distinguish　between　the　two　kinds　of

models；　those　who　sit　for　the　figure　and　those　who　sit　for　the

costume。　　The　study　of　the　first　is　always　excellent；　but　the

costume…model　is　becoming　rather　wearisome　in　modern　pictures。　　It

is　really　of　very　little　use　to　dress　up　a　London　girl　in　Greek

draperies　and　to　paint　her　as　a　goddess。　　The　robe　may　be　the　robe

of　Athens；　but　the　face　is　usually　the　face　of　Brompton。　　Now　and

then；　it　is　true；　one　comes　across　a　model　whose　face　is　an

exquisite　anachronism；　and　who　looks　lovely　and　natural　in　the

dress　of　any　century　but　her　own。　　This；　however；　is　rather　rare。

As　a　rule　models　are　absolutely　DE　NOTRE　SIECLE；　and　should　be

painted　as　such。　　Unfortunately　they　are　not；　and；　as　a

consequence；　we　are　shown　every　year　a　series　of　scenes　from　fancy

dress　balls　which　are　called　historical　pictures；　but　are　little

more　than　mediocre　representations　of　modern　people　masquerading。

In　France　they　are　wiser。　　The　French　painter　uses　the　model　simply

for　study；　for　the　finished　picture　he　goes　direct　to　life。



However；　we　must　not　blame　the　sitters　for　the　shortcomings　of　the

artists。　　The　English　models　are　a　well…behaved　and　hard…working

class；　and　if　they　are　more　interested　in　artists　than　in　art；　a

large　section　of　the　public　is　in　the　same　condition；　and　most　of

our　modern　exhibitions　seem　to　justify　its　choice。









POEMS　IN　PROSE









THE　ARTIST





ONE　evening　there　came　into　his　soul　the　desire　to　fashion　an　image

of　THE　PLEASURE　THAT　ABIDETH　FOR　A　MOMENT。　　And　he　went　forth　into

the　world　to　look　for　bronze。　　For　he　could　think　only　in　bronze。



But　all　the　bronze　of　the　whole　world　had　disappeared；　nor　anywhere

in　the　whole　world　was　there　any　bronze　to　be　found；　save　only　the

bronze　of　the　image　of　THE　SORROW　THAT　ENDURETH　FOR　EVER。



Now　this　image　he　had　himself；　and　with　his　own　hands；　fashioned；

and　had　set　it　on　the　tomb　of　the　one　thing　he　had　loved　in　life。

On　the　tomb　of　the　dead　thing　he　had　most　loved　had　he　set　this

image　of　his　own　fashioning；　that　it　might　serve　as　a　sign　of　the

love　of　man　that　dieth　not；　and　a　symbol　of　the　sorrow　of　man　that

endureth　for　ever。　　And　in　the　whole　world　there　was　no　other

bronze　save　the　bronze　of　this　image。



And　he　took　the　image　he　had　fashioned；　and　set　it　in　a　great

furnace；　and　gave　it　to　the　fire。



And　out　of　the　bronze　of　the　image　of　THE　SORROW　THAT　ENDURETH　FOR

EVER　he　fashioned　an　image　of　THE　PLEASURE　THAT　ABIDETH　FOR　A

MOMENT。





THE　DOER　OF　GOOD





It　was　night…time　and　He　was　alone。



And　He　saw　afar…off　the　walls　of　a　round　city　and　went　towards　the

city。



And　when　He　came　near　He　heard　within　the　city　the　tread　of　the

feet　of　joy；　and　the　laughter　of　the　mouth　of　gladness　and　the　loud

noise　of　many　lutes。　　And　He　knocked　at　the　gate　and　certain　of　the

gate…keepers　opened　to　Him。



And　He　beheld　a　house　that　was　of　marble　and　had　fair　pillars　of

marble　before　it。　　The　pillars　were　hung　with　garlands；　and　within

and　without　there　were　torches　of　cedar。　　And　He　entered　the　house。



And　when　He　had　passed　through　the　hall　of　chalcedony　and　the　hall

of　jasper；　and　reached　the　long　hall　of　feasting；　He　saw　lying　on　a

couch　of　sea…purple　one　whose　hair　was　crowned　with　red　roses　and

whose　lips　were　red　with　wine。



And　He　went　behind　him　and　touched　him　on　the　shoulder　and　said　to

him；　'Why　do　you　live　like　this？'



And　the　young　man　turned　round　and　recognised　Him；　and　made　answer

and　said；　'But　I　was　a　leper　once；　and　you　healed　me。　　How　else

should　I　live？'



And　He　passed　out　of　the　house　and　went　again　into　the　street。



And　after　a　little　while　He　saw　one　whose　face　and　raiment　were

painted　and　whose　feet　were　shod　with　pearls。　　And　behind　her　came；

slowly　as　a　hunter；　a　young　man　who　wore　a　cloak　of　two　colours。

Now　the　face　of　the　woman　was　as　the　fair　face　of　an　idol；　and　the

eyes　of　the　young　man　were　bright　with　lust。



And　He　followed　swiftly　and　touched　the　hand　of　the　young　man　and

said　to　him；　'Why　do　you　look　at　this　woman　and　in　such　wise？'



And　the　young　man　turned　round　and　recognised　Him　and　said；　'But　I

was　blind　once；　and　you　gave　me　sight。　　At　what　else　should　I

look？'



And　He　ran　forward　and　touched　the　painted　raiment　of　the　woman　and

said　to　her；　'Is　there　no　other　way　in　which　to　walk　save　the　way

of　sin？'



And　the　woman　turned　round　and　recognised　Him；　and　laughed　and

said；　'But　you　forgave　me　my　sins；　and　the　way　is　a　pleasant　way。'



And　He　passed　out　of　the　city。



And　when　He　had　passed　out　of　the　city　He　saw　seated　by　the

roadside　a　young　man　who　was　weeping。



And　He　went　towards　him　and　touched　the　long　locks　of　his　hair　and

said　to　him；　'Why　are　you　weeping？'



And　the　young　man　looked　up　and　recognised　Him　and　made　answer；

'But　I　was　dead　once；　and　you　raised　me　from　the　dead。　　What　else

should　I　do　but　weep？'





THE　DISCIPLE





When　Narcissus　died　the　pool　of　his　pleasure　changed　from　a　cup　of

sweet　waters　into　a　cup　of　salt　tears；　and　the　Oreads　came　weeping

through　the　woodland　that　they　might　sing　to　the　pool　and　give　it

comfort。



And　when　they　saw　that　the　pool　had　changed　from　a　cup　of　sweet

waters　into　a　cup　of　salt　tears；　they　loosened　the　green　tresses　of

their　hair　and　cried　to　the　pool　and　said；　'We　do　not　wonder　that

you　should　mourn　in　this　manner　for　Narcissus；　so　beautiful　was

he。'



'But　was　Narcissus　beautiful？'　said　the　pool。



'Who　should　know　that　better　than　you？'　answered　the　Oreads。　　'Us

did　he　ever　pass　by；　but　you　he　sought　for；　and　would　lie　on　your

banks　and　look　down　at　you；　and　in　the　mirror　of　your　waters　he

would　mirror　his　own　beauty。'



And　the　pool　answered；　'But　I　loved　Narcissus　because；　as　he　lay　on

my　banks　and　looked　down　at　me；　in　the　mirror　of　his　eyes　I　saw

ever　my　own　beauty　mirrored。'





THE　MASTER





Now　when　the　darkness　came　over　the　earth　Joseph　of　Arimathea；

having　lighted　a　torch　of　pinewood；　passed　down　from　the　hill　into

the　valley。　　For　he　had　business　in　his　own　home。



And　kneeling　on　the　flint　stones　of　the　Valley　of　Desolation　he　saw

a　young　man　who　was　naked　and　weeping。　　His　hair　was　the　colour　of

honey；　and　his　body　was　as　a　white　flower；　but　he　had　wounded　his

body　with　thorns　and　on　his　hair　had　he　set　ashes　as　a　crown。



And　he　who　had　great　possessions　said　to　the　young　man　who　was

naked　and　weeping；　'I　do　not　wonder　that　your　sorrow　is　so　great；

for　surely　He　was　a　just　man。'



And　the　young　man　answered；　'It　is　not　for　Him　that　I　am　weeping；

but　for　myself。　　I　too　have　changed　water　into　wine；　and　I　have

healed　the　leper　and　given　sight　to　the　blind。　　I　have　walked　upon

the　waters；　and　from　the　dwellers　in　the　tombs　I　have　cast　out

devils。　　I　have　fed　the　hungry　in　the　desert　where　there　was　no

food；　and　I　have　raised　the　dead　from　their　narrow　houses；　and　at

my　bidding；　and　before　a　great　multitude；　of　people；　a　barren　fig…

tree　withered　away。　　All　things　that　this　man　has　done　I　have　done

also。　　And　yet　they　have　not　crucified　me。'





THE　HOUSE　OF　JUDGMENT





And　there　was　silence　in　the　House　of　Judgment；　and　the　Man　came

naked　before　God。



And　God　opened　the　Book　of　the　Life　of　the　Man。



And　God　said　to　the　Man；　'Thy　life　hath　been　evil；　and　thou　hast

shown　cruelty　to　those　who　were　in　need　of　succour；　and　to　those

who　lacked　help　thou　hast　been　bitter　and　hard　of　heart。　　The　poor

called　to　thee　and　thou　didst　not　hearken；　and　thine　ears　were

closed　to　the　cry　of　My　afflicted。　　The　inheritance　of　the

fatherless　thou　didst　take　unto　thyself；　and　thou　didst　send　the

foxes　into　the　vineyard　of　thy　neighbour's　field。　　Thou　didst　take

the　bread　of　the　children　and　give　it　to　the　dogs　to　eat；　and　My

lepers　who　lived　in　the　marshes；　and　were　at　peace　and　praised　Me；

thou　didst　drive　forth　on　to　the　highways；　and　on　Mine　earth　out　of

which　I　made　thee　thou　didst　spill　innocent　blood。'



And　the　Man　made　answer　and　said；　'Even　so　did　I。'



And　again　God　opened　the　Book　of　the　Life　of　the　Man。



And　God　said　to　the　Man；　'Thy　life　hath　been　evil；　and　the　Beauty　I

have　shown　thou　hast　sought　for；　and　the　Good　I　have　hidden　thou

didst　pass　by。　　The　walls　of　thy　chamber　were　painted　with　images；

and　from　the　bed　of　thine　abominations　thou　didst　rise　up　to　the

sound　of　flutes。　　Thou　didst　build　seven　altars　to　the　sins　I　have

suffered；　and　didst　eat　of　the　thing　that　may　not　be　eaten；　and　the

purple　of　thy　raiment　was　broidered　with　the　three　signs　of　shame。

Thine　idols　were　neither　of　gold　nor　of　silver　that　endure；　but　of

flesh　that　dieth。　　Thou　didst　stain　their　hair　with　perfumes　and

put　pomegranates　in　their　hands。　　Thou　didst　stain　their　feet　with

saffron　and　spread　carpets　before　them。　　With　antimony　thou　didst

stain　their　eyelids　and　their　bodies　thou　didst　smear　with　myrrh。

Thou　didst　bow　thyself　to　the　ground　before　them；　and　the　thrones

of　thine　idols　were　set　in　the　sun。　　Thou　didst　show　to　the　sun　thy

shame　and　to　the　moon　thy　madness。'



And　the　Man　made　answer　and　said；　'Even　so　did　I。'



And　a　third　time　God　opened　the　Book　of　the　Life　of　the　Man。



And　God　said　to　the　Man；　'Evil　hath　been　thy　life；　and　with　evil

didst　thou　requite　good；　and　with　wrongdoing　kindness。　　The　hands

that　fed　thee　thou　didst　wound；　and　the　breasts　that　gave　thee　suck

thou　didst　despise。　　He　who　came　to　thee　with　water　went　away

thirsting；　and　the　outlawed　men　who　hid　thee　in　their　tents