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〃orders；〃 〃circles；〃 〃commanderies；〃 and 〃regencies〃 were not there to
testify to the unending folly of the would…be 〃smart。〃
This last decade of the century has brought to light many strange fads
and senseless manias。 This 〃descent〃 craze； however； surpasses them all in
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inanity。 The keepers of insane asylums will tell you that one of the
hopeless forms of madness is LA FOLIE DES GRANDEURS。 A breath of
this delirium seems to be blowing over our country。 Crowns and sceptres
haunt the dreams of simple republican men and women； troubling their
slumbers and leading them a will…o'…the…wisp dance back across the
centuries。
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CHAPTER 20 … As the Twig is Bent
I KNEW； in my youth； a French village far up among the Cevennes
Mountains； where the one cultivated man of the place； saddened by the
unlovely lives of the peasants around him and by the bare walls of the
village school； organized evening classes for the boys。 During these
informal hours； he talked to them of literature and art and showed them his
prints and paintings。 When the youths' interest was aroused he lent them
books； that they might read about the statues and buildings that had
attracted their attention。 At first it appeared a hopeless task to arouse any
interest among these peasants in subjects not bearing on their abject lives。
To talk with boys of the ideal； when their poor bodies were in need of food
and raiment； seemed superfluous； but in time the charm worked； as it
always will。 The beautiful appealed to their simple natures； elevating and
refining them； and opening before their eager eyes perspectives of
undreamed…of interest。 The self… imposed task became a delight as his
pupils' minds responded to his efforts。 Although death soon ended his
useful life； the seed planted grew and bore fruit in many humble homes。
At this moment I know men in several walks of life who revere with
touching devotion the memory of the one human being who had brought
to them； at the moment when they were most impressionable； the gracious
message that existence was not merely a struggle for bread。 The boys he
had gathered around him realize now that the encouragement and
incentive received from those evening glimpses of noble works existing in
the world was the mainspring of their subsequent development and a
source of infinite pleasure through all succeeding years。
This reference to an individual effort toward cultivating the poor has
been made because other delicate spirits are attempting some such task in
our city； where quite as much as in the French village schoolchildren stand
in need of some message of beauty in addition to the instruction they
receive； … some window opened for them； as it were； upon the fields of art；
that their eyes when raised from study or play may rest on objects more
inspiring than blank walls and the graceless surroundings of street or
schoolroom。
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We are far too quick in assuming that love of the beautiful is confined
to the highly educated； that the poor have no desire to surround themselves
with graceful forms and harmonious colors。 We wonder at and deplore
their crude standards； bewailing the general lack of taste and the gradual
reducing of everything to a commonplace money basis。 We smile at the
efforts toward adornment attempted by the poor； taking it too readily for
granted that on this point they are beyond redemption。 This error is the
less excusable as so little has been done by way of experiment before
forming an opinion； … whole classes being put down as inferior beings；
incapable of appreciation； before they have been allowed even a glimpse
of the works of art that form the daily mental food of their judges。
The portly charlady who rules despotically in my chambers is an
example。 It has been a curious study to watch her growing interest in the
objects that have here for the first time come under her notice； the delight
she has come to take in dusting and arranging my belongings； and her
enthusiasm at any new acquisition。 Knowing how bare her own home was；
I felt at first only astonishment at her vivid interest in what seemed beyond
her comprehension； but now realize that in some blind way she appreciates
the rare and the delicate quite as much as my more cultivated visitors。 At
the end of one laborious morning； when everything was arranged to her
satisfaction； she turned to me her poor； plain face； lighted up with an
expression of delight； and exclaimed； 〃Oh； sir； I do love to work in these
rooms！ I'm never so happy as when I'm arranging them elegant things！〃
And； although my pleasure in her pleasure was modified by the discovery
that she had taken an eighteenth…century comb to disentangle the fringes
of a rug； and broken several of its teeth in her ardor； that she invariably
placed a certain Whister etching upside down； and then stood in rapt
admiration before it； still； in watching her enthusiasm； I felt a thrill of
satisfaction at seeing how her untaught taste responded to a contact with
good things。
Here in America； and especially in our city； which we have been at
such pains to make as hideous as possible； the schoolrooms； where
hundreds of thousands of children pass many hours daily； are one degree
more graceless than the town itself； the most artistically inclined child can
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hardly receive any but unfortunate impressions。 The other day a friend
took me severely to task for rating our American women on their love of
the big shops； and gave me； I confess； an entirely new idea on the subject。
〃Can't you see；〃 she said； 〃that the shops here are what the museums
abroad are to the poor？ It is in them only that certain people may catch
glimpses of the dainty a