按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
THE WAYS OF MEN
acolytes will never forgive him。
Those of my readers who have been intimate with painters； actors； or
musicians； will recall with amusement how lightly the performances of an
associate are condemned by the brotherhood as falling short of the high
standard which according to these wiseacres； 〃Art〃 exacts； and how sure
each speaker is of understanding just where a brother carries his 〃mote。〃
Voltaire once avoided giving a definition of the beautiful by saying；
〃Ask a toad what his ideas of beauty are。 He will indicate the particular
female toad he happens to admire and praise her goggle…eyes and yellow
belly as the perfection of beauty！〃 A negro from Guiana will make much
the same unsatisfactory answer； so the old philosopher recommends us not
to be didactic on subjects where judgments are relative； and at the same
time without appeal。
Tolstoi denies that an idea as subtle as a definition of Art can be
classified by pedants； and proceeds to formulate the following delightful
axiom： 〃A principle upon which no two people can agree does not exist。〃
A truth is proved by its evidence to all。 Discussion outside of that is
simply beating the air。 Each succeeding 〃school〃 has sounded its death…
knell by asserting that certain combinations alone produced beauty … the
weakness of to…day being an inclination to see art only in the obscure and
the recondite。 As a result we drift each hour further from the truth。 Modern
intellectuality has formed itself into a scornful aristocracy whose members；
esteeming themselves the elite； withdraw from the vulgar public； and live
in a world of their own； looking （like the Lady of Shalott） into a mirror at
distorted images of nature and declaring that what they see is art！
In literature that which is difficult to understand is much admired by
the simple…minded； who also decry pictures that tell their own story！ A
certain class of minds enjoy being mystified； and in consequence writers；
painters； and musicians have appeared who are willing to juggle for their
amusement。 The simple definition given to us by the Russian writer comes
like a breath of wholesome air to those suffocating in an atmosphere of
perfumes and artificial heat。 Art is our common inheritance； not the
property of a favored few。 The wide world we love is full of it； and each of
us in his humble way is an artist when with a full heart he communicates
99
… Page 100…
THE WAYS OF MEN
his delight and his joy to another。 Tolstoi has given us back our birthright；
so long withheld； and crowned with his aged hands the true artist。
100
… Page 101…
THE WAYS OF MEN
CHAPTER 19 … The Genealogical
Craze
THERE undoubtedly is something in the American temperament that
prevents our doing anything in moderation。 If we take up an idea； it is
immediately run to exaggeration and then abandoned； that the nation may
fly at a tangent after some new fad。 Does this come from our climate； or
（as I am inclined to think） from the curiously unclassified state of society
in our country； where so few established standards exist and so few are
sure of their own or their neighbors' standing？ In consequence； if Mrs。
Brown starts anything； Mrs。 Jones； for fear of being left behind；
immediately 〃goes her one better〃 to be in turn 〃raised〃 by Mrs。 Robinson。
In other lands a reasonable pride of birth has always been one of the
bonds holding communities together； and is estimated at its just value。 We；
after having practically ignored the subject for half a century； suddenly
rush to the other extreme； and develop an entire forest of genealogical
trees at a growth。
Chagrined； probably； at the small amount of consideration that their
superior birth commanded； a number of aristocratically minded matrons
united a few years ago as 〃Daughters of the Revolution；〃 restricting
membership to women descended from officers of Washington's army。
There may have been a reason for the formation of this society。 I say
〃may〃 because it does not seem quite clear what its aim was。 The
originators doubtless imagined they were founding an exclusive circle； but
the numbers who clamored for admittance quickly dispelled this illusion。
So a small group of the elect withdrew in disgust and banded together
under the cognomen of 〃Colonial Dames。〃
The only result of these two movements was to awaken envy； hatred；
and malice in the hearts of those excluded from the mysterious rites；
which to outsiders seemed to consist in blackballing as many aspirants as
possible。 Some victims of this bad treatment； thirsting for revenge； struck
on the happy thought of inaugurating an 〃Aztec〃 society。 As that title
conveyed absolutely no idea to any one； its members were forced to
101
… Page 102…
THE WAYS OF MEN
explain that only descendants of officers who fought in the Mexican War
were eligible。 What the elect did when they got into the circle was not
specified。
The 〃Social Order of Foreign Wars〃 was the next creation； its authors
evidently considering the Mexican campaign as a domestic article； a sort
of family squabble。 Then the 〃Children of 1812〃 attracted attention； both
groups having immediate success。 Indeed； the vogue of these enterprises
has been in inverse ratio to their usefulness or RAISON D'ETRE； people
apparently being ready to join anything rather than get left out in the cold。
Jealous probably of seeing women enjoying all the fun； their husbands
and brothers next banded together as 〃Sons of the Revolution。〃 The wives
retaliated by instituting the 〃Granddaughters of the Revolution〃 and 〃The
Mayflower Order；〃 the 〃price of admission〃 to the latter being descent
from some one who crossed in that celebrated ship … whether as one of the
crew or as passenger is not clear。
It was not； however； in the American temperament to rest content with
modest beginnings； the national motto being； 〃The best is good enough for
me。〃 So wind was quickly taken