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！
that it can succeed in tickling the appetites of a monkey。 You need not have gone back so far。 The noble savage of today flings aside his clear spring water to snatch at the missionary's gin。 He will even discard his feathers； which at least were picturesque； for a chimney…pot hat innocent of nap。 Plaid trousers and cheap champagne follow in due course。 Where is the advancement？ Civilisation provides us with more luxuries for our bodies。 That I grant you。 Has it brought us any real improvement that could not have been arrived at sooner by other roads？〃
〃It has given us Art；〃 said the Girton Girl。
〃When you say 'us；'〃 replied the Minor Poet； 〃I presume you are referring to the one person in half a million to whom Art is anything more than a name。 Dismissing the countless hordes who have absolutely never heard the word； and confining attention to the few thousands scattered about Europe and America who prate of it； how many of even these do you think it really influences； entering into their lives； refining； broadening them？ Watch the faces of the thin but conscientious crowd streaming wearily through our miles of picture galleries and art museums； gaping； with guide…book in hand； at ruined temple or cathedral tower； striving； with the spirit of the martyr； to feel enthusiasm for Old Masters at which； left to themselves； they would enjoy a good laughfor chipped statues which； uninstructed； they would have mistaken for the damaged stock of a suburban tea…garden。 Not more than one in twelve enjoys what he is looking at； and he by no means is bound to be the best of the dozen。 Nero was a genuine lover of Art； and in modern times August the Strong； of Saxony； 'the man of sin；' as Carlyle calls him； has left undeniable proof behind him that he was a connoisseur of the first water。 One recalls names even still more recent。 Are we so sure that Art does elevate？〃
〃You are talking for the sake of talking；〃 told him the Girton Girl。
〃One can talk for the sake of thinking also；〃 reminded her the Minor Poet。 〃The argument is one that has to be faced。 But admitting that Art has been of service to mankind on the whole； that it possesses one…tenth of the soul…forming properties claimed for it in the advertisementwhich I take to be a generous estimateits effect upon the world at large still remains infinitesimal。〃
〃It works down；〃 maintained the Girton Girl。 〃From the few it spreads to the many。〃
〃The process appears to be somewhat slow；〃 answered the Minor Poet。 〃The result； for whatever it may be worth； we might have obtained sooner by doing away with the middleman。〃
〃What middleman？〃 demanded the Girton Girl。
〃The artist；〃 explained the Minor Poet； 〃the man who has turned the whole thing into a business； the shopman who sells emotions over the counter。 A Corot； a Turner is； after all； but a poor apology compared with a walk in spring through the Black Forest or the view from Hampstead Heath on a November afternoon。 Had we been less occupied acquiring 'the advantages of civilisation；' working upward through the weary centuries to the city slum； the corrugated…iron… roofed farm； we might have found time to learn to love the beauty of the world。 As it is； we have been so busy 'civilising' ourselves that we have forgotten to live。 We are like an old lady I once shared a carriage with across the Simplon Pass。〃
〃By the way；〃 I remarked； 〃one is going to be saved all that bother in the future。 They have nearly completed the new railway line。 One will be able to go from Domo d'Orsola to Brieg in a little over the two hours。 They tell me the tunnelling is wonderful。〃
〃It will be very charming；〃 sighed the Minor Poet。 〃I am looking forward to a future when； thanks to 'civilisation；' travel will be done away with altogether。 We shall be sewn up in a sack and shot there。 At the time I speak of we still had to be content with the road winding through some of the most magnificent scenery in Switzerland。 I rather enjoyed the drive myself； but my companion was quite unable to appreciate it。 Not because she did not care for scenery。 As she explained to me； she was passionately fond of it。 But her luggage claimed all her attention。 There were seventeen pieces of it altogether； and every time the ancient vehicle lurched or swayed； which on an average was once every thirty seconds； she was in terror lest one or more of them should be jerked out。 Half her day was taken up in counting them and re…arranging them； and the only view in which she was interested was the cloud of dust behind us。 One bonnet…box did contrive during the course of the journey to make its escape； after which she sat with her arms round as many of the remaining sixteen articles as she could encompass； and sighed。〃
〃I knew an Italian countess；〃 said the Woman of the World； 〃she had been at school with mamma。 She never would go half a mile out of her way for scenery。 'Why should I？' she would say。 'What are the painters for？ If there is anything good； let them bring it to me and I will look at it。 She said she preferred the picture to the real thing； it was so much more artistic。 In the landscape itself； she complained； there was sure to be a chimney in the distance； or a restaurant in the foreground； that spoilt the whole effect。 The artist left it out。 If necessary； he could put in a cow or a pretty girl to help the thing。 The actual cow； if it happened to be there at all； would probably be standing the wrong way round； the girl； in all likelihood； would be fat and plain； or be wearing the wrong hat。 The artist knew precisely the sort of girl that ought to be there； and saw to it that she was there； with just the right sort of hat。 She said she had found it so all through lifethe poster was always an improvement on the play。〃
〃It is rapidly coming to that；〃 answered the Minor Poet。 〃Nature； as a well known painter once put it； is not 'creeping up' fast enough to keep pace with our ideals。 In advanced Germany they improve the waterfalls and ornament the rocks。 In Paris they paint the babies' faces。〃
〃You can hardly lay the blame for that upon civilisation；〃 pleaded the Girton Girl。 〃The ancient Briton had a pretty taste in woads。〃
〃Man's first feeble steps upon the upward path of Art；〃 assented the Minor Poet； 〃culminating in the rouge…pot and the hair…dye。〃
〃Come！〃 laughed the Old Maid； 〃you are narrow…minded。 Civilisation has given us music。 Surely you will admit that has been of help to us？〃
〃My dear lady；〃 replied the Minor Poet； 〃you speak of the one accomplishment with which Civilisation has had little or nothing to do； the one art that Nature has bestowed upon man in common with the birds and insects； the one intellectual enjoyment we share with the entire animal creation； excepting only the canines； and even the howling of the dogone cannot be suremay be an honest； however unsatisfactory； attempt towards a music of his own。 I had a fox terrier once who invariably howled in tune。 Jubal hampered； not helped us。 He it was who stifled music with the curse of professionalism； so that now； like shivering shop…boys paying gate… money to watch games they cannot play； we sit mute in our stalls listening to the paid performer。 But for the musician； music might have been universal。 The human voice is still the finest instrument that we possess。 We have allowed it to rust； the better to hear clever manipulators blow through tubes and twang wires。 The musical world might have been a literal expression。 Civilisation has contracted it to designate a coterie。〃
〃By the way；〃 said the Woman of the World； 〃talking of music； have you heard that last symphony of Grieg's？ It came in the last parcel。 I have been practising it。〃
〃Oh！ do let us hear it；〃 urged the Old Maid。 〃I love Grieg。〃
The Woman of the World rose and opened the piano。
〃Myself； I have always been of opinion〃 I remarked。
〃Please don't chatter；〃 said the Minor Poet。
CHAPTER III
〃I never liked her；〃 said the Old Maid； 〃I always knew she was heartless。〃
〃To my thinking；〃 said the Minor Poet； 〃she has shown herself a true woman。〃
〃Really；〃 said the Woman of the World； laughing； 〃I shall have to nickname you Dr。 Johnson Redivivus。 I believe； were the subject under discussion； you would admire the coiffure of the Furies。 It would occur to you that it must have been naturally curly。〃
〃It is the Irish blood flowing in his veins；〃 I told them。 〃He must always be 'agin the Government。'〃
〃We ought to be grateful to him；〃 remarked the Philosopher。 〃What can be more uninteresting than an agreeable conversation I mean； a conversationwhere everybody is in agreement？ Disagreement； on the other hand； is stimulating。〃
〃Maybe that is the reason；〃 I suggested； 〃why modern society is so tiresome an affair。 By tabooing all difference of opinion we have eliminated all zest from our intercourse。 Religion； sex； politics any subject on which man really thinks； is scrupulously excluded from all polite gatherings。 Conversation has become a chorus； or； as a writer wittily expressed it； the pursuit of the obvious to no conclusion。 When not occupied with mumbling； 'I quite agree with you''As you say''That is precisely my opini