essays and lectures-第25章

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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。　　I　said　something　of　the　song　of　Keats　and

the　school　of　the　pre…Raphaelites。　　But　I　do　not　want　to　shelter

the　movement；　which　I　have　called　the　English　Renaissance；　under

any　palladium　however　noble；　or　any　name　however　revered。　　The

roots　of　it　have；　indeed；　to　be　sought　for　in　things　that　have　long

passed　away；　and　not；　as　some　suppose；　in　the　fancy　of　a　few　young

men　…　although　I　am　not　altogether　sure　that　there　is　anything　much

better　than　the　fancy　of　a　few　young　men。



When　I　appeared　before　you　on　a　previous　occasion；　I　had　seen

nothing　of　American　art　save　the　Doric　columns　and　Corinthian

chimney…pots　visible　on　your　Broadway　and　Fifth　Avenue。　　Since

then；　I　have　been　through　your　country　to　some　fifty　or　sixty

different　cities；　I　think。　　I　find　that　what　your　people　need　is

not　so　much　high　imaginative　art　but　that　which　hallows　the　vessels

of　everyday　use。　　I　suppose　that　the　poet　will　sing　and　the　artist

will　paint　regardless　whether　the　world　praises　or　blames。　　He　has

his　own　world　and　is　independent　of　his　fellow…men。　　But　the

handicraftsman　is　dependent　on　your　pleasure　and　opinion。　　He　needs

your　encouragement　and　he　must　have　beautiful　surroundings。　　Your

people　love　art　but　do　not　sufficiently　honour　the　handicraftsman。

Of　course；　those　millionaires　who　can　pillage　Europe　for　their

pleasure　need　have　no　care　to　encourage　such；　but　I　speak　for　those

whose　desire　for　beautiful　things　is　larger　than　their　means。　　I

find　that　one　great　trouble　all　over　is　that　your　workmen　are　not

given　to　noble　designs。　　You　cannot　be　indifferent　to　this；　because

Art　is　not　something　which　you　can　take　or　leave。　　It　is　a

necessity　of　human　life。



And　what　is　the　meaning　of　this　beautiful　decoration　which　we　call

art？　　In　the　first　place；　it　means　value　to　the　workman　and　it

means　the　pleasure　which　he　must　necessarily　take　in　making　a

beautiful　thing。　　The　mark　of　all　good　art　is　not　that　the　thing

done　is　done　exactly　or　finely；　for　machiner