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！
is well for the artist to study the ecorche in the dissecting…room；
but we do not want the Apollo or the Venus to leave their skins
behind them when they go into the gallery for exhibition。 Lancisi's
figures show us how the great statues look when divested of their
natural covering。 It is instructive； but useful chiefly as a means
to aid in the true artistic reproduction of nature。 When the；
hospitals are invaded by the novelist； he should learn something from
the physician as well as from the patients。 Science delineates in
monochrome。 She never uses high tints and strontian lights to
astonish lookers…on。 Such scenes as Flaubert and Zola describe would
be reproduced in their essential characters； but not dressed up in
picturesque phrases。 That is the first stumbling…block in the way of
the reader of such realistic stories as those to which I have
referred。 There are subjects which must be investigated by
scientific men which most educated persons would be glad to know
nothing about。 When a realistic writer like Zola surprises his
reader into a kind of knowledge he never thought of wishing for； he
sometimes harms him more than he has any idea of doing。 He wants to
produce a sensation； and he leaves a permanent disgust not to he got
rid of。 Who does not remember odious images that can never be washed
out from the consciousness which they have stained？ A man's
vocabulary is terribly retentive of evil words； and the images they
present cling to his memory and will not loose their hold。 One who
has had the mischance to soil his mind by reading certain poems of
Swift will never cleanse it to its original whiteness。 Expressions
and thoughts of a certain character stain the fibre of the thinking
organ； and in some degree affect the hue of every idea that passes
through the discolored tissues。
This is the gravest accusation to bring against realism； old or
recent； whether in the brutal paintings of Spagnoletto or in the
unclean revelations of Zola。 Leave the description of the drains and
cesspools to the hygienic specialist； the painful facts of disease to
the physician； the details of the laundry to the washerwoman。 If we
are to have realism in its tedious descriptions of unimportant
particulars； let it be of particulars which do not excite disgust。
Such is the description of the vegetables in Zola's 〃Ventre de
Paris；〃 where； if one wishes to see the apotheosis of turnips； beets；
and cabbages； he can find them glorified as supremely as if they had
been symbols of so many deities； their forms； their colors； their
expression； worked upon until they seem as if they were made to be
looked at and worshipped rather than to be boiled and eaten。
I am pleased to find a French critic of M。 Flaubert expressing ideas
with which many of my own entirely coincide。 〃The great mistake of
the realists； 〃 he says； 〃is that they profess to tell the truth
because they tell everything。 This puerile hunting after details；
this cold and cynical inventory of all the wretched conditions in the
midst of which poor humanity vegetates； not only do not help us to
understand it better； but； on the contrary； the effect on the
spectators is a kind of dazzled confusion mingled with fatigue and
disgust。 The material truthfulness to which the school of M。
Flaubert more especially pretends misses its aim in going beyond it。
Truth is lost in its own excess。〃
I return to my thoughts on the relations of imaginative art in all
its forms with science。 The subject which in the hands of the
scientific student is handled decorously；reverently； we might
almost say；becomes repulsive； shameful； and debasing in the
unscrupulous manipulations of the low…bred man of letters。
I confess that I am a little jealous of certain tendencies in our own
American literature； which led one of the severest and most outspoken
of our satirical fellow…countrymen； no longer living to be called to
account for it； to say； in a moment of bitterness； that the mission
of America was to vulgarize mankind。 I myself have sometimes
wondered at the pleasure some Old World critics have professed to
find in the most lawless freaks of New World literature。 I have
questioned whether their delight was not like that of the Spartans in
the drunken antics of their Helots。 But I suppose I belong to
another age； and must not attempt to judge the present by my old…
fashioned standards。
The company listened very civilly to these remarks； whether they
agreed with them or not。 I am not sure that I want all the young
people to think just as I do in matters of critical judgment。 New
wine does not go well into old bottles； but if an old cask has held
good wine； it may improve a crude juice to stand awhile upon the lees
of that which once filled it。
I thought the company had had about enough of this disquisition。
They listened very decorously； and the Professor； who agrees very
well with me； as I happen to know； in my views on this business of
realism； thanked me for giving them the benefit of my opinion。
The silence that followed was broken by Number Seven's suddenly
exclaiming；
〃I should like to boss creation for a week！〃
This expression was an outbreak suggested by some train of thought
which Number Seven had been following while I was discoursing。 I do
not think one of the company looked as if he or she were shocked by
it as an irreligious or even profane speech。 It is a better way
always； in dealing with one of those squinting brains； to let it
follow out its own thought。 It will keep to it for a while； then it
will quit the rail； so to speak； and run to any side…track which may
present itself。
〃What is the first thing you would do？〃 asked Number Five in a
pleasant； easy way。
〃The first thing？ Pick out a few thousand of the best specimens of
the best races； and drown the rest like so many blind puppies。〃
〃Why；〃 said she； 〃that was tried once； and does not seem to have
worked very well。〃
〃Very likely。 You mean Noah's flood； I suppose。 More people
nowadays； and a better lot to pick from than Noah had。〃
〃Do tell us whom you would take with you；〃 said Number Five。
〃You； if you would go；〃 he answered； and I thought I saw a slight
flush on his cheek。 〃But I didn't say that I should go aboard the
new ark myself。 I am not sure that I should。 No； I am pretty sure
that I shouldn't。 I don't believe； on the whole； it would pay me to
save myself。 I ain't of much account。 But I could pick out some
that were。〃
And just now he was saying that he should like to boss the universe！
All this has nothing very wonderful about it。 Every one of us is
subject to alternations of overvaluation and undervaluation of
ourselves。 Do you not remember soliloquies something like this？
〃Was there ever such a senseless； stupid creature as I am？ How have
I managed to keep so long out of the idiot asylum？ Undertook to
write a poem； and