,,euterpe ,,or ,,the ,,future ,,of ,,art ,,to-,,day ,,and ,,to-,,morrow ,a ,full ,list of the ,series will be found at the end of this ,volume ,,euterpe ,,or ,,the ,,future ,,of ,,art ,,by ,,lionel ,r4 ,mc,c,o,l,v,i,n ,author of ,the ,theory of ,book-,selection1 ,music in ,public ,libraries1 etc4 ,,london3 ,,kegan ,,paul1 ,,trench1 ,,trubner ,,co41 ,,ltd4 ,,new ,,york3 ,e4 ,p4 ,,dutton ,,co4 ,made and ,printed in ,great ,britain by ,m4 ,f4 ,robinson ,co41 ,ltd41 at ,the ,library ,press1 ,lowestoft ,,euterpe ,i ,at the outset it will be desirable to state that when ,i speak of the future of art ,i do not mean the 8art of the future04 ,art can be considered from either an inside or an outside point of view2 that is to say1 we can deal either with its nature1 problems1 and performances--art itself1 or with the amount and quality of the interest taken in art by men and women--the 8art-life0 of the community4 ,the latter subject is that dealt with here4 ,the 8art-life0 of the civilized world is at present in a transition period1 which is fraught with distinct1 though maybe unrealized1 dangers4 ,its problems are only indirectly related to the present and the future state of art-production3 whether we foresee development or retrogression in modern tendencies in literature1 painting1 music1 and so on1 these dangers will need to be faced1 or they will1 at least1 minimize the value of the creative work of to-morrow4 ,for we are concerned not with the production of art but with the enjoyment and appreciation of art4 ,as the latter is the more important1 since without it production would be sterile1 it is an essential preliminary that the conditions necessary for the healthy growth of a more widespread1 deeper-rooted love of the beautiful should exist4 ,we are now viewing the situation as sociologists1 as men1 rather than as artists4 ,the artist can be satisfied when he attains a certain level of performance3 at least he can work with content and happiness while he is seeking to reach a may-be unattainable perfection4 ,he is1 naturally and rightly1 concerned with absolute values2 and the critic and the individual lover can maintain the same attitude4 ,if a painting or a poem reaches perfection1 he asks no more4 ,but the sociologist must take a different attitude4 ,to the artist and the critic the work is the end2 to the sociologist it is the beginning4 ,it is not enough for him to know that the painting is great1 since to him it is only the means by which men attain artistic enjoyment2 it has no significance until it has acted upon the minds of men4 ,that being so he must ask other questions about it--firstly1 ,how many men can see it8 ,how many are able to appreciate its value intelligently1 gaining the full aesthetic1 spiritual1 or intellectual stimulus from it8--in short1 ,what is the aggregate of its human significance8 ,it does not follow1 of course1 that we can relate the quality of a work of art to the 8quantity0 of its appeal2 it would1 in fact1 be absurd to suppose that it is necessarily better that #ajj1jjj should know and appreciate the second-rate than that #ajj should love the finest--neither1 with certain reservations1 need this necessarily be untrue4 ,the point ,i would urge at present is simply that the value of art to humanity does depend very largely upon the desire and opportunity of men to take advantage of it4 ,the poet whose works are ignored saving by the very few may be as impotent as a mute inglorious ,milton4 ,therefore there are two factors--production and reproduction1 or1 shall we say1 creation and distribution4 ,a musician composes a symphony1 a dramatist writes a play1 a novelist a story--that is the first factor4 ,if no one ever performed the symphony1 produced the play1 or published the novel1 of what importance would this creation prove to the world8--,practically none4 ,the art-product must be distributed before it can accomplish any part of its essential purpose4 ,it necessarily follows1 moreover1 that the wider the distribution1 the more adequately will it function4 ,this is all very obvious1 though often forgotten1 and will disclose the next step in the argument1 which is that1 were it not for certain tendencies1 increased means of reproduction and distribution would lead to a better developed1 more valuable1 and more active artistic life4 ,that being so1 the present1 which is a period when mankind is enjoying the benefit of recent and important reproductive inventions1 should be imbued with hopeful tendencies--,is it8 ,yes and no4 ,let us take stock of our position4 ,reproduction is almost entirely a mechanical matter1 depending upon non-artistic1 purely material factors4 ,production is the business of the creative artists2 reproduction that of the scientists4 ,the latter have given us within recent years inventions which have revolutionized artistic conditions--the mechanical processes and innumerable secondary inventions such as stereotyping1 and mechanical composition and binding1 which have facilitated the reproduction of printed matter1 the three-colour and other photo-mechanical methods of reproducing pictorial matter1 the gramophone1 the piano-player1 and wireless to aid the distribution of music1 and so on1 throughout the range of pure and applied art4 ,until recent years the percentage of the population who were in direct contact with the fine arts had remained much the same in civilized countries from probably the earliest times4 ,art had almost invariably depended upon direct patronage of some kind or other1 religious or secular1 if not entirely at least to an important degree4 ,i would not denounce this2 one cannot1 when one remembers that the system fostered art which has not been equalled under the new rgime4 ,but direct patronage by the few is rapidly declining and is to-day almost negligible4 ,it has been replaced1 simply as a result of the mechanical factor1 by a more democratic economic basis4 ,some arts are still to some extent produced for the few1 but others entirely for the many4 ,the important fact is that wherever reproduction is easiest that art is the most democratic--books and music1 for example2 wherever least possible its range is narrower and its support less democratic1 e4g41 sculpture1 household decoration1 etc4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the character of our artistic experience has therefore to a very large extent been decided by purely non-artistic factors4 ,that which can be reproduced has been reproduced1 and opportunity has developed taste4 ,this is a generalization1 though not a fallacious one4 ,we may assume that the artistic needs of men have been led into their different channels partly as a result of personal inclination1 but very largely through the influence of opportunity4 ,if a number of men were cast upon a desert island with only books to minister to their aesthetic needs1 the majority would take what was to hand and be quite content4 ,i am not saying that this is a good tendency but that it is a true hypothesis1 applicable to modern life1 and a contention which is tenable on historical grounds4 ,the favourite pursuits of early civilizations were not those of to-day1 and it is very unlikely that any one factor has done so much to change taste as the development of means of reproduction4 ,the pursuit of once-popular arts need not die out2 it need not even decline1 since the numbers of those interested in all the arts is increasing2 but the proportionate or relative interest alters4 ,this being so1 can we ignore the influence of the mechanical factor8 ,it is operating in a striking manner to-day when relatively music is being appreciated by more and literature by fewer people1 when the theatre is attracting1 relatively again1 fewer every day than the cinema1 when the graphic arts are becoming more significant than the plastic arts4 ,to ignore the mechanical factor is to put effect before cause4 ,certainly the character of taste has influenced the direction of invention to some extent1 since the scientist would naturally turn first to fields where his work would be most effective4 ,this aspect should not1 however1 be magnified4 ,sooner or later science has given all it was capable of giving to every form of art1 regardless of its importance or popularity4 ,and so we realize that the character of public taste--that is to say1 the proportionate amount of interest in the various arts--has been dictated by the mechanical factor4 ,we can go still further and assert that its quality has been largely determined by this same influence4 ,,ii ,before we can appreciate the truth of that assertion--that the quality of public taste has been influenced by mechanical methods of reproduction--we must be prepared to view the art-life of the community as a whole4 ,too often we tend to regard only the better elements1 the top layer1 and to ignore the lower strata4 ,we segregate a section of the populace--that which appreciates1 or pretends to appreciate1 ,art 7with a capital ,a7--and forget that the remainder1 which indulges in jazz1 #8the pictures'1 light fiction1 ,bovril pictures1 and tin-chapel architecture1 is actuated by the same motives4 ,the quality of their artistic experiences and the standard of their taste and artistic education may be very different1 yet they seek the same kind of experience as the others4 ,it is entirely a matter of degree4 ,therefore we must regard the art-life of a community1 as we must and do regard its social1 religious1 or political life1 as comprising a little good1 much bad1 and more that is indifferent4 ,once this is realized1 and only then1 the full significance of the mechanical factor is apparent4 ,let us go back to the pre-mechanical era1 when only a small number of people had any opportunity for contact with art and only a few had developed a love for and the ability to appreciate its higher manifestations4 ,at the same time a similarly limited populace found satisfaction in the second1 third--and fifth-rate4 ,probably then1 as now1 more enjoyed the second-best than the finest1 and so on1 though probably the contrast was not so great as it is now4 ,however that may be1 when a new reproductive process was introduced it was naturally applied to the lower types rather than to the better1 for an obvious reason4 ,it enabled more people to be brought into contact1 and these newcomers must naturally be unaccustomed to and incapable of appreciating the best4 ,the education of taste is a slow process1 whereas the new invention was a sudden force1 applied immediately in whatever direction offered it the greatest scope4 ,and so we find at once an increase in the lower grades of appreciation which is out of proportion to the benefits bestowed upon the higher4 ,the trouble did not end there1 however4 ,greater familiarity tends to form taste1 especially in these matters4 ,art serves most men chiefly as a luxury1 a relaxation1 a recreation2 and in our quest for these we are apt to take that which is most easily obtained4 ,the mechanical factor1 by making the fourth-rate accessible1 generated a desire for the fourth-rate3 this desire stimulated further reproduction1 and this1 in turn1 brought more into the artistic fold1 at each step lowering the quality of the most accessible and the most desired4 ,the result is that to-day the average quality of the whole artistic consumption of the populace is considerably lower than it had ever been before in civilized times4 ,though every day more and more people are reading some kind of printed matter1 witnessing plays--silent and audible--of a sort1 looking at pictures1 penny plain or twopence coloured1 though the time is not far distant when every man will be interested to some extent in art in one or other of its forms1 our art-life is developing not so much in quality as in quantity4 ,,iii ,there is1 of course1 a bright side to the picture1 and lest we be accused of pessimism it will be well to discuss this now4 ,in the first place all forms of art1 good1 bad1 and indifferent1 have benefited by mechanical means of reproduction4 ,the actual numbers of those who can experience the finest things in art have increased manifold1 and to that extent1 the art-life of the world is better off than before4 ,my only contention is that proportionately fewer appreciate the best1 though actually more do so4 ,my only intention here is to point out the essentially quantitative tendencies of to-day1 lest we should mistake them for something better4 ,quantity alone is not everything1 and1 if we fail to realize these tendencies and endeavour to counteract their undesirable features1 the time will come when the disproportion between those who seek the worthy and those who do not will be very dangerous4 ,why this will be so ,i hope to show in the next chapter4 ,to return to the bright side--,though quantity is not everything1 it is something4 ,it is better that people should appreciate the lowest arts than that they should ignore them altogether4 ,provided1 of course1 that any art is not definitely decadent and degenerate1 it is better than none4 ,but even this aspect has its disadvantages4 ,it might be argued1 not without reason1 that it is more difficult to wean a person from the poor thing he knows and has come to like than to introduce an absolutely artistically-uneducated person to the moderately good4 ,of that1 however we shall speak later4 ,thirdly1 improved reproductive methods have enriched art by enabling minorities to flourish4 ,,iv ,and so we approach the real danger1 which is naturally more potent in some fields than in others4 ,we have seen that the mechanical factor has1 by making the fourth-rate more accessible1 increased the number of those with fourth-rate tastes4 ,now we encounter the commercial factor which enters at some stage into every art and almost every artistic activity4 ,books1 music1 and pictures must be published1 plays produced1 concerts arranged1 art-objects manufactured1 and so on4 ,outlay of capital is almost invariably involved1 and those with capital can seldom be induced to use it without the usual expectation of gain4 ,in short1 to some person or other nearly all our artistic experiences are business propositions4 ,practically the only exceptions to this rule are the institutions maintained at the public expense--art-galleries1 museums1 public libraries1 etc4--and even these are not entirely divorced from indirect commercial relationships4 ,thus the nature and extent of art-reproduction are very largely governed by commercial considerations4 ,the effect of this is easily seen4 ,the natural desire of the capitalist is to secure the best return from his investment1 and this may be sought in two ways4 ,either he may produce something for which there is a large demand1 or he may produce something for which there is less demand and charge more for it4 ,he will certainly avoid the thing for which there is only a small or a problematic demand4 ,let us now remember that the proportion of those who desire good art is decreasing1 and it is clear that the commercial factor is not improving the standard of public taste4 ,within limits the most demand is for the least worth-while1 and yet it is the satisfaction of this demand which makes the most attractive commercial proposition4 ,he who wants the fine thing prized by a minority must pay more for it if he is lucky enough to be able to do so and if he is fortunate enough to have it produced for him1 or go without it if he is not4 ,the snowball rolls on4 ,the vicious sequence operates continuously4 ,the bigger the demand the more ready is the business-man to meet it2 the better the supply1 the greater the desire4 ,the extent to which the commercial factor is potent varies considerably1 and depends largely upon the amount of capital which is involved in the single reproductive operation4 ,fortunately there are still business-men in the art-producing world who are glad to compromise1 who sometimes put their ideals before their pockets1 who are satisfied so long as they are enabled to pay their way1 who are prepared at times to lose4 ,accordingly1 whenever the capital involved is not large1 and whenever the investor can undertake a number of contemporary ventures the loss on some of which should be covered by profits on the others1 better though less popular art is given its chance4 ,probably the most fortunate art in this respect is that of literature 7in the widest sense of the word71 and the most unfortunate the drama4 ,the percentage of worthy books which remain unpublished is very low compared with that of plays or music1 and even this percentage does not indicate the real difference1 since through lack of opportunity1 the number of artists who devote their energies to composition or play-writing is much smaller than it should be4 ,the reason is obvious4 ,a small circulation will pay the cost of publishing the average book--a much smaller circulation 7were it not for advertising expenses7 than many imagine2 on the other hand1 commercial conditions being what they are1 considerable public support is necessary if the producer of a play1 a film1 or an orchestral concert is to secure any financial gain4 ,the publisher1 moreover1 does not put all his eggs into one basket2 the producer of plays1 unless he is in an unusually strong financial position1 must4 ,the former can afford to take occasional risks2 the latter cannot4 ,even in the case of books1 however1 the reader who seeks the same kind of reading as many millions of others is in a more favourable position than the man with individual1 minority inclinations4 ,the greater the volume of reproduction1 the lower the cost per copy4 ,even were the business-man willing1 he could not give the latter the full benefit of mechanical inventions4 ,it would not be worth his while to do so4 ,the complete utilization of mechanical methods involves the use of expensive plant1 which is justified only when the output is large4 ,it is1 of course1 a matter of degree1 and many processes 7e4g4 machine-casing of books7 can be applied as readily to the few as to the many4 ,other processes1 on the contrary1 never benefit the minority4 ,in graphic art1 for example1 there are several colour-processes by which very cheap reproductions of pictures can be produced1 but their use is1 for necessary commercial reasons1 confined to popular works4 ,the pictures required by the few are never reproduced by these methods4 ,v ,we may now summarize the problem1 before passing to a discussion of ways and means to counteract the dangerous tendencies of to-day4 ,firstly--though creative artists and educationists must regard this as a hard saying--the most powerful force in the art-life of to-day is the purely mechanical factor4 ,secondly1 this factor is to a great extent determining the nature and amount of art-production and reproduction4 ,thirdly1 it is causing a decrease in the average quality of the total artistic life of the community4 ,fourthly1 this degeneration must naturally continue unless it is counteracted by other influences4 ,this statement is not an exaggerated one1 and it does not ignore the good effects of the new order4 ,even though a certain amount of repetition is involved1 it will be well to discuss in detail the causes of degeneration in popular tastes4 7#a7 ,mechanical improvements were applied first to those grades of art which offered most scope to the commercial element 7and are now still so applied to a greater extent74 7#b7 ,even if1 in the beginning1 lower tastes were not in a majority1 any widening of the circle of those interested would inevitably bring in a large percentage of the artistically uneducated4 7#c7 ,each widening of the circle would involve a lowering of taste1 and also increase the commercial inducement to cater for the lower grade4 7#d7 ,this being so1 those with better tastes become an even smaller minority1 and 7though they probably would be actually better off7 they become relatively at a disadvantage economically4 ,though they might now have to pay less than they had to before for something1 they nevertheless still have to pay more than those who belong to the majority4 7#e7 ,furthermore1 the low grade is more accessible1 easier to experience1 more frequently offered than the better thing4 7#f7 ,therefore1 since 7especially the large numbers whose tastes are on the border line7 we unconsciously tend to follow the easy way1 unless we deliberately seek to improve or maintain our taste1 it will degenerate4 ,it is necessary to remember that art is usually regarded as a recreation and1 in spite of the saying that we take our pleasures sadly1 we do often take a short view1 and are satisfied to find that artistic recreation for the day which is first to hand1 without thought of the morrow4 7#g7 ,in art-matters we are mostly conservative4 ,neither do we readily set ourselves apart from our fellows4 ,the history of any 8best seller0 will prove this4 ,up to a point it is read by those who have discovered that they might like it2 after that it is read chiefly 8because everybody else is reading it04 ,it is wrong to attribute this tendency to a mere desire to be 8in the swim02 much more often it is because readers1 unconsciously classing themselves as average1 argue that the book which interests the average man will interest them4 ,to a large extent this applies to all popular art4 ,few people care to 8waste their time0 experimenting when it is so much easier to fall in line with the crowd4 ,the only wonder is how the popularity of the 8best seller0 and its kind begins3 once that has happened the rest is a normal process4 7#h7 ,the average man1 being thus willing to follow the dictates of the majority1 is seldom likely to look elsewhere for his artistic experiences4 ,and so the tastes of the majority are more firmly established--and the tastes of to-day form the tastes of to-morrow4 ,i would not describe this as a vicious circle4 ,rather is it a vicious spiral1 the circumference of which ever increases4 ,how can this state of affairs be altered8 ,let us not be misunderstood4 ,we are not asserting that this world with its many who appreciate the less valuable is worse than the world of the pre-mechanical era4 ,far from it4 ,in every way it is better4 ,the actual quantity of good artistic endeavour is much greater1 and every increase in the numbers of those who appreciate the least worth-while is a distinct gain to the community and to the individual4 ,our anxiety is not so much for to-day as for to-morrow4 ,there is no reason to doubt that before long practically the whole population will be interested in some form and grade of art4 ,it is then that the trouble will begin to assume serious proportions4 ,let us take a biological parallel4 ,it is agreed that if good stocks do not increase at the same rate as inferior stocks they will gradually die out4 ,if1 in a world full of artistic endeavour the good artistic stocks are not as sturdy as the remainder1 they too will in time die out4 ,so long as the commercial and mechanical factors are allowed full play1 the good artistic stocks will be at a disadvantage1 and so the future of the finest elements of art depends upon the success of efforts to counteract these factors4 ,we must find means 7#a7 to make the most desirable art more accessible than it is now1 and 7#b7 to increase the numbers of those who desire it4 ,the latter will serve two purposes3 7a7 it will help us in the first aim2 and 7b7 it will increase the aggregate quality and value of the artistic life4 ,,vi ,we will deal with the second aim first1 and it may be termed roughly 8,education0--the process of increasing a man's ability to enjoy better art4 ,the last phrase embodies our idea of the function of art-education4 ,if education does that--improves the range and quality of his pleasure in the beautiful--it has performed its prime duty4 ,needless to say1 we are not speaking now of that branch of education which concerns itself with the training of practitioners--creative or executive artists4 ,that is quite a different matter1 and one of our first quarrels with the present system is that these two types of education are not as clearly distinguished as they need to be4 ,there are two classes of people who will benefit by education--those who wish to enjoy and those who wish to practise4 ,the needs of the two classes are quite distinct1 yet he who would enjoy is often given the instruction provided 7or which should be provided7 for the others4 ,the disadvantages of this are3 7a7 the enjoyer approaches the subject from quite a different angle1 and practical instruction will sometimes depreciate his appreciative faculties4 ,the outsider sees most of the game1 and1 moreover1 one with knowledge of technical matters will tend to allow technical questions to come before purely aesthetic ones2 7b7 ,he will spend a great deal of time to no purpose1 and will waste opportunities and leisure which could be more advantageously applied2 7c7 ,as he might be1 and generally is1 entirely devoid of sufficient creative or executive ability to practise to his own satisfaction a certain disappointment and disillusionment will colour his regard for the artistic2 7d7 ,it is useless and wasteful to give technical instruction to those who cannot and do not desire to apply it4 ,neither does the practitioner gain4 ,there is a tendency to compromise1 and so he does not always obtain the special purposive instruction he needs1 and the personnel and institutions fitted to instruct the practitioner cannot devote all their energies to this essential work4 ,any increased love of art1 be it remembered1 will cause a much greater demand for professional creative and executive artists4 ,and 7e7 he probably has neither the time nor the inclination for practical studies1 and so1 if there are no schemes specially for his benefit1 he will receive no education at all4 ,therefore there is a great need for systematic education in the appreciation of art4 ,many more attempts are being made to-day than there were a few years ago2 yet the subject--a very difficult one--is still in its infancy4 ,the methods and aims of such education have not yet been adequately formulated and must exercise educationists in the near future4 ,failing a well-defined plan1 they have taken refuge in aspects of art-instruction which are not those best calculated to stimulate genuine enjoyment4 ,this explains to some extent the confusion of practical and appreciative ends4 ,it explains also our addiction to historical and theoretical studies4 ,he who would study the graphic arts must try to draw and to paint2 the music-lover must acquire some sort of executive ability1 and so devotes enough time to the routine of 8practice0 to kill all his enthusiasm2 and the student of literature must become versed in its history4 ,the art-lover is probably not getting much harm2 the music-lover is now often relieved by mechanical instruments from the necessity for technique2 than the historical studies of the last-named1 however1 nothing more dreary and futile could be invented4 ,improvement in the methods of education in appreciation must involve the total abolition of the ,examination system4 ,examinations may be able to show whether a man can draw 8correctly01 play the notes of a composition1 or is versed in the dates of a number of writers and able to list their important works4 ,but it cannot possibly give any indication whether the education in appreciation is achieving its real aim--the increase of the student's ability to enjoy more and better things1 to find greater happiness and richer artistic experiences4 ,those who would develop the appreciative faculties of others must take the results of their labours for granted4 ,as before said1 our ideas of how to instil a love of beauty1 how to awaken interest in and arouse perception of artistic values1 are still vague4 ,it is a matter which cannot be taught by rule of thumb4 ,it is not concerned with ascertained facts1 nor discoverable by ordered experiment4 ,it is an individual matter4 ,largely1 in practice1 such instruction will be exemplary rather than explanatory4 ,much of the time spent will be devoted to introducing to students actual examples of the art1 and thereby the obstacles of ignorance and prejudice will be removed4 ,in addition to this1 however1 some systematic instruction in the principles of aesthetics1 of the general criteria of works of art--completeness1 congruity1 balance1 and proportion1 the subordination of details1 the relation of means to ends--will be evolved4 ,i would suggest as a starting-point the study of form1 of the anatomy or architecture of art4 ,apart from the moral value of cultivating a sense of proportion1 of perspective1 of the inter-relation of parts--a sense which is as essential to a sane life as to the appreciation of a picture or a musical composition--nothing could lead more readily to an understanding of the artist's aims and plan of campaign4 ,in music1 for instance1 a brief account of the sequence of the main themes1 which could be memorized1 would render intelligible and whole a composition which otherwise would seem meaningless1 shapeless1 and dreary4 ,,vii ,the fact remains1 however1 that the percentage of the population which is affected by systematic education is1 and is likely to remain1 very1 very small4 ,the artistic regeneration of the world would be a very slow process if it depended entirely upon the existence of a definite desire for education4 ,before any one will come into contact with educational institutions he must have attained to a relatively high standard of appreciation and he must be endowed already with considerable enthusiasm for art4 ,the greater problems are clearly3 7a7 how to increase the interest of those who are almost if not entirely indifferent to the point when they will desire systematic instruction2 and 7b7 how to benefit those who will never 7maybe can never7 reach even that stage1 or who will prefer to 8educate themselves04 ,as a preliminary to this it will be well to examine some of the causes of low taste4 ,why is it that millions enjoy ,when it's ,night-time in ,italy1 but are bored to tears by the ,schumann ,a minor ,concerto8 ,why should ,the ,bat have power to thrill them when ,macbeth leaves them cold8 ,why1 in short1 do they prefer the least good to the best8 ,i will not say 8worst10 because nothing is bad which artistically can give pleasure and morally is not evil4 ,the obvious reason1 which most of us would give glibly1 is that these people are intellectually and spiritually incapable of appreciating good art4 ,how far this is true1 and how far the other reasons ,i shall give are responsible1 ,i would not care to suggest4 ,very probably it is true in the large majority of cases4 ,in a world the majority of whose inhabitants are quite incapable of thinking intelligently or logically about the most important influences in their lives1 where politics and religion and the fundamental human relationships are governed by ignorant prejudices and irrational habits1 where a large proportion of men are mentally and physically below par1 can we expect every man and woman to possess the latent ability to embrace the beautiful8 ,however that may be1 this obstacle to artistic education can be removed only by the sociologist1 the educationist1 the moralist1 and the biologist4 ,we who are concerned with the artistic factor can duly presuppose the existence1 now or to-morrow1 of a germ of artistic impulse1 since we can only influence those who are capable4 ,secondly1 as we noticed before1 the greater familiarity and accessibility of the low grade is a potent hindrance to development4 ,thirdly1 we must remember that the average man seeks recreation when he embraces art4 ,he may have degraded his idea of the recreational and come to think that unless an experience 8livens him up0 or 8takes him out of himself0 it is not suitable recreation4 ,the fact remains that as a rule he is unwilling to give the matter any sustained thought 7even though exercising his mind might be a great change from the routine of manual labour71 and he is satisfied if the day's leisure is passed pleasantly4 ,the idea of sustained1 cumulative recreation1 such as is gained by the real lover of any art1 when the pleasure of to-day adds to the recreative value of that of to-morrow1 when each experience makes the following keener and more lasting1 never occurs to him4 ,again1 he is conservative and play for safety4 ,any improvement in taste would involve stepping on to fresh ground1 and he is not prepared to do that4 ,somehow--generally by observing the likes and dislikes of people of similar mentality--he has discovered 8what he likes01 and he sees no reason why he should take any risks4 ,that is largely why he goes to see farces1 reads detective yarns or tales of the wild and woolly ,west1 and patronizes ballad-concerts and music-halls1 but would never dream of venturing into a repertory theatre or a classical concert1 or of reading a different type of book4 ,his time1 he thinks1 and his money1 are too precious for excursions into the unknown4 ,that alone would be sufficient deterrent1 but1 in addition1 it sets up prejudices4 ,he does not want to explore1 yet he has 7subconsciously1 of course7 to justify his conservatism4 ,this he does by raising an imaginary barrier between the things he knows he likes and the things he doesn't know anything at all about and might not like4 ,when he is brought face to face with the unknown1 rather than confess his ignorance and lack of enterprise1 even to himself1 rather than admit that his tastes are low1 he jumps to the conclusion that he is wise to be wary and that there must be some good reason for his attitude4 ,thus he sets his mind at rest by retarding its development4 ,unfortunately there are outside influences which strengthen these prejudices4 ,for instance1 too many of those who appreciate1 or pretend to appreciate1 the best are apt to set themselves apart and to insist that there is an unbridgeable gulf between their art and that of the common herd4 ,the average man hates this highbrow snobbery and hates1 too1 everything they are supposed to care for1 since it is tarred with the same brush4 ,then1 again1 attempts to 8improve0 his taste for him generally arouse his ire and invoke further prejudices--mainly because the would-be improvers do not go the right way to work4 ,it is not at all difficult to realize that1 since we all regard art as matter for the exercise of taste1 which is an individual prerogative--there is no absolute scale of artistic values1 though there is a general consensus of educated opinion--the man who will readily accept the judgement of his intellectual superiors will not so readily accept the opinions of the artistically better informed4 ,then1 it is by no means easy to persuade the artistically uneducated that there is any need for education4 ,he thinks that the enjoyable aspects of art are fairly obvious and that there is no point in looking beyond the obvious unless he is seeking for some extra-artistic element--some intellectual or spiritual value4 ,as he is only seeking enjoyment1 why should he waste time looking for anything else8 ,it must1 therefore1 be made quite clear to him that the chief aim of the educationist is to increase his pleasure in art and that there is no ulterior motive4 ,unfortunately the methods of many teachers 7and here ,i include all publicists and would-be popularizers7 are not such as to give this impression4 ,much teaching has been misguided4 ,for example1 for some obscure reason critics and teachers frequently fail to discriminate between the 8absolute0 and the 8historical0 value of the classics4 ,they delight in praising work which has little claim to our interest other than its antiquity4 ,they confront the bewildered seeker for enjoyable beauty with volumes of extracts from 8,the ,great ,writers01 collections of the ,hundred ,best ,books1 etc41 than which nothing more ungodly1 more dreary1 uninspired1 unworthy1 and unbeautiful could possibly be found4 ,they should know better1 these people6 ,why will they do it8 ,almost as bad are those who go to the opposite extreme and hail with acclamation the newest1 most unintelligible phantasies born of a craving for novelty4 ,i am not exaggerating1 though certainly the position is improving wonderfully4 ,but1 of the books written twenty years ago and earlier with the presumable intention of stimulating interest in literature and art1 certainly half would have antagonized the ordinary man--had he bothered about them at all1 which he didn't4 ,the critic may say that he is not concerned with improving the taste of the man in the street4 ,undoubtedly he has other tasks besides those of the popularizer2 much of his work can appeal only to the artistically educated and it would be dangerous for him to devote an undue share of his energies to this work4 ,nevertheless1 he should more often cast aside the highbrow attitude and any idea that the needs of the ordinary man are unworthy of his consideration4 ,the example1 in the realms of science1 of such men as ,j4 ,a4 ,thomson1 ,lankester1 and others equally unlikely to devote their energies to any but a good cause1 should help to dispel this illusion4 ,we badly need writers who1 without being namby-pamby1 superior1 or academic1 can help the man with the germ of interest1 writers who can point to the ascending steps in the ladder of taste4 ,theirs is not an easy task4 ,in the first place1 they must be themselves interesting1 for only a minority are willing to read books with an ulterior motive4 ,the actual popularizing books must provide recreation and enjoyment as well as stimulation4 ,in this connection it might be remarked that we are too ready to throw stones at the writer who tries to bring his literary abilities within the range of a wide public4 ,he is accused of playing to the gallery1 of prostituting his art1 of thinking of his royalties1 and so on4 ,might not a writer capable of attaining heights on which only a minority could join him be rendering a better service to humanity at large by sometimes choosing to give the majority the best they can appreciate8 ,and the competent conscientious workmen who1 though they may not hope or desire to rank with the greatest1 give the public something which it desires and understands1 and which is nevertheless much better than anything else of the same kind that it would read1 render a finer service than we are willing to admit4 ,secondly1 the popularizer must not rob his public of its self-respect or unduly destroy its faith in its own judgment in artistic matters4 ,to do so is to open up another source of prejudice and to raise a fresh obstacle to enjoyment1 for he who loses faith in his own opinions1 who is told that he should put no trust in his own judgment1 endeavours to embrace the artistic standards of others4 ,this he cannot do1 but he begins to read books1 and so on1 from a sense of duty--because he has been told that everybody ought to read so and so--and then to become a liar and a hypocrite1 to pretend to others that he enjoys books when he doesn't1 to imagine to himself that he does when he doesn't1 so wasting his opportunities and stunting his latent capabilities4 ,with the right kind of education his tastes and opinions would improve gradually and without his noticing the difference4 ,although his taste would be improving1 all the time he would be following his own judgment1 and so he would always enjoy his contact with art4 ,the popularizer who would approach the subject in the most fruitful way will realize that the lower forms of art are purely recreational--excepting of course that some activities have physical values also4 ,the ethical1 spiritual1 and intellectual aspects are not developed until we reach a higher level4 ,therefore1 if he is going to lead to better things any one to whom art has been synonymous with pure recreation1 he must do so by utilizing the recreative element in the better4 ,for example1 the educated reader seeks in ,shakespeare the statement of philosophical and moral ideas1 beauty of language and aptness of phraseology1 the delineation of character1 and the like4 ,but what is the good of pointing out these qualities to a man as a reason why he should go to a ,shakespearian performance rather than to a farce or a melodrama1 to one who is1 as yet1 only seeking recreation8 ,tell him instead that ,twelfth ,night is a good farce and ,macbeth a good melodrama--as they undoubtedly are2 rid his head of the idea that ,shakespeare is primarily something else1 something much more 8brainy0 and stodgy2 try to instil in him the motive that filled the old ,globe with an audience which is the exact counterpart of our own uneducated pleasure-seeking theatre-goers1 and ,shakespeare would become more popular4 ,contact with his work would undoubtedly improve taste and the appreciation of ,shakespeare's other qualities4 ,shakespeare was popular in his own time because he enjoyed the reputation of being a good entertainer4 ,he isn't popular to-day because the average man has been taught by misguided people to regard him as a great writer4 ,of course there are other reasons1 but that is a most important one4 ,yet another cause of low taste is the prevalent lack of the ability to concentrate4 ,enjoyment of the better types of art involves concentration1 not only because it must be cumulative1 but also because great art is generally built round an ampler theme than that which is of only temporary appeal4 ,if the artist deals with a big subject1 he must have room4 ,if he avoids substance1 he economizes1 condenses1 and concentrates his production4 ,whichever course he adopts1 the reader or spectator must give him greater--either more extended or more intense--attention maybe both4 ,education will improve powers of concentration2 but1 on the other hand1 it depends upon this ability4 ,therefore the psychological factor must be considered by all educationists4 ,they must prepare ladders leading by easy stages from the purely enjoyable and insignificant to the serious and significant1 but it is not enough that the steps should involve only gradual intellectual and aesthetic progress4 ,they must require also only a gradual increase in concentration4 ,the chief aim of education and popularization must be1 however1 to increase the realization of the function of art--which is 7though art may fulfil other purposes7 to provide enjoyment1 enjoyment in its highest1 most spiritual form maybe1 yet nevertheless enjoyment4 ,for the pursuit of art is the pursuit of the beautiful1 especially the beautiful which is of man's creation4 ,if this pursuit cannot give pleasure1 the fault must be ours1 since the 8beautiful0 which cannot give pleasure to any is not beautiful4 ,the converse1 that anything which gives pleasure is beautiful1 is certainly not true1 but1 whatever our philosophical or moral criteria of beauty may be1 they must include the pleasure giving property4 ,we need1 nevertheless1 to question ourselves whether this factor is not only ignored but sometimes even suppressed by some educationists4 ,there are so many things in this world of imperfectly developed men and women that give pleasure and are most unbeautiful1 that we hesitate to class our precious goods in the same category lest they be tarred with the same brush4 ,yet we must do so4 ,there is much that goes by the name of ,love which is but lust1 greed1 pride of possession1 avarice1 habit1 perversion1 and waste1 but we are not tempted to pretend that genuine human affection is not love because it is something better than the rest4 ,so we must not be tempted to deny that art is essentially a source of pleasure simply because it is the source of the finest1 most lasting1 pleasure4 ,to do so is to alienate those who are most in need of its influence4 ,,viii ,the second need--after education--is to make good art more accessible4 ,we have seen that1 so long as the supply of art is a commercial proposition1 little1 if any1 improvement in its average quality can be expected4 ,until1 in some way1 the good can be given the same chance as the bad1 the majority will continue to clamour for the bad1 since it will be the only thing they know4 ,it seems1 therefore1 that the only effective way to break the vicious circle is to try to put art-provision as far as possible upon a non-commercial basis4 ,we must not be over-optimistic4 ,not a great deal can be done at present1 and1 in any case1 progress will be slow4 ,the only way in which this can be done is 8co-operation0--firstly the co-operation of individuals associated only for this purpose1 and secondly that co-operation which is implied in all ,state or community action4 ,let us deal with the first and most fruitful1 to begin with4 ,let us not1 may it be repeated1 forge that the extent of co-operative activity is limited by present desire and in exactly the same way as the commercial activity4 ,even co-operative undertakings must pay their way4 ,the difference is three-fold1 however4 ,firstly1 the business entertainment provider devotes his energies to those activities which make the greatest quantitive appeal4 ,he does not ask3 8,shall ,i attract enough people to make this pay its way80--but instead1 as a rule1 he asks which production will attract most people and produce most profit4 ,it is nevertheless obvious that because a play1 for example1 is not likely to be a popular success1 or an artiste a star1 or a programme superlatively attractive1 it is not right to assume that these would not merit and receive sufficient support to cover expenses4 ,from ten plays 7or ten musical programmes71 one of which should succeed in a business sense of the word and nine of which would only pay their way1 the commercial man naturally chooses the former4 ,the other nine are never chosen1 unless unintentionally4 ,yet some of them might be works of greater artistic merit4 ,it is the business of co-operative activities to select and to produce works of worth which belong to the latter category4 ,the art-life of the community would gain from this in two ways3 7a7 since the tastes of the majority are low1 the nine unproduced works will almost certainly include some of higher artistic value2 and 7b7 there will be greater variety4 ,secondly1 the selection of the works to be produced is made by the business-man and not by the consumer4 ,the business-man will object to this statement1 saying that his selection is dictated by public demands2 but it isn't4 ,in the first place1 the public1 whether popular or other works are concerned1 has no power to select at all2 it can only take or leave what is offered1 which is a very different thing1 leading at the best to incomplete satisfaction and at the worst to considerable waste4 ,in the second place1 the business-man selects not according to popular demands but according to his ideas of popular demand--again a different matter4 ,if it were not1 he would not suffer so many financial failures1 for which the public has to pay in several ways1 such as higher prices1 lower quality1 conservatism1 etc4 ,in the third place1 the commercial provider is in competition with all his fellows4 ,each seeks to attract the biggest crowd1 and to do so indulges in the 8star system01 in spectacular but not necessarily artistic production1 in expensive advertising1 and so on4 ,all of these increase the price of the production without in any way improving its artistic or recreative value4 ,co-operation in this matter involves the organization of ,societies4 ,these may be quite small1 e4g4 ,chamber-music groups1 each of whose members performs1 dramatic reading-circles only large enough to provide the casts--or on a large scale1 e4g4 the important ,folk or ,community ,theatres1 the larger ,music ,clubs4 ,the size of the ,society would determine the kind of work to be done1 and would depend largely upon local conditions4 ,however big or small it may be1 it would nevertheless find suitable and desirable activities within its compass4 ,neither need--nor in fact very often should--these ,societies be 8performing0 ,societies1 but1 instead1 8enjoying0 ,societies4 ,by a performing ,society ,i mean one where the play or the music is performed by members of the group1 with the result that the practical or personal side is apt to become more important than any other4 ,the ,music ,clubs 7of which there are several1 and should be more7 on the other hand employ professional players--the only real differences so far as the audience 7of members7 is concerned between their own and ordinary commercial concerts are that they receive better value for their money1 can hear works which would not otherwise be performed1 and have some voice in the selection of programmes4 ,if the best results are to be attained1 co-operative art must make full use of the professional4 ,amateur art has its limitations1 and in any case demands the expenditure on practical matters of energy which could be better spent in other directions4 ,furthermore1 the resources of any amateur group are limited4 ,thus1 an ,orchestral ,society which gave a monthly concert would be an exception1 and one orchestral concert per month is not sufficient to satisfy a genuine music-loving community4 ,the co-operative organizations would1 with probable advantage1 eliminate much that was not absolutely essential1 e4g4 their staging of plays would be as simple as possible3 otherwise there is no reason why their standard of production should be below that of the commercial enterprise4 ,in fact1 it would probably show more all-round excellence and better balance and ensemble4 ,probably the genuine artist-professionals would sooner work for such ,societies than for ordinary managers4 ,they would1 with a sufficiency of ,societies1 earn as good a living and be more secure4 ,they would have more scope for developing their finer talents1 a wider range of art to interpret1 and more intelligent1 more enthusiastic1 audiences4 ,the possibilities of the other form of co-operation noticed before1 though great1 will probably not be so fruitful4 ,the ,state and ,local ,government groups are very largely co-operative undertakings1 their function being to provide services which could not be given either at all or so cheaply or efficiently without official organization4 ,some of these services could1 theoretically if not practically1 be rendered as well by private combinations4 ,the extent of the activities of the ,state is decided by the wishes of the majority1 and1 if the majority desired that the ,state should engage in the dissemination of art1 there is no reason why it should not do so4 ,in fact1 it does by maintaining art-galleries1 museums1 and libraries 7in ,england7 and by subsidizing theatres1 opera-houses1 and conservatoires 7in other countries74 ,there are some who would see the artistic activities of the ,state extended4 ,there is much to be said both for and against this idea4 ,on the one side1 it is arguable that ,state activities would be largely educational and that it is just as desirable that people should be helped to enjoy life as to succeed in other directions4 ,this is perfectly true1 and1 so long as the educational ideal is kept in sight1 ,state assistance is thoroughly justified4 ,on the other hand1 though the majority of taxpayers agree that education is desirable1 they do not all agree that the finest art should be promoted at their expense4 ,in other words1 non-essentially educational activities would not be justifiable unless they were provided for1 and at the request of1 the majority2 and1 well1 we have seen that the majority do not seek the best4 ,therefore ,i feel that those who urge the subsidizing of theatres and the like would be better advised to turn their attention to the other type of co-operative enterprise4 ,they might otherwise antagonize the average man and do harm to the educational possibilities of the ,state organizations4 ,the museum is1 of course1 largely educational and not entirely or even largely artistic in its aims4 ,it and the art-gallery are also in a very different position from such activities as the subsidized theatre because they are devoted to the unique object--the specimen or the picture--which must be in the hands of the ,state if it is to be available to all4 ,there is no alternative to the public ownership of museums and art-galleries4 ,the public library1 though it does not deal with the unique1 is in another way in a different category1 since it1 alone of all ,state provisions1 can give something to all men4 ,those who do not desire good literature can obtain some other service--books on business1 science1 sport1 etc41 recreative reading1 and so on ad infinitum--in return for their contribution towards its upkeep4 ,the public library1 by appealing to all men1 brings together a multitude of interests and provides unlimited opportunities for the awakening of new ideas4 ,at the library alone is the good made as easily accessible as the indifferent1 and the very fact that they are to be found in the same place is an educational factor of great significance4 ,the man who does not want good pictures or good plays has no need to come into contact with them1 and remains outside their influence4 ,on the shelves of a library books of all degrees of excellence and worthlessness 7within limits7 are side by side so that even mere luck or too hasty selection may lead to better tastes or fresh interests being acquired4 ,therefore the library is an institution to be encouraged4 ,frankly ,i believe the remedy to lie in the hands of those who want good art4 ,none of these now can get as much of it as they desire2 most enjoy only a small portion4 ,if people set to work to provide for themselves so that1 instead1 a large part of their artistic desires was satisfied1 they would so do a great deal to improve the average tastes of the community1 since the membership of a healthy organization always increases4 ,of course they must avoid the insidious desire1 which has wrecked many repertory enterprises1 to attract outsiders1 and must never forget that the function of the ,societies is the quite selfish one of supplying their own needs4 ,they1 too1 must be prepared to cut their cloth accordingly4 ,it is the desire to do more than the means of the actual membership permits that leads to attempts to curry popular favour 8to help to balance things04 ,by so doing they put themselves on the same footing as the commercial man1 must take the same risks1 and suffer the same failures--and these are liable to be more disastrous since ,societies lack what little knowledge of popular tastes the commercial man possesses4 ,with sufficient organization and the co-operation of co-operative units there is no reason why in time they should not be able to undertake any feasible artistic enterprise4 ,the music-lovers in at least six towns in ,england could to-day with proper co-operation maintain a permanent orchestra and the theatre-goers an intelligent adequate playhouse1 and all towns by grouping could do the same--so far as the orchestra is concerned1 at least4 ,these things have been tried and failed1 ,i will be told4 ,to this1 if it be true1 there are only two answers--the world has progressed only by successive trials and failures2 if the first failure had effectually damped the ardour of our ancestors we should still be savages--and1 if these enterprises fail really from lack of desire for them and not because of indifference1 which can in time be removed1 the artistic level of the day must be much lower than even a semi-pessimist like the writer dares to imagine4 ,,ix ,we cannot close even a brief essay without some reference to the effect of some other mechanical devices1 such as the gramophone1 the piano-player1 and wireless1 and a note on that all important subject1 commercial art4 ,the appreciation of no art shows such great possibilities of expansion in the near future as music4 ,during the last few years it has been released from its most irksome bonds and is now just beginning to stretch its limbs4 ,for technique has been the curse of music1 and now it is becoming possible to gain enjoyment without exercising one's executive and interpretive powers4 ,musicians are of two classes--executive and appreciative--those who perform and those who listen4 ,true enjoyment of music belongs to the latter1 just as true enjoyment of books1 of pictures1 of plays is the reward of the reader and the spectator--not of the writer1 the painter1 the actor1 or the composer4 ,their joy is of another order--it is the joy of creation4 ,without the assistance of modern mechanical aids the music-lover had either to listen to the music-making of his friends or of players at a concert1 or he had to attempt to interpret for himself4 ,the first was inconvenient and unsatisfactory4 ,the selection of music was not his own but that of others2 the time and place were not of his choosing4 ,the alternative was even worse1 since his appreciation was limited by his interpretive powers and marred by his deficiencies4 ,the owner of a modern player-piano has the whole world of piano-music and a wealth of arrangements at his command4 ,even the lover of orchestral1 instrumental1 or vocal music has access1 through the gramophone and the wireless1 to a passable substitute for the real thing4 ,what effect will this have upon pianoforte music8 ,in the first place1 we shall gradually rid ourselves of misplaced pride in the amateur's very limited technical powers4 ,we shall no longer praise ,so and ,so for being able to play ,chopin's ,studies after a fashion1 but shall consider him either a fool for wasting his time trying when he could much more easily enjoy ,cortot's performance of them1 or sympathize with the poverty that prevents his purchasing this mechanical aid4 ,secondly1 we shall not waste time and kill natural love of music by the dreary routine of 8teaching the piano40 ,instead1 we shall teach appreciation4 ,if all the energy spent in acquiring a very inadequate technique were diverted to the real business of appreciation1 we should be a more musical nation4 ,thirdly1 we shall cease to tolerate the incompetent player now so often foisted upon us or even sought for want of any better1 and the ostentatious 8virtuoso0 executant4 ,before very long the piano-player will cost no more than an ordinary piano2 in fact the ordinary instrument will no longer be manufactured4 ,in our schools 8piano-playing0 will be erased from the curriculum and classes in appreciation substituted4 ,but what about non-pianoforte music8 ,there is a big difference4 ,while the piano-player produces exactly the same kind of musical tone as the hand-played instrument1 the gramophone1 or the wireless1 does not reproduce at all exactly the timbre1 quality or volume of the instruments recorded4 ,it provides not the real thing but a substitute1 which1 though excellent1 can never be entirely satisfactory4 ,we do not care to assert dogmatically what science will or will not make possible in the future2 at least1 however1 it is extremely doubtful that a mechanical violin as adequate as the mechanical piano will ever be invented4 ,wind instruments depend less upon human manipulation--the organ1 for instance1 is nothing but an imperfect essay in this direction4 ,this is but idle speculation1 however4 ,as a practical proposition we may say that the perfect mechanical reproduction of music will be confined to the pianoforte4 ,so we are left with these problems4 ,shall we be tempted to seek the shadow and lose the substance--listen in often1 but never attend an orchestral or chamber concert or a violin or vocal recital8 ,the chances are that we shall1 unless opportunities to enjoy the latter are greater than at present4 ,considerable loss would result4 ,the ears of the next generation would become attuned to a diminished variety of tonal experiences1 for one thing4 ,for another1 the psychological1 even physical effects of large gradations in the volume of tone1 such as can be experienced only in the concert-room1 should not willingly be relinquished4 ,and1 again1 it is not by any means the same thing to listen to music in the company of others1 in the atmosphere of the concert-room1 as it is to enjoy music in solitude4 ,we may sometimes prefer the latter1 but that fact does not remove the difference4 ,the second problem is that1 though there is little physical or moral good to be found in solo instrumental playing1 such good does result from singing and partaking in concerted music4 ,there is no good reason why we should play the piano--rather than listen to it2 but there are many reasons why we should sing or play in chamber or orchestral music4 ,by all means let us listen to more music of all kinds2 increased facilities for listening should not1 however1 decrease our desire to perform when performance can benefit us4 ,taking all these considerations together we may assume3 7#a7 that pianoforte playing will decline though much more pianoforte music will be enjoyed4 7#b7 that much of the practical energy now devoted to the pianoforte will be directed to the study of other instruments4 7#c7 that1 unless our musical life is to increase in volume but diminish in quality1 more and not less concert-going and concerted instrumental playing and choral singing must be provided4 ,books1 music1 pictures1 sculpture1 however1 minister to only a small part of the artistic needs of the community4 ,by far the most widespread1 though not necessarily the most valuable1 art-products are those which we may describe as commercial1 or industrial1 or1 better1 8applied0 art4 ,only a minority1 even in this age1 concern themselves with the first-named1 but we all wear clothes1 use furniture1 live1 work1 play1 and worship in buildings1 eat and drink out of vessels1 and so on1 through every one of our daily occupations4 ,into each of these art can1 does1 and must enter4 ,we may wear clothes to keep us warm1 but they must be either ugly or otherwise--their existence implies artistic properties1 negative or positive4 ,if they are ugly1 we cannot avoid their ugliness1 though it may dull our appreciative faculties4 ,of course this is true of all things4 ,every object1 every occurrence almost1 has its artistic aspect4 ,with every manufactured article1 every human production1 however1 this artistic quality is within our control4 ,when we make a cup1 a hat1 or a church1 we can make it as beautiful or as ugly as we like1 subject to certain limitations1 some of them real1 some imaginary4 ,but we must be sufficiently interested in its artistic value4 ,it will seldom exist spontaneously1 without conscious effort4 ,that is1 of course1 the first and most powerful limitation4 ,often we don't care4 ,and so long as we don't care we shall receive only according to our deserts4 ,for the second limitation is that manufactured goods are intended primarily for utility1 and the incentive for their production is profit4 ,so long as we are content to take the ugly but useful1 so long as our artistic discrimination does not give added commercial value to the beautiful1 we can have no right to expect the manufacturer to bother4 ,he is not an apostle of art1 but a business-man4 ,if we show him1 as a business-man1 that we desire a well-proportioned jug and will refuse to buy a clumsy one1 he will1 acting on business principles1 supply the saleable article4 ,so far the remedy is in our own hands4 ,thirdly1 many manufacturers have an unjustifiably low opinion of public taste1 and honestly believe that the majority like tawdry things when1 in truth1 they accept them for want of anything better or because they are cheaper4 ,fourthly1 however1 when there is sufficient desire for the beautiful it need not cost any more1 but until there is1 it will1 since1 it will be produced in response to a minority demand4 ,this is a much more serious limitation than it should be1 for several reasons4 7#a7 ,popular taste has1 since the initiation of the industrial era1 steadily improved1 but the artistic standard of manufacturers is at least a stage behind4 ,there are at least two causes for this3 7a7 the manufacturer can judge popular taste only by experiment1 and this is1 on the average1 bound to involve expense1 and 7b7 when the machinery and processes of manufacture are well established and smoothly running1 changes must entail extra costs and reorganization1 ranging from the installation of fresh plant to the employment of new designs4 ,for this reason alone the more artistic article must cost more1 excepting in those industries 7such as the manufacture of dress-material7 where change and fashion are normal conditions4 ,in other industries where the product is less subject to variation 7e4g4 pottery--a firm could produce and sell exactly the same cups and saucers for an unlimited period71 the extra cost is necessarily more to be expected4 7#b7 ,the manufacturer may1 and alas too often does1 appreciate the commercial value of beauty and trades upon it4 ,that is to say1 he manufactures ugly wall-paper and pleasant wall-paper1 at practically the same cost4 ,he could be content to make the normal profit from both1 but he realizes that many people don't want to disfigure their walls and will pay more for a pleasing design4 ,he makes them do so1 since this behaviour is profitable to him4 ,in this he cannot be censured--rather should we praise him for not doing it more often4 ,nevertheless1 such action will be a drag upon artistic progress1 and if it can be prevented at all even the manufacturer in the long run will benefit4 ,let all who can afford the more beautiful production purchase it1 but let them pay the extra price under protest4 ,the manufacturer must be made to realize that it is anti-social to make a profit out of beauty1 when by so doing he condemns the less fortunate man to suffer the ugly4 ,as the business-man is at heart as much interested as any other person in the welfare of his fellow-men1 this might have some influence4 ,and an independent inquiry 7conducted by1 say1 a group of art-students or a ,university7 might achieve a little4 ,they would try to show us--if they could--why a fabric which is disfigured by a vile design can be cheaper than a plain unprinted cloth1 why there is truth in the saying we all hear frequently1 8,oh1 yes1 you all admire the plain1 simple costume or frock1 but it's so much more expensive1 you know10 and the like4 ,fifthly1 industrial designers have not received due recognition and are not well organized in relation to the industries4 ,the designer is not always as well acquainted with the special qualities and limitations of the material to which his designs are to be applied as he might be2 the manufacturer does not often enough realize the importance of the designer2 and the young artist is apt to despise design--naturally1 because personal public recognition is never awarded to the designer--and the best men prefer more pretentious if more precarious fields4 ,these shortcomings would1 however1 be removed as a matter of course were the other limitations to be removed4 ,great improvements in industrial art cannot1 however1 be expected until the general education and artistic appreciation of the public has developed4 ,applied art will always move more slowly than fine art1 since the utility-factor will ever bring about a conflict of expediency versus ideals4 ,architecture presents special difficulties1 because it is at once aggressive and unavoidable1 and because it depends upon environment4 ,in other words1 though we may1 if we can afford1 eschew the ugly pot1 tawdry furniture1 and 7so far at least as our indoor life is concerned7 garish clothing1 we cannot avoid buildings4 ,they form a large part of our environment and influence our mental and bodily health4 ,those who live in dirty1 flat-fronted1 unbroken streets have to resist actively their environment if they would avoid dirty1 drab1 monotonous lives4 ,those who daily traverse roads consisting of disorderly jumbles of architectural misfits lose the sense of serenity1 order1 and fitness they might gain in happier surroundings4 ,the second of the points mentioned before is that no building can be judged apart from its surroundings4 ,an essential of every work of art is that its parts shall form a well-balanced whole1 each detail being subordinated to the general effect1 which must convey a sense of completeness4 ,now1 until recently we have 7with occasional exceptions7 failed to realize that the unit of architecture1 so far as outward appearance is concerned1 is not the individual building but the whole street1 everything1 in fact1 which is in view from any one point4 ,no one would suggest that the wall of a picture-gallery was artistic because the individual pictures were good1 and yet1 although much more care and artistry is devoted to hanging pictures than is spent in arranging the contiguity of buildings1 we seem to be quite satisfied with haphazard town-planning4 ,yet all who sorrow at the wilful waste and destruction of the beautiful must lament when they see1 as they must often do1 noble and beautiful edifices or the simple but refined works of architects1 who as a rule devote more love and receive less incentive than any other art workers1 ruined by their surroundings4 ,but how1 one may ask1 can this be avoided8 ,adjoining plots of land may belong to different owners1 contiguous buildings are built for different purposes1 by those with much or little to spend1 designed by different architects--how can one expect them to conform to one artistic scheme8 ,perhaps that is too much to expect4 ,can we even ask that they should not be violently opposed to one another1 not mutually destructive8 ,yes4 ,but this can be secured in only one way4 ,local authorities must be given1 or must take upon themselves1 the duty of controlling building operations in all public places4 ,they would not1 and could not1 be arbitrary3 they would need to consider many difficulties1 and they could not rightly impose any restrictions which would make the construction of suitable premises impossible within the reasonable means of those for whom they were being built4 ,all they could undertake would be to co-ordinate proposed work1 to advise1 and to prohibit flagrant affronts to public good taste4 ,let a local committee composed of the best architects and the hardest-headed business-men in the town1 with a disinterested man of taste--a parson1 a farmer1 a writer--as chairman1 be formed4 ,much good could be done in this way4 ,in domestic architecture we cannot expect much attention to be given to artistic matters in these days when it is difficult to obtain a sufficiency of houses of any kind4 ,nevertheless1 there is one suggestion with great practical possibilities4 ,it is that of the novelist ,mr4 ,j4 ,j4 ,connington1 who proposes that instead of standardization of design small parts capable of being erected in a large number of ways should be standardized4 ,the readers who are interested are referred to ,nordenholt's ,million for further particulars of this most interesting idea4 ,x ,the most significant tendency of art and the greatest danger1 which operates in all fields1 is1 therefore1 that commercialism1 mass-production1 standardization1 and the heeding of large volumes of demand will lead to an increase in the quantity of art-production but a decrease in the average of its quality1 unless the evils of the system are counteracted by certain developments1 the chief of which are education1 co-operation1 and the birth of a new attitude with regard to art-ideals4 ,our attitude towards the arts must lead us to relate them more closely to our other interests and1 as a corollary1 the different kinds and different values of artistic enjoyment must be synthesized4 ,we desire neither to set art upon a pedestal of superiority nor to despise it as a recreative frivolity4 ,we need to realize on the one hand that all human activities possess of a necessity positive or negative artistic significance which we cannot avoid2 even though we consciously ignore art1 we are subconsciously and indirectly influenced4 ,further1 we cannot disregard the close economic relationship between the artistic and the merely utilitarian4 ,we have seen something1 but only one aspect1 of this when discussing applied art2 the relation is wider than this1 since1 for example1 the amount of time1 energy1 money1 and material available for artistic purposes is closely connected with material economic conditions4 ,and1 still further1 there is the psychological or spiritual element1 art satisfying human needs which are unsatisfied by other activities1 supplementing1 filling the gaps in our personal development4 ,we cannot put art into a watertight compartment4 ,the extent to which art appeals to an individual1 and the particular way in which and the special medium through which artistic impulses find expression1 will depend very largely upon biological and social factors1 upon the materially ordered associations of the individual1 his work1 his health1 everything that impinges upon his life4 ,further research will expose the fundamental reasons for this1 but even now we realize that a love of dancing1 of the theatre1 of poetry1 of sculpture is not a mere gift or genius or taste or predilection but also something which is fostered and directed by material environment4 ,confronted with this realization1 we must regard art as an inseparable organic element in life1 not as a superimposed culture which may or may not exist in any individual or take any form4 ,and the corollary of this1 as said before1 is that1 since artistic potentialities exist in all men according to their being and environment1 the realm of art will present as large a variety of values1 types1 and manifestations as does our life itself4 ,yet all these manifestations are part of one4 ,good1 bad1 or indifferent1 they represent the best1 most suitable art that different men at any time are capable of appreciating or desirous of cultivating4 ,this is the excuse for our plea for broadmindedness4 ,each1 pott #hvo1 #b_/f net ,occasionally illustrated ,,to-,,day ,,and ,,to-,,morrow ,this series of books1 by some of the most distinguished ,english thinkers1 scientists1 philosophers1 doctors1 critics1 and artists1 was recognized on publication as a noteworthy event4 ,written from various points of view1 one book frequently opposing the argument of another1 they provide the reader with a stimulating survey of the most modern thought in many departments of life4 ,several volumes are devoted to the future trend of ,civilization1 conceived as a whole2 while others deal with particular provinces1 and cover the future of ,woman1 ,war1 ,population1 ,clothes1 ,wireless1 ,morals1 ,drama1 ,poetry1 ,art1 ,sex1 ,law1 etc4 ,it is interesting to see in these neat little volumes1 issued at a low price1 the revival of a form of literature1 the ,pamphlet1 which has been in disuse for #bjj years4 ,published by ,,kegan ,,paul1 ,,trench1 ,,trubner ,,co41 ,,ltd4 ,broadway ,house3 #fh-gd ,carter ,lane1 ,london1 ,e4,c4#d ,,volumes ,,ready ,daedalus1 or ,science and the ,future4 ,by ,j4 ,b4 ,s4 ,,haldane1 ,reader in ,biochemistry1 ,university of ,cambridge4 ,sixth impression4 8,a fascinating and daring little book40--,westminster ,gazette4 8,the essay is brilliant1 sparkling with wit and bristling with challenges40--,british ,medical ,journal4 8,predicts the most startling changes40--,morning ,post4 ,callinicus1 a ,defence of ,chemical ,warfare4 ,by ,j4 ,b4 ,s4 ,,haldane4 ,second impression4 8,mr4 ,haldane's brilliant study40--,times ,leading ,article4 8,a book to be read by every intelligent adult40--,spectator4 8,this brilliant little monograph40--,daily ,news4 ,icarus1 or the ,future of ,science4 ,by ,,bertrand ,,russell1 ,f4,r4,s4 ,third impression4 8,utter pessimism40--,observer4 8,mr4 ,russell refuses to believe that the progress of ,science must be a boon to mankind40--,morning ,post4 8,a stimulating book1 that leaves one not at all discouraged40--,daily ,herald4 ,what ,i ,believe4 ,by ,,bertrand ,,russell1 ,f4,r4,s4 ,second impression4 8,one of the most brilliant and thought-stimulating little books ,i have read--a better book even than ,icarus40--,nation4 8,simply and brilliantly written40--,nature4 8,in stabbing sentences he punctures the bubble of cruelty1 envy1 narrowness1 and ill-will which those in authority call their morals40--,new ,leader4 ,tantalus1 or the ,future of ,man4 ,by ,f4 ,c4 ,s4 ,,schiller1 ,fellow of ,corpus ,christi ,college1 ,oxford4 8,they are all 7,daedalus1 ,icarus1 and ,tantalus7 brilliantly clever1 and they supplement or correct one another40--,dean ,inge1 in ,morning ,post4 8,immensely valuable and infinitely readable40--,daily ,news4 8,the book of the week40--,spectator4 ,quo ,vadimus8 ,glimpses of the ,future4 ,by ,e4 ,e4 ,,fournier ,d',,albe1 ,d4,sc41 author of 8,selenium1 the ,moon ,element10 etc4 8,a wonderful vision of the future4 ,a book that will be talked about40--,daily ,graphic4 8,a remarkable contribution to a remarkable series40--,manchester ,dispatch4 8,interesting and singularly plausible40--,daily ,telegraph4 ,lysistrata1 or ,woman's ,future and ,future ,woman4 ,by ,,anthony ,m4 ,,ludovici1 author of 8,a ,defence of ,aristocracy01 etc4 8,a stimulating book4 ,volumes would be needed to deal1 in the fullness his work provokes1 with all the problems raised40--,sunday ,times4 8,pro-feminine1 but anti-feministic40--,scotsman4 8,full of brilliant common-sense40--,observer4 ,hypatia1 or ,woman and ,knowledge4 ,by ,,mrs4 ,,bertrand ,,russell4 ,with a frontispiece4 ,second impression4 ,an answer to ,lysistrata4 8,a passionate vindication of the rights of women40--,manchester ,guardian4 8,says a number of things that sensible women have been wanting publicly said for a long time40--,daily ,herald4 8,everyone who cares at all about these things should read it40--,weekly ,westminster4 ,the ,mongol in our ,midst3 a ,study of ,man and his ,three ,faces4 ,by ,f4 ,g4 ,,crookshank1 ,m4,d41 ,f4,r4,c4,p4 ,with #bh ,plates4 ,second edition1 revised4 8,a brilliant piece of speculative induction40--,saturday ,review4 8,an extremely interesting and suggestive book1 which will reward careful reading40--,sunday ,times4 8,the pictures carry fearful conviction40--,daily ,herald4 ,the ,conquest of ,cancer4 ,by ,h4 ,w4 ,s4 ,,wright1 ,m4,s41 ,f4,r4,c4,s4 ,introduction by ,f4 ,g4 ,,crookshank1 ,m4,d4 8,eminently suitable for general reading4 ,the problem is fairly and lucidly presented4 ,one merit of ,mr4 ,wright's plan is that he tells people what1 in his judgment1 they can best do1 here and now40--,from the ,introduction4 ,the ,passing of the ,phantoms3 a ,study of ,evolutionary ,psychology and ,morals4 ,by ,c4 ,j4 ,,patten1 ,professor of ,anatomy1 ,sheffield ,university4 ,with #d ,plates4 8,readers of ,daedalus1 ,icarus and ,tantalus1 will be grateful for an excellent presentation of yet another point of view40--,yorkshire ,post4 8,this bright and bracing little book40--,literary ,guide4 8,interesting and original40--,medical ,times4 ,perseus3 of ,dragons4 ,by ,h4 ,f4 ,,scott ,,stokes4 ,with #b illustrations4 8,a diverting little book1 chock-full of ideas4 ,mr4 ,stokes' dragon-lore is both quaint and various40--,morning ,post4 8,very amusingly written1 and a mine of curious knowledge for which the discerning reader will find many uses40--,glasgow ,herald4 ,wireless ,possibilities4 ,by ,professor ,a4 ,m4 ,,low4 ,with #d diagrams4 8,as might be expected from an inventor who is always so fresh1 he has many interesting things to say40--,evening ,standard4 8,the mantle of ,blake has fallen upon the physicists4 ,to them we look for visions1 and we find them in this book40--,new ,statesman4 ,narcissus3 an ,anatomy of ,clothes4 ,by ,,gerald ,,heard4 ,with #ai illustrations4 8,a most suggestive book40--,nation4 8,irresistible4 ,reading it is like a switchback journey4 ,starting from prehistoric times we rocket down the ages40--,daily ,news4 8,interesting1 provocative1 and entertaining40--,queen4 ,thamyris1 or ,is there a ,future for ,poetry4 ,by ,r4 ,c4 ,,trevelyan4 8,of high authority40--,saturday ,review4 8,very suggestive40--,j4 ,c4 ,squire1 in ,observer4 8,a very charming piece of work4 ,i agree with all1 or at any rate1 almost all its conclusions40--,j4 ,st4 ,loe ,strachey1 in ,spectator4 ,proteus1 or the ,future of ,intelligence4 ,by ,,vernon ,,lee1 author of 8,satan the ,waster10 etc4 8,we should like to follow the author's suggestions as to the effect of intelligence on the future of ,ethics1 ,aesthetics1 and ,manners4 ,her book is profoundly stimulating and should be read by everyone40--,outlook4 8,a concise1 suggestive piece of work40--,saturday ,review4 ,paris1 or the ,future of ,war4 ,by ,captain ,b4 ,h4 ,,liddell ,,hart4 8,a gem of close thinking and deduction40--,observer4 8,a noteworthy contribution to a problem of concern to every citizen in this country40--,daily ,chronicle4 8,there is some lively thinking about the future of war in ,paris1 just added to the set of live-wire pamphlets on big subjects1 called collectively #8,to-,day and ,to-,morrow4'0--,manchester ,guardian4 ,hephaestus1 the ,soul of the ,machine4 ,by ,e4 ,e4 ,,fournier ,d',,albe1 ,d4,sc4 ,hephaestus is the god of fire1 the incarnation of the machine age of to-day4 ,he is now master of the world4 ,how this came about1 what will be the results of this increasing domination of our planet1 is the theme of the book4 ,thrasymachus1 the ,future of ,morals4 ,by ,c4 ,e4 ,m4 ,,joad1 author of 8,common-,sense ,ethics10 etc4 ,a penetrating study of the herd1 or conventional1 morality of the day1 prophesying a ,puritan revival in morals1 with intolerance and heresy-hunting4 ,this will lead to the ,americanization of ,england and a great increase in irregular sexual relationships4 ,in the end a new religious revival is foreseen4 ,lycurgus1 or the ,future of ,law4 ,by ,e4 ,s4 ,p4 ,,haynes1 author of 8,concerning ,solicitors10 etc4 ,an analysis of the present condition of ,law in ,england1 dealing with legislation1 the law-courts1 criminal law1 family law1 land-laws1 costs1 international law1 individual liberty1 and such subjects4 ,prometheus1 or ,biology and the ,advancement of ,man4 ,by ,h4 ,s4 ,,jennings1 ,professor of ,zoology1 ,johns ,hopkins ,university4 ,a lucid summary of the recent striking advances in biological knowledge1 genetics1 and the theory of evolution1 with numerous concrete illustrations4 ,the conclusions are applied to the problem of improvement in the human race4 ,timotheus1 the ,future of the ,theatre4 ,by ,,bonamy ,,dobr,e1 author of 8,restoration ,drama10 etc4 ,traces the possible developments of the theatre1 not only along mechanical lines1 but upon those which playwrights1 actors1 and psychologists might achieve1 were their idiosyncracies given scope4 ,the whole forms a comment on the theatre of to-day4 ,pygmalion1 or the ,doctor of the ,future4 ,by ,r4 ,,mcnair ,,wilson1 ,m4,d4 ,the author foresees an evolution in the personality of the doctor1 who will become less of a scientist1 more of a humanist1 and use every spiritual agency1 as well as every practical measure1 to restore the human body and soul to health4 ,,ready ,,shortly ,cassandra1 or the ,future of the ,british ,empire4 ,by ,f4 ,c4 ,s4 ,,schiller1 ,d4,sc4 ,a penetrating analysis of the disruptive influences of work in the ,empire4 ,gallio1 or the ,tyranny of ,science4 ,by ,j4 ,w4 ,n4 ,,sullivan1 author of 8,a ,history of ,mathematics40 ,euterpe1 or the ,future of ,art4 ,by ,,lionel ,r4 ,,mccolvin1 author of 8,the ,theory of ,book-,selection40 ,shows how economic factors influence artistic production and affect artistic methods4 ,artifex1 or the ,future of ,craftsmanship4 ,by ,,john ,,gloag1 author of 8,time1 ,taste1 and ,furniture40 ,indicates how the machine may be used to extend the glory of craftsmanship4 ,pegasus1 or ,problems of ,transport4 ,by ,colonel ,j4 ,f4 ,c4 ,,fuller1 author of 8,the ,reformation of ,war10 etc4 ,an account of 8cross-country0 vehicles1 which will achieve a revolution as great as that caused by the railway4 ,atlantis1 or the ,united ,states and the ,future4 ,by ,colonel ,j4 ,f4 ,c4 ,,fuller4 ,a witty and penetrating analysis of the ,american spirit4 ,midas1 or the ,future of the ,united ,states4 ,by ,c4 ,h4 ,,bretherton1 author of 8,the ,real ,ireland10 etc4 ,a companion volume to ,atlantis1 written from a different viewpoint4 ,nuncius1 the ,future of ,advertising4 ,by ,,gilbert ,,russell4 ,the ,future of the ,english ,language4 ,by ,,basil ,,de ,,selincourt4 ,,transcriber',s ,,notes3 ,italicized text is surrounded by underscores3 italics4 ,emboldened text is surrounded by equals signs3 bold4 ,obvious typographical errors have been corrected4 ,inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized4 ,archaic or variant spelling has been retained4 ,the cover image for this e,book was created by the transcriber and is entered into the public domain4