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thinking； one whose pieces give me the same feeling I have from reading
poetry； and I was excusing myself to him with respect to art； and perhaps
putting on a little more modesty than I felt。 I said that I could enjoy
pictures only on the literary side； and could get no answer from my soul
to those excellences of handling and execution which seem chiefly to
interest painters。 He replied that it was a confession of weakness in a
painter if he appealed merely or mainly to technical knowledge in the
spectator； that he narrowed his field and dwarfed his work by it； and
that if he painted for painters merely； or for the connoisseurs of
painting； he was denying his office； which was to say something clear and
appreciable to all sorts of men in the terms of art。 He even insisted
that a picture ought to tell a story。
The difficulty in humbling one's self to this view of art is in the ease
with which one may please the general by art which is no art。 Neither
the play nor the playing that I saw at the theatre when the actor was
hissed for the wickedness of the villain he was personating； was at all
fine； and yet I perceived； on reflection； that they had achieved a
supreme effect。 If I may be so confidential； I will say that I should be
very sorry to have written that piece； yet I should be very proud if； on
the level I chose and with the quality I cared for； I could invent a
villain that the populace would have out and hiss for his surpassing
wickedness。 In other words； I think it a thousand pities whenever an
artist gets so far away from the general； so far within himself or a
little circle of amateurs； that his highest and best work awakens no
response in the multitude。 I am afraid this is rather the danger of the
arts among us； and how to escape it is not so very plain。 It makes one
sick and sorry often to see how cheaply the applause of the common people
is won。 It is not an infallible test of merit； but if it is wanting to
any performance； we may be pretty sure it is not the greatest
performance。
III。
The paradox lies in wait here； as in most other human affairs； to
confound us； and we try to baffle it； in this way and in that。 We talk；
for instance； of poetry for poets； and we fondly imagine that this is
different from talking of cookery for cooks。 Poetry is not made for
poets； they have enough poetry of their own； but it is made for people
who are not poets。 If it does not please these； it may still be poetry；
but it is poetry which has failed of its truest office。 It is none the
less its truest office because some very wretched verse seems often to do
it。
The logic of such a fact is not that the poet should try to achieve this
truest office of his art by means of doggerel； but that he should study
how and where and why the beauty and the truth he has made manifest are
wanting in universal interest； in human appeal。 Leaving the drama out of
the question； and the theatre which seems now to be seeking only the
favor of the dull rich； I believe that there never was a time or a race
more open to the impressions of beauty and of truth than ours。 The
artist who feels their divine charm； and longs to impart it； has now and
here a chance to impart it more widely than ever artist had in the world
before。 Of course； the means of reaching the widest range of humanity
are the simple and the elementary； but there is no telling when the
complex and the recondite may not universally please。 288
The art is to make them plain to every one； for every one has them in
him。 Lowell used to say that Shakespeare was subtle； but in letters a
foot high。
The painter； sculptor； or author who pleases the polite only has a
success to be proud of as far as it goes； and to be ashamed of that it
goes no further。 He need not shrink from giving pleasure to the vulgar
because bad art pleases them。 It is part of his reason for being that he
should please them； too； and if he does not it is a proof that he is
wanting in force； however much he abounds in fineness。 Who would not
wish his picture to draw a crowd about it？ Who would not wish his novel
to sell five hundred thousand copies； for reasons besides the sordid love
of gain which I am told governs novelists？ One should not really wish it
any the less because chromos and historical romances are popular。
Sometime； I believe； the artist and his public will draw nearer together
in a mutual understanding； though perhaps not in our present conditions。
I put that understanding off till the good time when life shall be more
than living； more even than the question of getting a living； but in the
mean time I think that the artist might very well study the springs of
feeling in others； and if I were a dramatist I think I should quite
humbly go to that play where they hiss the villain for his villany； and
inquire how his wickedness had been made so appreciable； so vital； so
personal。 Not being a dramatist； I still cannot indulge the greatest
contempt of that play and its public。
POLITICS OF AMERICAN AUTHORS
No thornier theme could well be suggested than I was once invited to
consider by an Englishman who wished to know how far American politicians
were scholars； and how far American authors took part in politics。 In my
mind I first revolted from the inquiry； and then I cast about； in the
fascination it began to have for me； to see how I might handle it and
prick myself least。 In a sort； which it would take too long to set
forth； politics are very intimate matters with us； and if one were to
deal quite frankly with the politics of a contemporary author； one might
accuse one's self of an unwarrantable personality。 So； in what I shall
have to say in answer to the question asked me； I shall seek above all
things not to be quite frank。
I。
My uncandor need not be so jealously guarded in speaking of authors no
longer living。 Not to go too far back among these； it is perfectly safe
to say that when the slavery question began to divide all kinds of men
among us； Lowell； Longfellow； Whittier； Curtis； Emerson； and Bryant more
or less promptly and openly took sides against slavery。 Holmes was very
much later in doing so； but he made up for his long delay by his final
strenuousness； as for Hawthorne； he was； perhaps； too essentially a
spectator of life to be classed with either party； though his
associations； if not his sympathies； were with the Northern men who had
Southern principles until the civil war came。 After the war； when our
political questions ceased to be moral and emotional and became economic
and sociological； literary men found their standing with greater
difficulty。 They remained mostly Republicans； because the Republicans
were the anti…slavery party； and were still waging war against slavery in
their nerves。
I should say that they also continued very largely the emotional
tradition in politics； and it is doubtful if in the nature of things the
politics of literary men can ever be otherwise than emotional。 In fact；
though the questions may no longer be so； the politics of vastly the
greater number of Americans are so。 Nothing else would accou