the rhythm of life and other essays(生命的旋律)-第3章
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divide； so reign； make so imperial laws； so visibly kindle； so immediately
quicken； so suddenly efface； so banish； so restore； as in a plain like this of
Suffolk with its enormous sky。 The curious have an insufficient motive
for going to the mountains if they do it to see the sunrise。 The sun that
leaps from a mountain peak is a sun past the dew of his birth； he has
walked some way towards the common fires of noon。 But on the flat
country the uprising is early and fresh； the arc is wide； the career is long。
The most distant clouds； converging in the beautiful and little…studied
order of cloud…perspective （for most painters treat clouds as though they
formed perpendicular and not horizontal scenery）； are those that gather at
the central point of sunrise。 On the plain； and there only； can the
constructionbut that is too little vital a word； I should rather say the
organismthe unity； the design； of a sky be understood。 The light wind
that has been moving all night is seen to have not worked at random。 It
has shepherded some small flocks of cloud afield and folded others。
There's husbandry in Heaven。 And the order has； or seems to have； the sun
for its midst。 Not a line； not a curve； but confesses its membership in a
design declared from horizon to horizon。
To see the system of a sky in fragments is to miss what I learn to look
for in all achieved works of Nature and art： the organism that is unity
and life。 It is the unity and life of painting。 The Early Victorian picture…
…（the school is still in full career； but essentially it belongs to that
triumphal period）is but a dull sum of things put together； in concourse；
not in relation； but the true picture is ONE； however multitudinous it may
be； for it is composed of relations gathered together in the unity of
perception； of intention； and of light。 It is organic。 Moreover； how truly
relation is the condition of life may be understood from the extinct state of
the English stage； which resembles nothing so much as a Royal Academy
picture。 Even though the actors may be added together with something
like vivacity （though that is rare）； they have no vitality in common。 They
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are not members one of another。 If the Church and Stage Guild be still in
existence； it would do much for the art by teaching that Scriptural maxim。
I think； furthermore； that the life of our bodies has never been defined so
suggestively as by one who named it a living relation of lifeless atoms。
Could the value of relation be more curiously set forth？ And one might
penetrate some way towards a consideration of the vascular organism of a
true literary style in which there is a vital relation of otherwise lifeless
word with word。 And wherein lies the progress of architecture from the
stupidity of the pyramid and the dead weight of the Cyclopean wall to the
spring and the flight of the ogival arch； but in a quasi…organic relation？
But the way of such thoughts might be intricate； and the sun rules me to
simplicity。
He reigns as centrally in the blue sky as in the clouds。 One October
of late had days absolutely cloudless。 I should not have certainly known
it had there been a hill in sight。 The gradations of the blue are
incalculable； infinite； and they deepen from the central fire。 As to the
earthly scenery； there are but two 'views' on the plain； for the aspect of the
light is the whole landscape。 To look with the sun or against the sunthis
is the alternative splendour。 To look with the sun is to face a golden
country； shadowless； serene； noble and strong in light； with a certain lack
of relief that suggeststo those who dream of landscapethe country of a
dream。 The serried pines； and the lighted fields； and the golden ricks of
the farms are dyed with the sun as one might paint with a colour。 Bright
as it is； the glow is rather the dye of sunlight than its luminosity。 For by a
kind of paradox the luminous landscape is that which is full of shadows
the landscape before you when you turn and face the sun。 Not only every
reed and rush of the salt marshes； every uncertain aspen…leaf of the few
trees； but every particle of the October air shows a shadow and makes a
mystery of the light。 There is nothing but shadow and sun； colour is
absorbed and the landscape is reduced to a shining simplicity。 Thus is
the dominant sun sufficient for his day。 His passage kindles to
unconsuming fires and quenches into living ashes。 No incidents save of
his causing； no delight save of his giving： from the sunrise； when the
larks； not for pairing； but for play； sing the only virginal song of the year
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a heart younger than Spring's in the season of declineeven to the sunset；
when the herons scream together in the shallows。 And the sun dominates
by his absence； compelling the low country to sadness in the melancholy
night。
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THE FLOWER
There is a form of oppression that has not until now been confessed by
those who suffer from it or who are participants； as mere witnesses； in its
tyranny。 It is the obsession of man by the flower。 In the shape of the
flower his own paltriness revisits him… …his triviality； his sloth； his
cheapness； his wholesale habitualness； his slatternly ostentation。 These
return to him and wreak upon him their dull revenges。 What the tyranny
really had grown to can be gauged nowhere so well as in country lodgings；
where the most ordinary things of design and decoration have sifted down
and gathered together； so that foolish ornament gains a cumulative force
and achieves a conspicuous commonness。 Stem and petal and leafthe
fluent forms that a man has not by heart but certainly by roteare woven；
printed； cast； and stamped wherever restlessness and insimplicity have
feared to leave plain spaces。 The most ugly of all imaginable rooms；
which is probably the parlour of a farm… house arrayed for those whom
Americans call summer…boarders； is beset with flowers。 It blooms； a dry；
woollen； papery； cast…iron garden。 The floor flourishes with blossoms
adust； poorly conventionalised into a kind of order； the table…cover is
ablaze with a more realistic florescence； the wall…paper is set with bunches；
the rigid machine…lace curtain is all of roses and lilies in its very
construction； over the muslin blinds an impotent sprig is scattered。 In the
worsted rosettes of the bell…ropes； in the plaster picture…frames； in the
painted tea…tray and on the cups； in the pediment of the sideboard； in the
ornament that crowns the barometer； in the finials of sofa and arm…chair； in
the finger… plates of the 'grained' door； is to be seen the ineffectual portrait
or to be traced the stale inspiration of the flower。 And what is this
bossiness around the grate but some blunt； black…leaded garland？ The
recital is wearisome； but the retribution of the flower is precisely
weariness。 It is the persecution of man； the haunting of his trivial visions；
and the oppression of his inconsiderable brain。
The man so possessed suffers the lot of the weaklingsubjection to the
smallest of the things he has abused。 The designer of cheap patterns is
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no more inevitably ridden by the flower than is the vain and transitory
author by the phrase。 But I had rather learn my decoration of the
Japanese； and place against the blank wall one pot plain from the wheel；
holding one singular branch in blossom； in the attitude and accident of
growth。 And I could wish abstention to exist； and even to be evident； in
my words。 In literature as in all else man merits his subjection to
trivialities by a kind of economical greed。 A condition for using justly
and gaily any decoration would seem to be a certain reluctance。
Ornamentstrange as the doctrine sounds in a world decivilisedwas in
the beginning intended to be something jocund； and jocundity was never
to be achieved but by postponement； deference； and modesty。 Nor can
the prodigality of the meadows in May be quoted in dispute。 For Nature
has something even more severe than moderation： she has an
innumerable singleness。 Her butter…cup meadows are not prodigal； they
show multitude； but not multiplicity； and multiplicity is exactly the
disgrace of decoration。 Who has ever multiplied or repeated his delights？
or who has ever gained the granting of the most foolish of his wishesthe
prayer for reiteration？ It is a curious slight to generous Fate that man
should； like a child； ask for one thing many times。 Her answer every
time is a resembling but new and single gift； until the day when she shall
make the one tremendous difference among her giftsand make it perhaps
in secretby naming one of them the ultimate。 What； for novelty； what；
for singleness； what； for separateness； can equal the last？ Of many
thousand kisses
