large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_07_morris_64kb_63
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_07_morris_64kb
English
6138
For my part I believe, that if we try to realize the aims of art without much troubling ourselves what the aspect of the art itself shall be, we shall find we shall have what we want at last: whether it is to be called art or not, it will at least be _life_; and, after all, that is what we want. FOR MY PART I BELIEVE THAT IF WE TRY TO REALIZE THE AIMS OF ART WITHOUT MUCH TROUBLING OURSELVES WHAT THE ASPECT OF THE ART ITSELF SHALL BE WE SHALL FIND WE HAVE WHAT WE WANT AT LAST WHETHER IT IS TO BE CALLED ART OR NOT IT WILL AT LEAST BE LIFE AND AFTER ALL THAT IS WHAT WE WANT
ing, 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. 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. 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 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
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