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！
n that a sound or a combination of colors has effected on his own organs； is an artist！
Of course much of this has been recognized through all time。 The formula in which Tolstoi has presented his meditations to the world is； however； so fresh that it comes like a revelation； with the additional merit of being understood； with little or no mental effort； by either the casual reader； who； with half…attention attracted by a headline； says to himself； 〃‘What is art？' That looks interesting！〃 and skims lightly down the lines； or the thinker who； after perusing Tolstoi's lucid words； lays down the volume with a sigh； and murmurs in his humiliation； 〃Why have I been all these years seeking in the clouds for what was lying ready at my hand？〃
The wide…reaching definition of the Russian writer has the effect of a vigorous blow from a pickaxe at the foundations of a shaky and too elaborate edifice。 The wordy superstructure of aphorisms and paradox falls to the ground； disclosing fair 〃Truth；〃 so long a captive within the temple erected in her honor。 As； however； the newly freed goddess smiles on the ignorant and the pedants alike； the result is that with one accord the aesthetes raise a howl！ 〃And the ‘beautiful；'〃 they say； 〃the beautiful？ Can there be any ‘Art' without the ‘Beautiful'？ What！ the little greengrocer at the corner is an artist because； forsooth； he has arranged some lettuce and tomatoes into a tempting pile！ Anathema！ Art is a secret known only to the initiated few； the vulgar can neither understand nor appreciate it！ We are the elect！ Our mission is to explain what Art is and point out her beauty to a coarse and heedless world。 Only those with a sense of the ‘beautiful' should be allowed to enter into her sacred presence。〃
Here the expounders of 〃Art〃 plunge into a sea of words； offering a dozen definitions each more obscure than its predecessor； all of which have served in turn as watchwords of different 〃schools。〃 Tolstoi's sweeping truth is too far… reaching to please these gentry。 Like the priests of past religions； they would have preferred to keep such knowledge as they had to themselves and expound it； little at a time； to the ignorant。 The great Russian has kicked away their altar and routed the false gods； whose acolytes will never forgive him。
Those of my readers who have been intimate with painters； actors； or musicians； will recall with amusement how lightly the performances of an associate are condemned by the brotherhood as falling short of the high standard which according to these wiseacres； 〃Art〃 exacts； and how sure each speaker is of understanding just where a brother carries his 〃mote。〃
Voltaire once avoided giving a definition of the beautiful by saying； 〃Ask a toad what his ideas of beauty are。 He will indicate the particular female toad he happens to admire and praise her goggle…eyes and yellow belly as the perfection of beauty！〃 A negro from Guiana will make much the same unsatisfactory answer； so the old philosopher recommends us not to be didactic on subjects where judgments are relative； and at the same time without appeal。
Tolstoi denies that an idea as subtle as a definition of Art can be classified by pedants； and proceeds to formulate the following delightful axiom： 〃A principle upon which no two people can agree does not exist。〃 A truth is proved by its evidence to all。 Discussion outside of that is simply beating the air。 Each succeeding 〃school〃 has sounded its death…knell by asserting that certain combinations alone produced beauty … the weakness of to…day being an inclination to see art only in the obscure and the recondite。 As a result we drift each hour further from the truth。 Modern intellectuality has formed itself into a scornful aristocracy whose members； esteeming themselves the elite； withdraw from the vulgar public； and live in a world of their own； looking （like the Lady of Shalott） into a mirror at distorted images of nature and declaring that what they see is art！
In literature that which is difficult to understand is much admired by the simple…minded； who also decry pictures that tell their own story！ A certain class of minds enjoy being mystified； and in consequence writers； painters； and musicians have appeared who are willing to juggle for their amusement。 The simple definition given to us by the Russian writer comes like a breath of wholesome air to those suffocating in an atmosphere of perfumes and artificial heat。 Art is our common inheritance； not the property of a favored few。 The wide world we love is full of it； and each of us in his humble way is an artist when with a full heart he communicates his delight and his joy to another。 Tolstoi has given us back our birthright； so long withheld； and crowned with his aged hands the true artist。
Chapter 19 … The Genealogical Craze
THERE undoubtedly is something in the American temperament that prevents our doing anything in moderation。 If we take up an idea； it is immediately run to exaggeration and then abandoned； that the nation may fly at a tangent after some new fad。 Does this come from our climate； or （as I am inclined to think） from the curiously unclassified state of society in our country； where so few established standards exist and so few are sure of their own or their neighbors' standing？ In consequence； if Mrs。 Brown starts anything； Mrs。 Jones； for fear of being left behind； immediately 〃goes her one better〃 to be in turn 〃raised〃 by Mrs。 Robinson。
In other lands a reasonable pride of birth has always been one of the bonds holding communities together； and is estimated at its just value。 We； after having practically ignored the subject for half a century； suddenly rush to the other extreme； and develop an entire forest of genealogical trees at a growth。
Chagrined； probably； at the small amount of consideration that their superior birth commanded； a number of aristocratically minded matrons united a few years ago as 〃Daughters of the Revolution；〃 restricting membership to women descended from officers of Washington's army。 There may have been a reason for the formation of this society。 I say 〃may〃 because it does not seem quite clear what its aim was。 The originators doubtless imagined they were founding an exclusive circle； but the numbers who clamored for admittance quickly dispelled this illusion。 So a small group of the elect withdrew in disgust and banded together under the cognomen of 〃Colonial Dames。〃
The only result of these two movements was to awaken envy； hatred； and malice in the hearts of those excluded from the mysterious rites； which to outsiders seemed to consist in blackballing as many aspirants as possible。 Some victims of this bad treatment； thirsting for revenge； struck on the happy thought of inaugurating an 〃Aztec〃 society。 As that title conveyed absolutely no idea to any one； its members were forced to explain that only descendants of officers who fought in the Mexican War were eligible。 What the elect did when they got into the circle was not specified。
The 〃Social Order of Foreign Wars〃 was the next creation； its authors evidently considering the Mexican campaign as a domestic article； a sort of family squabble。 Then the 〃Children of 1812〃 attracted attention； both groups having immediate success。 Indeed； the vogue of these enterprises has been in inverse ratio to their usefulness or RAISON D'ETRE； people apparently being ready to join anything rather than get left out in the cold。
Jealous probably of seeing women enjoying all the fun； their husbands and brothers next banded together as 〃Sons of the Revolution。〃 The wives retaliated by instituting the 〃Granddaughters of the Revolution〃 and 〃The Mayflower Order；〃 the 〃price of admission〃 to the latter being descent from some one who crossed in that celebrated ship … whether as one of the crew or as passenger is not clear。
It was not； however； in the American temperament to rest content with modest beginnings； the national motto being； 〃The best is good enough for me。〃 So wind was quickly taken out of the Mayflower's sails by 〃The Royal Order of the Crown；〃 to which none need apply who were not prepared to prove descent from one or more royal ancestors。 It was not stated in the prospectus whether Irish sovereigns and Fiji Island kings counted； but I have been told that bar sinisters form a class apart； and are deprived of the right to vote or hold office。
Descent from any old king was； however； not sufficient for the high…toned people of our republic。 When you come to think of it； such a circle might be 〃mixed。〃 One really must draw the line somewhere （as the Boston parvenu replied when asked why he had not invited his brother to a ball）。 So the founders of the 〃Circle of Holland Dames of the New Netherlands〃 drew the line at descent from a sovereign of the Low Countries。 It does not seem as if this could be a large society； although those old Dutch pashas had an unconscionable number of children。
The promoters of this enterprise seem nevertheless to have been fairly successful； for they gave a fete recent