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Philistine； a source of laughter。 A cultured Mahomedan once
remarked to us； 〃You Christians are so occupied in misinterpreting
the fourth commandment that you have never thought of making an
artistic application of the second。〃 He was perfectly right； and
the whole truth of the matter is this： The proper school to learn
art in is not Life but Art。The Decay of Lying
THE INFLUENCE OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS ON CLIMATE
Where； if not from the Impressionists； do we get those wonderful
brown fogs that come creeping down our streets； blurring the gas…
lamps and changing the houses into monstrous shadows？ To whom； if
not to them and their master； do we owe the lovely silver mists that
brood over our river； and turn to faint forms of fading grace curved
bridge and swaying barge？ The extraordinary change that has taken
place in the climate of London during the last ten years is entirely
due to a particular school of Art。 You smile。 Consider the matter
from a scientific or a metaphysical point of view； and you will find
that I am right。 For what is Nature？ Nature is no great mother who
has borne us。 She is our creation。 It is in our brain that she
quickens to life。 Things are because we see them； and what we see；
and how we see it； depends on the Arts that have influenced us。 To
look at a thing is very different from seeing a thing。 One does not
see anything until one sees its beauty。 Then； and then only； does
it come into existence。 At present； people see fogs； not because
there are fogs； but because poets and painters have taught them the
mysterious loveliness of such effects。 There may have been fogs for
centuries in London。 I dare say there were。 But no one saw them；
and so we do not know anything about them。 They did not exist till
Art had invented them。 Now； it must be admitted； fogs are carried
to excess。 They have become the mere mannerism of a clique； and the
exaggerated realism of their method gives dull people bronchitis。
Where the cultured catch an effect； the uncultured catch cold。 And
so； let us be humane； and invite Art to turn her wonderful eyes
elsewhere。 She has done so already； indeed。 That white quivering
sunlight that one sees now in France； with its strange blotches of
mauve； and its restless violet shadows； is her latest fancy； and； on
the whole； Nature reproduces it quite admirably。 Where she used to
give us Corots and Daubignys； she gives us now exquisite Monets and
entrancing Pissaros。 Indeed there are moments； rare； it is true；
but still to be observed from time to time； when Nature becomes
absolutely modern。 Of course she is not always to be relied upon。
The fact is that she is in this unfortunate position。 Art creates
an incomparable and unique effect； and； having done so； passes on to
other things。 Nature； upon the other hand； forgetting that
imitation can be made the sincerest form of insult； keeps on
repeating this effect until we all become absolutely wearied of it。
Nobody of any real culture； for instance； ever talks nowadays about
the beauty of a sunset。 Sunsets are quite old…fashioned。 They
belong to the time when Turner was the last note in art。 To admire
them is a distinct sign of provincialism of temperament。 Upon the
other hand they go on。The Decay of Lying
AN EXPOSURE OF NATURALISM
After all； what the imitative arts really give us are merely the
various styles of particular artists； or of certain schools of
artists。 Surely you don't imagine that the people of the Middle
Ages bore any resemblance at all to the figures on mediaeval stained
glass； or in mediaeval stone and wood carving； or on mediaeval
metal…work； or tapestries； or illuminated MSS。 They were probably
very ordinary…looking people； with nothing grotesque； or remarkable；
or fantastic in their appearance。 The Middle Ages； as we know them
in art； are simply a definite form of style； and there is no reason
at all why an artist with this style should not be produced in the
nineteenth century。 No great artist ever sees things as they really
are。 If he did； he would cease to be an artist。 Take an example
from our own day。 I know that you are fond of Japanese things。
Now； do you really imagine that the Japanese people； as they are
presented to us in art； have any existence？ If you do； you have
never understood Japanese art at all。 The Japanese people are the
deliberate self…conscious creation of certain individual artists。
If you set a picture by Hokusai； or Hokkei； or any of the great
native painters； beside a real Japanese gentleman or lady； you will
see that there is not the slightest resemblance between them。 The
actual people who live in Japan are not unlike the general run of
English people； that is to say； they are extremely commonplace； and
have nothing curious or extraordinary about them。 In fact the whole
of Japan is a pure invention。 There is no such country； there are
no such people。 One of our most charming painters ｛3｝ went recently
to the Land of the Chrysanthemum in the foolish hope of seeing the
Japanese。 All he saw； all he had the chance of painting； were a few
lanterns and some fans。 He was quite unable to discover the
inhabitants； as his delightful exhibition at Messrs。 Dowdeswell's
Gallery showed only too well。 He did not know that the Japanese
people are； as I have said； simply a mode of style； an exquisite
fancy of art。 And so； if you desire to see a Japanese effect； you
will not behave like a tourist and go to Tokio。 On the contrary；
you will stay at home and steep yourself in the work of certain
Japanese artists； and then； when you have absorbed the spirit of
their style； and caught their imaginative manner of vision； you will
go some afternoon and sit in the Park or stroll down Piccadilly； and
if you cannot see an absolutely Japanese effect there； you will not
see it anywhere。 Or； to return again to the past； take as another
instance the ancient Greeks。 Do you think that Greek art ever tells
us what the Greek people were like？ Do you believe that the
Athenian women were like the stately dignified figures of the
Parthenon frieze； or like those marvellous goddesses who sat in the
triangular pediments of the same building？ If you judge from the
art； they certainly were so。 But read an authority； like
Aristophanes； for instance。 You will find that the Athenian ladies
laced tightly； wore high…heeled shoes； dyed their hair yellow；
painted and rouged their faces； and were exactly like any silly
fashionable or fallen creature of our own day。 The fact is that we
look back on the ages entirely through the medium of art； and art；
very fortunately； has never once told us the truth。The Decay of
Lying
THOMAS GRIFFITHS WAINEWRIGHT
He was taken back to Newgate； preparatory to his removal to the
colonies。 In a fanciful passage in one of his early essays he had
fancied himself 'lying in Horsemonger Ga