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forward in the playground； the defeats or disasters were once going
forward in some other place； presumably。 And this was surely the
place that was not a playground； the place where the future wives of
the football players were sitting still while their future husbands
were playing football。
This is the train of thought that followed the grey figure of a
woman on a bicycle in Oxford Street。 She had an enormous and top…
heavy omnibus at her back。 All the things on the near side of the
street … the things going her way … were going at different paces；
in two streams； overtaking and being overtaken。 The tributary
streets shot omnibuses and carriages； cabs and carts … some to go
her own way； some with an impetus that carried them curving into the
other current； and other some making a straight line right across
Oxford Street into the street opposite。 Besides all the unequal
movement； there were the stoppings。 It was a delicate tangle to
keep from knotting。 The nerves of the mouths of horses bore the
whole charge and answered it； as they do every day。
The woman in grey； quite alone； was immediately dependent on no
nerves but her own； which almost made her machine sensitive。 But
this alertness was joined to such perfect composure as no flutter of
a moment disturbed。 There was the steadiness of sleep； and a
vigilance more than that of an ordinary waking。
At the same time； the woman was doing what nothing in her youth
could well have prepared her for。 She must have passed a childhood
unlike the ordinary girl's childhood； if her steadiness or her
alertness had ever been educated； if she had been rebuked for
cowardice； for the egoistic distrust of general rules； or for claims
of exceptional chances。 Yet here she was； trusting not only herself
but a multitude of other people； taking her equal risk； giving a
watchful confidence to averages … that last； perhaps； her strangest
and greatest success。
No exceptions were hers； no appeals； and no forewarnings。 She
evidently had not in her mind a single phrase； familiar to women；
made to express no confidence except in accidents； and to proclaim a
prudent foresight of the less probable event。 No woman could ride a
bicycle along Oxford Street with any such baggage as that about her。
The woman in grey had a watchful confidence not only in a multitude
of men but in a multitude of things。 And it is very hard for any
untrained human being to practise confidence in things in motion …
things full of force； and； what is worse； of forces。 Moreover；
there is a supreme difficulty for a mind accustomed to search
timorously for some little place of insignificant rest on any
accessible point of stable equilibrium； and that is the difficulty
of holding itself nimbly secure in an equilibrium that is unstable。
Who can deny that women are generally used to look about for the
little stationary repose just described？ Whether in intellectual or
in spiritual things； they do not often live without it。
She； none the less； fled upon unstable equilibrium； escaped upon it；
depended upon it； trusted it； was ‘ware of it； was on guard against
it； as she sped amid her crowd her own unstable equilibrium； her
machine's； that of the judgment； the temper； the skill； the
perception； the strength of men and horses。
She had learnt the difficult peace of suspense。 She had learnt also
the lowly and self…denying faith in common chances。 She had learnt
to be content with her share … no more … in common security； and to
be pleased with her part in common hope。 For all this； it may be
repeated； she could have had but small preparation。 Yet no anxiety
was hers； no uneasy distrust and disbelief of that human thing … an
average of life and death。
To this courage the woman in grey had attained with a spring； and
she had seated herself suddenly upon a place of detachment between
earth and air； freed from the principal detentions； weights； and
embarrassments of the usual life of fear。 She had made herself； as
it were； light； so as not to dwell either in security or danger； but
to pass between them。 She confessed difficulty and peril by her
delicate evasions； and consented to rest in neither。 She would not
owe safety to the mere motionlessness of a seat on the solid earth；
but she used gravitation to balance the slight burdens of her
wariness and her confidence。 She put aside all the pride and vanity
of terror； and leapt into an unsure condition of liberty and
content。
She leapt； too； into a life of moments。 No pause was possible to
her as she went； except the vibrating pause of a perpetual change
and of an unflagging flight。 A woman； long educated to sit still；
does not suddenly learn to live a momentary life without strong
momentary resolution。 She has no light achievement in limiting not
only her foresight； which must become brief； but her memory； which
must do more； for it must rather cease than become brief。 Idle
memory wastes time and other things。 The moments of the woman in
grey as they dropped by must needs disappear； and be simply
forgotten； as a child forgets。 Idle memory； by the way； shortens
life； or shortens the sense of time； by linking the immediate past
clingingly to the present。 Here may possibly be found one of the
reasons for the length of a child's time； and for the brevity of the
time that succeeds。 The child lets his moments pass by and quickly
become remote through a thousand little successive oblivions。 He
has not yet the languid habit of recall。
〃Thou art my warrior；〃 said Volumnia。 〃I holp to frame thee。〃
Shall a man inherit his mother's trick of speaking； or her habit and
attitude； and not suffer something； against his will； from her
bequest of weakness； and something； against his heart； from her
bequest of folly？ From the legacies of an unlessoned mind； a
woman's heirs…male are not cut off in the Common Law of the
generations of mankind。 Brutus knew that the valour of Portia was
settled upon his sons。
SYMMETRY AND INCIDENT
The art of Japan has none but an exterior part in the history of the
art of nations。 Being in its own methods and attitude the art of
accident； it has； appropriately； an accidental value。 It is of
accidental value； and not of integral necessity。 The virtual
discovery of Japanese art； during the later years of the second
French Empire； caused Europe to relearn how expedient； how delicate；
and how lovely Incident may look when Symmetry has grown vulgar。
The lesson was most welcome。 Japan has had her full influence。
European art has learnt the value of position and the tact of the
unique。 But Japan is unlessoned； and （in all her characteristic
art） content with her own conventions； she is local； provincial；
alien； remote； incapable of equal companionship with a world that
has Greek art in its own history … Pericles 〃to its father。〃
Nor is it pictorial art； or decorative art only； that has been
touched by Japanese example of Incident and the Unique。 Music had
attained the noblest form of symmetry in the eighteenth century； but
in music； too； symmetry had since grown dull； and momentary music；
the music of phase and of fragment； succeeded。 The sense of
symmetry is strong in a complete melody … of symmetry in its most
delicate and lively and least stationary form … balance； whereas the
leit…motif is isolated。 In domestic architecture Symmetry and
Incident make a familiar antithesis … the very commonplace of rival
methods of art。 But the same antithesis exists in less obvious
forms。 The poets have sought 〃irregular〃 metres。 Incident hovers；
in the very act of choosing its right place； in the most modern of
modern portraits。 In these we have； if not the Japanese suppression
of minor emphasis； certainly the Japanese exaggeration of major
emphasis； and with this a quickness and buoyancy。 The smile； the
figure； the drapery … not yet settled from the arranging touch of a
hand； and showing its mark … the restless and unstationary foot； and
the unity of impulse that has passed everywhere like a single
breeze； all these have a life that greatly transcends the life of
Japanese art； yet has the nimble touch of Japanese incident。 In
passing； a charming comparison may be made between such portraiture
and the aspect of an aspen or other tree of light and liberal leaf；
whether still or in motion the aspen and the free…leafed poplar have
the alertness and expectancy of flight in all their flocks of
leaves； while the oaks and elms are gathered in their station。 All
this is not Japanese； but from such accident is Japanese art
inspired； with its good luck of perceptiveness。
What symmetry is to form； that is repetition in the art of ornament。
Greek art and Gothic alike have series； with repetition or counter…
change for their ruling motive。 It is hardly necessary to draw the
distinction between this