the rhythm of life-第3部分

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with　something　like　vivacity　（though　that　is　rare）；　they　have　no

vitality　in　common。　　They　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　shadowsthe　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　yeara　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。







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　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　the　poor　lastbut　even　the　kisses　of　your

mouth　are　all　numbered。







UNSTABLE　EQUILIBRIUM







It　is　principally　for　the　sake　of　the　leg　that　a　change　in　the　dress

of　man　is　so　much　to　be　desired。　　The　leg；　completing　as　it　does　the

form　of　man；　should　make　a　great　part　of　that　human　scenery　which　is

at　least　as　important　as　the　scenery　of　geological　structure；　or　the

scenery　of　architecture；　or　the　scenery　of　vegetation；　but　which　the

lovers　of　mountains　and　the　preservers　of　ancient　buildings　have

consented　to　ignore。　　The　leg　is　the　best　part　of　the　figure；

inasmuch　as　it　has　the　finest　lines　and　therewith　those　slender；

diminishing　forms　which；　coming　at　the　base　of　the　human　structure；

show　it　to　be　a　thing　of　life　by　its　unstable　equilibrium。　　A

lifeless　structure　is　in　stable　equilibrium；　the　body；　springing；

poised；　upon　its　fine　ankles　and　narrow　feet；　never　stands　without

implying　and　expressing　life。　　It　is　the　leg　that　first　suggested

the　phantasy　of　flight。　　We　imagine　wings　to　the　figure　that　is

erect　upon　the　vital　and　tense　legs　of　man；　and　the　herald　Mercury；

because　of　his　station；　looks　new…lighted。　　All　this　is　true　of　the

best　leg；　and　the　best　leg　is　the　man's。　　That　of　the　young　child；

in　which　the　Italian　schools　of　painting　delighted；　has　neither

movement　nor　supporting　strength。　　In　the　case　of　the　woman's　figure

it　is　the　foot；　with　its　extreme　proportional　smallness；　that　gives

the　precious　instability；　the　spring　and　balance　that　are　so

organic。　　But　man　should　no　longer　disguise　the　long　lines；　the

strong　forms；　in　those　lengths　of　piping　or　tubing　that　are　of　all

garments　the　most　stupid。　　Inexpressive　of　what　they　clothe　as　no

kind　of　concealing　drapery　could　ever　be；　they　are　neither

implicitly　nor　explicitly　good　raiment。　　It　is　hardly　possible　to

err　by　violence　in　denouncing　them。　　Why；　when　a　bad　writer　is

praised　for　'clothing　his　thought；'　it　is　to　modern　raiment　that

one's　nimble　fancy　fliesfain　of　completing　the　beautiful　metaphor！



The　human　scenery：　　yes；　costume　could　make　a　crowd　something　other

than　the　mass　of　sooty　colourdark　without　depthand　the

multiplication　of　undignified　forms　that　fill　the　streets；　and

demonstrate；　and　strike；　and　listen　to　the　democrat。　　For　the

undistinguished　are　very　important　by　their　numbers。　　These　are　they

who　make　the　look　of　the　artificial　world。　　They　are　man

generalised；　as　units　they　inevitably　lack　something　of　interest；

all　the　more　have　they　cumulative　effect。　　It　would　be　well　if　we

could　persuade　the　average　man　to　take　on　a　certain　human　dignity　in

the　clothing　of　his　average　body。　　Unfortunately　he　will　be　slow　to

be　changed。　　And　as　to　the　poorer　part　of　the　mass；　so　wretched　are

their　national　customsand　the　wretchedest　of　them　all　the　wearing

of　other　men's　old　raimentthat　they　must　wait　for　reform　until　the

reformed　dress；　which　the　reformers　have　not　yet　put　on；　shall　have

turned　second…hand。







THE　UNIT　OF　THE　WORLD







The　quarrel　of　Art　with　Nature　goes　on　apace。　　The　painters　have

long　been　talking　of　selecting；　then　of　rejecting；　or　even；　with　Mr。

Whistler；　of　supplanting。　　And　then　Mr。　Oscar　Wilde；　in　the　witty

and