large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_07_morris_64kb_90
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_07_morris_64kb
English
6138
But for my part I do not think it will go on long enough to reach such depths as that; and yet I should be hypocritical if I were to say that I thought that the change in the basis of society, which would enfranchise labour and make men practically equal in condition, would lead us by a short road to the splendid new birth of art which I have mentioned, though I feel quite certain that it would not leave what we now call art untouched, since the aims of that revolution do include the aims of art—viz., abolishing the curse of labour. BUT FOR MY PART I DO NOT THINK IT WILL GO ON LONG ENOUGH TO REACH SUCH DEPTHS AS THAT AND YET I WOULD BE HYPOCRITICAL IF I WERE TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT THAT THE CHANGE IN THE BASIS OF SOCIETY WHICH WOULD ENFRANCH US LABOUR AND MAKE MEN PRACTICALLY EQUAL IN CONDITION WOULD LEAD US BY A SHORT ROAD TO THE SPLENDID NEW BIRTH OF ART WHICH I HAVE MENTIONED THOUGH I FEEL QUITE CERTAIN THAT IT WOULD NOT LEAVE WHAT WE NOW CALL A ART UNTOUCHED SINCE THE AIMS OF THAT REVOLUTION DO INCLUDE THE AIMS OF ART VIZ ABOLISHING THE CURSE OF LABOUR
at is why the death of that beauty wounds us so: no man of sense or feeling would dare to regret such losses if they had been paid for by new life and happiness for the people. But there is the people still as it was before, still facing for its part the monster who destroyed all that beauty, and whose name is Commercial Profit. I repeat, that every scrap of genuine art will fall by the same hands if the matter only goes on long enough, although a sham art may be left in its place, which may very well be carried on by _dilettanti_ fine gentlemen and ladies without any help from below; and, to speak plainly, I fear that this gibbering ghost of the real thing would satisfy a great many of those who now think themselves lovers of art; though it is not difficult to see a long vista of its degradation till it shall become at last a mere laughing-stock; that is to say, if the thing were to go on: I mean, if art were to be for ever the amusement of those whom we now call ladies and gentlemen. OTHERS HAVE THEM THAT IS WHY THE DEATH OF THAT BEAUTY WOUNDS US SO NO MAN OF SENSE OR FEELING WOULD DARE TO REGRET SUCH LOSSES IF THEY HAD BEEN PAID FOR BY NEW LIFE AND HAPPINESS FOR THE PEOPLE BUT THERE IS THE PEOPLE STILL AS IT WAS BEFORE STILL FACING FOR ITS PART THE MONSTER WHO DESTROYED ALL THAT BEAUTY AND WHOSE NAME IS COMMERCIAL PROFIT I REPEAT THAT EVERY SCRAP OF GENUINE ART WILL FALL BY THE SAME HANDS IF THE MATTER ONLY GOES ON LONG ENOUGH ALTHOUGH A SHAM ART MAY BE LEFT IN HIS PLACE WHICH MAY VERY WELL BE CARRIED ON BY DILETTANTE FINE GENTLEMEN AND LADIES WITHOUT ANY HELP FROM BELOW AND TO SPEAK PLAINLY I FEAR THAT THIS GIBBERING GHOST OF THE REAL THING WOULD SATISFY A GREAT MANY OF THOSE WHO NOW THINK THEMSELVES LOVERS OF ART THOUGH IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO SEE A LONG VISTA OF ITS DEGRADATION TILL IT SHALL BECOME AT LAST A MERE LAUGHING STOCK THAT IS TO SAY IF THE THING WERE TO GO ON I MEAN IF ART WERE TO BE FOR EVER THE AMUSEMENT OF THOSE WHOM WE NOW CALL LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
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