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for those red scenes by Seine and Loire was paved by that critical
spirit of Germany and England which accustomed men to bring all
things to the test of reason or utility or both； while the
discontent of the people in the streets of Paris was the echo that
followed the life of Emile and of Werther。 For Rousseau； by silent
lake and mountain； had called humanity back to the golden age that
still lies before us and preached a return to nature； in passionate
eloquence whose music still lingers about our keen northern air。
And Goethe and Scott had brought romance back again from the prison
she had lain in for so many centuries … and what is romance but
humanity？
Yet in the womb of the Revolution itself； and in the storm and
terror of that wild time； tendencies were hidden away that the
artistic Renaissance bent to her own service when the time came … a
scientific tendency first； which has borne in our own day a brood
of somewhat noisy Titans； yet in the sphere of poetry has not been
unproductive of good。 I do not mean merely in its adding to
enthusiasm that intellectual basis which in its strength； or that
more obvious influence about which Wordsworth was thinking when he
said very nobly that poetry was merely the impassioned expression
in the face of science； and that when science would put on a form
of flesh and blood the poet would lend his divine spirit to aid the
transfiguration。 Nor do I dwell much on the great cosmical emotion
and deep pantheism of science to which Shelley has given its first
and Swinburne its latest glory of song； but rather on its influence
on the artistic spirit in preserving that close observation and the
sense of limitation as well as of clearness of vision which are the
characteristics of the real artist。
The great and golden rule of art as well as of life； wrote William
Blake； is that the more distinct； sharp and defined the boundary
line； the more perfect is the work of art； and the less keen and
sharp the greater is the evidence of weak imitation； plagiarism and
bungling。 'Great inventors in all ages knew this … Michael Angelo
and Albert Durer are known by this and by this alone'； and another
time he wrote； with all the simple directness of nineteenth…century
prose； 'to generalise is to be an idiot。'
And this love of definite conception； this clearness of vision；
this artistic sense of limit； is the characteristic of all great
work and poetry； of the vision of Homer as of the vision of Dante；
of Keats and William Morris as of Chaucer and Theocritus。 It lies
at the base of all noble； realistic and romantic work as opposed to
the colourless and empty abstractions of our own eighteenth…century
poets and of the classical dramatists of France； or of the vague
spiritualities of the German sentimental school： opposed； too； to
that spirit of transcendentalism which also was root and flower
itself of the great Revolution； underlying the impassioned
contemplation of Wordsworth and giving wings and fire to the eagle…
like flight of Shelley； and which in the sphere of philosophy；
though displaced by the materialism and positiveness of our day；
bequeathed two great schools of thought； the school of Newman to
Oxford； the school of Emerson to America。 Yet is this spirit of
transcendentalism alien to the spirit of art。 For the artist can
accept no sphere of life in exchange for life itself。 For him
there is no escape from the bondage of the earth： there is not
even the desire of escape。
He is indeed the only true realist： symbolism； which is the
essence of the transcendental spirit； is alien to him。 The
metaphysical mind of Asia will create for itself the monstrous；
many…breasted idol of Ephesus； but to the Greek； pure artist； that
work is most instinct with spiritual life which conforms most
clearly to the perfect facts of physical life。
'The storm of revolution；' as Andre Chenier said； 'blows out the
torch of poetry。' It is not for some little time that the real
influence of such a wild cataclysm of things is felt： at first the
desire for equality seems to have produced personalities of more
giant and Titan stature than the world had ever known before。 Men
heard the lyre of Byron and the legions of Napoleon； it was a
period of measureless passions and of measureless despair；
ambition； discontent； were the chords of life and art； the age was
an age of revolt： a phase through which the human spirit must
pass； but one in which it cannot rest。 For the aim of culture is
not rebellion but peace； the valley perilous where ignorant armies
clash by night being no dwelling…place meet for her to whom the
gods have assigned the fresh uplands and sunny heights and clear；
untroubled air。
And soon that desire for perfection； which lay at the base of the
Revolution； found in a young English poet its most complete and
flawless realisation。
Phidias and the achievements of Greek art are foreshadowed in
Homer： Dante prefigures for us the passion and colour and
intensity of Italian painting： the modern love of landscape dates
from Rousseau； and it is in Keats that one discerns the beginning
of the artistic renaissance of England。
Byron was a rebel and Shelley a dreamer； but in the calmness and
clearness of his vision； his perfect self…control； his unerring
sense of beauty and his recognition of a separate realm for the
imagination； Keats was the pure and serene artist； the forerunner
of the pre…Raphaelite school； and so of the great romantic movement
of which I am to speak。
Blake had indeed； before him； claimed for art a lofty； spiritual
mission； and had striven to raise design to the ideal level of
poetry and music； but the remoteness of his vision both in painting
and poetry and the incompleteness of his technical powers had been
adverse to any real influence。 It is in Keats that the artistic
spirit of this century first found its absolute incarnation。
And these pre…Raphaelites； what were they？ If you ask nine…tenths
of the British public what is the meaning of the word aesthetics；
they will tell you it is the French for affectation or the German
for a dado； and if you inquire about the pre…Raphaelites you will
hear something about an eccentric lot of young men to whom a sort
of divine crookedness and holy awkwardness in drawing were the
chief objects of art。 To know nothing about their great men is one
of the necessary elements of English education。
As regards the pre…Raphaelites the story is simple enough。 In the
year 1847 a number of young men in London； poets and painters；
passionate admirers of Keats all of them； formed the habit of
meeting together for discussions on art； the result of such
discussions being that the English Philistine public was roused
suddenly from its ordinary apathy by hearing that there was in its
midst a body of young men who had determined to revolutionise
English painting and poetry。 They called themselves the pre…
Raphaelite Brotherhood。
In England； then as now； it was enough for a man to try and produce
any serious beautiful work to lose all his rights as a citizen； and
besides this； the pre…Raphaelite Brotherhood … among whom the names
of Dante Rossetti； Holman Hunt and Millais will be familiar to you
… had on their side three things that the English public never
forgives： youth； power and enthusiasm。
Satire； always as sterile as it in shameful and as impotent as it
is insolent； paid them that usual homage which mediocrity pays to
genius … doing； here as always； infinite harm to the public；
blinding them to what is beautiful； teaching them that irreverence
which is the source of all vileness and narrowness of life； but
harming the artist not at all； rather confirming him in the perfect
rightness of his work and ambition。 For to disagree with three…
fourths of the British public on all points is one of the first
elements of sanity； one of the deepest consolations in all moments
of spiritual doubt。
As regards the ideas these young men brought to the regeneration of
English art； we may see at the base of their artistic creations a
desire for a deeper spiritual value to be given to art as well as a
more decorative value。
Pre…Raphaelites they called themselves； not that they imitated the
early Italian masters at all； but that in their work； as opposed to
the facile abstractions of Raphael； they found a stronger realism
of imagination； a more careful realism of technique； a vision at
once more fervent and more vivid； an individuality more intimate
and more intense。
For it is not enough that a work of art should conform to the
aesthetic demands of its age： there must be also about it； if it
is to affect us with any permanent delight； the impress of a
distinct individuality； an individuality remote from that of
ordinary men； and coming near to us only by virtue of a certain
newness and wonder in the work；