essays and lectures-第26章

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

done　is　done　exactly　or　finely；　for　machinery　may　do　as　much；　but

that　it　is　worked　out　with　the　head　and　the　workman's　heart。　　I

cannot　impress　the　point　too　frequently　that　beautiful　and　rational

designs　are　necessary　in　all　work。　　I　did　not　imagine；　until　I　went

into　some　of　your　simpler　cities；　that　there　was　so　much　bad　work

done。　　I　found；　where　I　went；　bad　wall…papers　horribly　designed；

and　coloured　carpets；　and　that　old　offender　the　horse…hair　sofa；

whose　stolid　look　of　indifference　is　always　so　depressing。　　I　found

meaningless　chandeliers　and　machine…made　furniture；　generally　of

rosewood；　which　creaked　dismally　under　the　weight　of　the　ubiquitous

interviewer。　　I　came　across　the　small　iron　stove　which　they　always

persist　in　decorating　with　machine…made　ornaments；　and　which　is　as

great　a　bore　as　a　wet　day　or　any　other　particularly　dreadful

institution。　　When　unusual　extravagance　was　indulged　in；　it　was

garnished　with　two　funeral　urns。



It　must　always　be　remembered　that　what　is　well　and　carefully　made

by　an　honest　workman；　after　a　rational　design；　increases　in　beauty

and　value　as　the　years　go　on。　　The　old　furniture　brought　over　by

the　Pilgrims；　two　hundred　years　ago；　which　I　saw　in　New　England；　is

just　as　good　and　as　beautiful　to…day　as　it　was　when　it　first　came

here。　　Now；　what　you　must　do　is　to　bring　artists　and　handicraftsmen

together。　　Handicraftsmen　cannot　live；　certainly　cannot　thrive；

without　such　companionship。　　Separate　these　two　and　you　rob　art　of

all　spiritual　motive。



Having　done　this；　you　must　place　your　workman　in　the　midst　of

beautiful　surroundings。　　The　artist　is　not　dependent　on　the　visible

and　the　tangible。　　He　has　his　visions　and　his　dreams　to　feed　on。

But　the　workman　must　see　lovely　forms　as　he　goes　to　his　work　in　the

morning　and　returns　at　eventide。　　And；　in　connection　with　this；　I

want　to　assure　you　that　noble　and　beautiful　designs　are　never　the

result　of　idle　fancy　or　purposeless　day…dreaming。　　They　come　only

as　the　accumulation　of　habits　of　long　and　delightful　observation。

And　yet　such　things　may　not　be　taught。　　Right　ideas　concerning　them

can　certainly　be　obtained　only　by　those　who　have　been　accustomed　to

rooms　that　are　beautiful　and　colours　that　are　satisfying。



Perhaps　one　of　the　most　difficult　things　for　us　to　do　is　to　choose

a　notable　and　joyous　dress　for　men。　　There　would　be　more　joy　in

life　if　we　were　to　accustom　ourselves　to　use　all　the　beautiful

colours　we　can　in　fashioning　our　own　clothes。　　The　dress　of　the

future；　I　think；　will　use　drapery　to　a　great　extent　and　will　abound

with　joyous　colour。　　At　present　we　have　lost　all　nobility　of　dress

and；　in　doing　so；　have　almost　annihilated　the　modern　sculptor。

And；　in　looking　around　at　the　figures　which　adorn　our　parks；　one

could　almost　wish　that　we　had　completely　killed　the　noble　art。　　To

see　the　frock…coat　of　the　drawing…room　done　in　bronze；　or　the

double　waistcoat　perpetuated　in　marble；　adds　a　new　horror　to　death。

But　indeed；　in　looking　through　the　history　of　costume；　seeking　an

answer　to　the　questions　we　have　propounded；　there　is　little　that　is

either　beautiful　or　appropriate。　　One　of　the　earliest　forms　is　the

Greek　drapery　which　is　exquisite　for　young　girls。　　And　then；　I

think　we　may　be　pardoned　a　little　enthusiasm　over　the　dress　of　the

time　of　Charles　I。；　so　beautiful　indeed；　that　in　spite　of　its

invention　being　with　the　Cavaliers　it　was　copied　by　the　Puritans。

And　the　dress　for　the　children　of　that　time　must　not　be　passed

over。　　It　was　a　very　golden　age　of　the　little　ones。　　I　do　not　think

that　they　have　ever　looked　so　lovely　as　they　do　in　the　pictures　of

that　time。　　The　dress　of　the　last　century　in　England　is　also

peculiarly　gracious　and　graceful。　　There　is　nothing　bizarre　or

strange　about　it；　but　it　is　full　of　harmony　and　beauty。　　In　these

days；　when　we　have　suffered　dreadfully　from　the　incursions　of　the

modern　milliner；　we　hear　ladies　boast　that　they　do　not　wear　a　dress

more　than　once。　　In　the　old　days；　when　the　dresses　were　decorated

with　beautiful　designs　and　worked　with　exquisite　embroidery；　ladies

rather　took　a　pride　in　bringing　out　the　garment　and　wearing　it　many

times　and　handing　it　down　to　their　daughters　…　a　process　that

would；　I　think；　be　quite　appreciated　by　a　modern　husband　when

called　upon　to　settle　his　wife's　bills。



And　how　shall　men　dress？　　Men　say　that　they　do　not　particularly

care　how　they　dress；　and　that　it　is　little　matter。　　I　am　bound　to

reply　that　I　do　not　think　that　you　do。　　In　all　my　journeys　through

the　country；　the　only　well…dressed　men　that　I　saw　…　and　in　saying

this　I　earnestly　deprecate　the　polished　indignation　of　your　Fifth

Avenue　dandies　…　were　the　Western　miners。　　Their　wide…brimmed　hats；

which　shaded　their　faces　from　the　sun　and　protected　them　from　the

rain；　and　the　cloak；　which　is　by　far　the　most　beautiful　piece　of

drapery　ever　invented；　may　well　be　dwelt　on　with　admiration。　　Their

high　boots；　too；　were　sensible　and　practical。　　They　wore　only　what

was　comfortable；　and　therefore　beautiful。　　As　I　looked　at　them　I

could　not　help　thinking　with　regret　of　the　time　when　these

picturesque　miners　would　have　made　their　fortunes　and　would　go　East

to　assume　again　all　the　abominations　of　modern　fashionable　attire。

Indeed；　so　concerned　was　I　that　I　made　some　of　them　promise　that

when　they　again　appeared　in　the　more　crowded　scenes　of　Eastern

civilisation　they　would　still　continue　to　wear　their　lovely

costume。　　But　I　do　not　believe　they　will。



Now；　what　America　wants　to…day　is　a　school　of　rational　art。　　Bad

art　is　a　great　deal　worse　than　no　art　at　all。　　You　must　show　your

workmen　specimens　of　good　work　so　that　they　come　to　know　what　is

simple　and　true　and　beautiful。　　To　that　end　I　would　have　you　have　a

museum　attached　to　these　schools　…　not　one　of　those　dreadful　modern

institutions　where　there　is　a　stuffed　and　very　dusty　giraffe；　and　a

case　or　two　of　fossils；　but　a　place　where　there　are　gathered

examples　of　art　decoration　from　various　periods　and　countries。

Such　a　place　is　the　South　Kensington　Museum　in　London；　whereon　we

build　greater　hopes　for　the　future　than　on　any　other　one　thing。

There　I　go　every　Saturday　night；　when　the　museum　is　open　later　than

usual；　to　see　the　handicraftsman；　the　wood…worker；　the　glass…blower

and　the　worker　in　metals。　　And　it　is　here　that　the　man　of

refinement　and　culture　comes　face　to　face　with　the　workman　who

ministers　to　his　joy。　　He　comes　to　know　more　of　the　nobility　of　the

workman；　and　the　workman；　feeling　the　appreciation；　comes　to　know

more　of　the　nobility　of　his　work。



You　have　too　many　white　walls。　　More　colour　is　wanted。　　You　should

have　such　men　as　Whistler　among　you　to　teach　you　the　beauty　and　joy

of　colour。　　Take　Mr。　Whistler's　'Symphony　in　White；'　which　you　no

doubt　have　imagined　to　be　something　quite　bizarre。　　It　is　nothing

of　the　sort。　　Think　of　a　cool　grey　sky　flecked　here　and　there　with

white　clouds；　a　grey　ocean　and　three　wonderfully　beautiful　figures

robed　in　white；　leaning　over　the　water　and　dropping　white　flowers

from　their　fingers。　　Here　is　no　extensive　intellectual　scheme　to

trouble　you；　and　no　metaphysics　of　which　we　have　had　quite　enough

in　art。　　But　if　the　simple　and　unaided　colour　strike　the　right

keynote；　the　whole　conception　is　made　clear。　　I　regard　Mr。

Whistler's　famous　Peacock　Room　as　the　finest　thing　in　colour　and

art　decoration　which　the　world　has　known　since　Correggio　painted

that　wonderful　room　in　Italy　where　the　little　children　are　dancing

on　the　walls。　　Mr。　Whistler　finished　another　room　just　before　I

came　away　…　a　breakfast　room　in　blue　and　yellow。　　The　ceiling　was　a

light　blue；　the　cabinet…work　and　the　furniture　were　of　a　yellow

wood；　the　curtains　at　the　windows　were　white　and　worked　in　yellow；

and　when　the　table　was　set　for　breakfast　with　dainty　blue　china

nothing　can　be　conceived　at　once　so　simple　and　so　joyous。



T