And now what was he to do?
"Politics," he said aloud to the turf and the sky.
Is there any other work for an aristocratic man? . . . Science?
One could admit science in that larger sense that sweeps in History,
or Philosophy. Beyond that whatever work there is is work for which
men are paid. Art? Art is nothing aristocratic except when it is a
means of scientific or philosophical expression. Art that does not
argue nor demonstrate nor discover is merely the craftsman's
impudence.
He pulled up at this and reflected for a time with some
distinguished instances in his mind. They were so distinguished, so
dignified, they took their various arts with so admirable a gravity
that the soul of this young man recoiled from the verdicts to which
his reasoning drove him. "It's not for me to judge them," he
decided, "except in relation to myself. For them there may be
tremendous significances in Art. But if these do not appear to me,
then so far as I am concerned they do not exist for me. They are
not in my world. So far as they attempt to invade me and control my
attitudes or my outlook, or to judge me in any way, there is no
question of their impudence.
Pages:
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211