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the predominance given to prose； and by the over…importance assigned
to characterisation。 The passages in Shakespeareand they are
manywhere the language is uncouth； vulgar； exaggerated； fantastic；
obscene even； are entirely due to Life calling for an echo of her
own voice； and rejecting the intervention of beautiful style；
through which alone should life be suffered to find expression。
Shakespeare is not by any means a flawless artist。 He is too fond
of going directly to life； and borrowing life's natural utterance。
He forgets that when Art surrenders her imaginative medium she
surrenders everything。The Decay of Lying
LIFE THE DISCIPLE
We have all seen in our own day in England how a certain curious and
fascinating type of beauty； invented and emphasised by two
imaginative painters； has so influenced Life that whenever one goes
to a private view or to an artistic salon one sees； here the mystic
eyes of Rossetti's dream； the long ivory throat； the strange square…
cut jaw； the loosened shadowy hair that he so ardently loved； there
the sweet maidenhood of 'The Golden Stair；' the blossom…like mouth
and weary loveliness of the 'Laus Amoris；' the passion…pale face of
Andromeda； the thin hands and lithe beauty of the Vivian in
'Merlin's Dream。' And it has always been so。 A great artist
invents a type； and Life tries to copy it； to reproduce it in a
popular form； like an enterprising publisher。 Neither Holbein nor
Vandyck found in England what they have given us。 They brought
their types with them； and Life with her keen imitative faculty set
herself to supply the master with models。 The Greeks； with their
quick artistic instinct； understood this； and set in the bride's
chamber the statue of Hermes or of Apollo； that she might bear
children as lovely as the works of art that she looked at in her
rapture or her pain。 They knew that Life gains from art not merely
spirituality； depth of thought and feeling； soul…turmoil or soul…
peace； but that she can form herself on the very lines and colours
of art； and can reproduce the dignity of Pheidias as well as the
grace of Praxiteles。 Hence came their objection to realism。 They
disliked it on purely social grounds。 They felt that it inevitably
makes people ugly； and they were perfectly right。 We try to improve
the conditions of the race by means of good air； free sunlight；
wholesome water； and hideous bare buildings for the better housing
of the lower orders。 But these things merely produce health； they
do not produce beauty。 For this； Art is required； and the true
disciples of the great artist are not his studio…imitators； but
those who become like his works of art； be they plastic as in Greek
days； or pictorial as in modern times； in a word； Life is Art's
best； Art's only pupil。The Decay of Lying
LIFE THE PLAGIARIST
I once asked a lady； who knew Thackeray intimately； whether he had
had any model for Becky Sharp。 She told me that Becky was an
invention； but that the idea of the character had been partly
suggested by a governess who lived in the neighbourhood of
Kensington Square； and was the companion of a very selfish and rich
old woman。 I inquired what became of the governess； and she replied
that； oddly enough； some years after the appearance of Vanity Fair；
she ran away with the nephew of the lady with whom she was living；
and for a short time made a great splash in society； quite in Mrs。
Rawdon Crawley's style； and entirely by Mrs。 Rawdon Crawley's
methods。 Ultimately she came to grief； disappeared to the
Continent； and used to be occasionally seen at Monte Carlo and other
gambling places。 The noble gentleman from whom the same great
sentimentalist drew Colonel Newcome died； a few months after The
Newcomer had reached a fourth edition； with the word 'Adsum' on his
lips。 Shortly after Mr。 Stevenson published his curious
psychological story of transformation； a friend of mine； called Mr。
Hyde； was in the north of London； and being anxious to get to a
railway station； took what he thought would be a short cut； lost his
way； and found himself in a network of mean； evil…looking streets。
Feeling rather nervous he began to walk extremely fast； when
suddenly out of an archway ran a child right between his legs。 It
fell on the pavement； he tripped over it； and trampled upon it。
Being of course very much frightened and a little hurt； it began to
scream； and in a few seconds the whole street was full of rough
people who came pouring out of the houses like ants。 They
surrounded him； and asked him his name。 He was just about to give
it when he suddenly remembered the opening incident in Mr。
Stevenson's story。 He was so filled with horror at having realised
in his own person that terrible and well…written scene； and at
having done accidentally； though in fact； what the Mr。 Hyde of
fiction had done with deliberate intent； that he ran away as hard as
he could go。 He was； however； very closely followed； and finally he
took refuge in a surgery； the door of which happened to be open；
where he explained to a young assistant； who happened to be there；
exactly what had occurred。 The humanitarian crowd were induced to
go away on his giving them a small sum of money； and as soon as the
coast was clear he left。 As he passed out； the name on the brass
door…plate of the surgery caught his eye。 It was 'Jekyll。' At
least it should have been。The Decay of Lying
THE INDISPENSABLE EAST
What is true about the drama and the novel is no less true about
those arts that we call the decorative arts。 The whole history of
these arts in Europe is the record of the struggle between
Orientalism； with its frank rejection of imitation； its love of
artistic convention； its dislike to the actual representation of any
object in Nature； and our own imitative spirit。 Wherever the former
has been paramount； as in Byzantium； Sicily and Spain； by actual
contact； or in the rest of Europe by the influence of the Crusades；
we have had beautiful and imaginative work in which the visible
things of life are transmuted into artistic conventions； and the
things that Life has not are invented and fashioned for her delight。
But wherever we have returned to Life and Nature； our work has
always become vulgar； common and uninteresting。 Modern tapestry；
with its aerial effects； its elaborate perspective； its broad
expanses of waste sky； its faithful and laborious realism； has no
beauty whatsoever。 The pictorial glass of Germany is absolutely
detestable。 We are beginning to weave possible carpets in England；
but only because we have returned to the method and spirit of the
East。 Our rugs and carpets of twenty years ago； with their solemn
depressing truths； their inane worship of Nature； their sordid
reproductions of visible objects； have become； even to the
Philistine； a source of laughter。 A cultured Mahomedan once
remarked to us； 〃Y