large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_07_morris_64kb_75
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_07_morris_64kb
English
6138
I have said as much as that the aim of art was to destroy the curse of labour by making work the pleasurable satisfaction of our impulse towards energy, and giving to that energy hope of producing something worth its exercise. Now, therefore, I say, that since we cannot have art by striving after its mere superficial manifestation, since we can have nothing but its sham by so doing, there yet remains for us to see how it would be if we let the shadow take care of itself and try, if we can, to lay hold of the substance. I HAVE SAID AS MUCH AS THAT THE AIM OF ART WAS TO DESTROY THE CURSE OF LABOR BY MAKING WORK THE PLEASURABLE SATISFACTION OF OUR IMPULSE TOWARDS ENERGY AND GIVING TO THAT ENERGY HOPE OF PRODUCING SOMETHING WORTH ITS EXERCISE NOW THEREFORE I SAY THAT SINCE WE CANNOT HAVE ART BY STRIVING AFTER ITS MERE SUPERFICIAL MANIFESTATION SINCE WE CAN HAVE NOTHING BUT ITS SHAM BY SO DOING THERE YET REMAIN FOR US TO SEE HOW IT WOULD BE IF WE LET THE SHADOW TAKE CARE OF ITSELF AND TRY IF WE CAN TO LAY HOLD OF THE SUBSTANCE
that little is fast fading away before the needs of the manufacturer and his ragged regiment of workers, and before the enthusiasm of the archæological restorer of the dead past. Soon there will be nothing left except the lying dreams of history, the miserable wreckage of our museums and picture-galleries, and the carefully guarded interiors of our æsthetic drawing-rooms, unreal and foolish, fitting witnesses of the life of corruption that goes on there, so pinched and meagre and cowardly, with its concealment and ignoring, rather than restraint of, natural longings; which does not forbid the greedy indulgence in them if it can but be decently hidden. The art then is gone, and can no more be “restored” on its old lines than a mediæval building can be. The rich and refined cannot have it though they would, and though we will believe many of them would. And why? Because those who could give it to the rich are not allowed by the rich to do so. In one word, slavery lies between us and art. T THEM ANYWHERE AND THAT LITTLE IS FADING FAST AWAY BEFORE THE NEEDS OF THE MANUFACTURER AND HIS RAGGED REGIMENT OF WORKERS AND BEFORE THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESTORER OF THE DEAD PAST SOON THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT EXCEPT THE LYING DREAMS OF HISTORY THE MISERABLE WRECKAGE OF OUR MUSEUMS AND PICTURE GALLERIES AND THE CAREFULLY GUARDED INTERIORS OF OUR ESTHETIC DRAWING ROOMS UNREAL AND FOOLISH FITTING WITNESSES OF THE LIFE OF CORRUPTION THAT GOES ON THERE SO PINCHED AND MEAGRE AND COWARDLY WITH ITS CONCEALMENT AND IGNORING RATHER THAN RESTRAINT OF NATURAL LONGINGS WHICH DOES NOT FORBID THE GREEDY INDULGENCE IN THEM IF IT CAN BUT BE DECENTLY HIDDEN THE ART THEN IS GONE AND CAN NO MORE BE RESTORED ON ITS OLD LINES THAN A MEDIAEVAL BUILDING CAN BE THE RICH AND REFINED CANNOT HAVE IT THOUGH THEY WOULD AND THOUGH WE WILL BELIEVE MANY OF THEM WOULD AND WHY BECAUSE THOSE WHO COULD GIVE IT TO THE RICH ARE NOT ALLOWED BY THE RICH TO DO SO IN ONE WORD SLAVERY LIES BETWEEN US AND ART
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