Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-30
THE CULTURE OF INTENSITY.
Naturally. It Finds Not a Bit Of
sympathy i'm the Land Of
Steady EIRbits.

Steady Habits.
Hartford Conn Courant. April 49,
There are certain phases OF foolish sentiment
tality with which the writer, however skilled In
sarcasm and caricature, cannot adequately
cope They require pictorial delineation. One
OF these phases ts the strange for IN of aesthetic
mania which has been prevalent in England for
some time, and Is breaking out here and there
In our own country. 1t IS difficult to describe
IL without seeming to be extravaganza, for the
nature OF 1t is extravaganza, and when its ex.
pressions are reproduced In pictures or Ian
guage, they look like carfcatures. It is full OF
asplrstl6n IL Is 3, and above an n
Is inadequate for the utterancs OF its emotions
and 1t finds expression IN signs, gasps, wild
giances, abrupt gestures. agonizing attitudes
WDlcn are supposed to be "scu1ptur6sque," and
11coherent explanations. 1t delights to dress
women and adorn drawing rooms with com
olnatlon OF faded tints splashed here and there
with blotcheS OF color. 1t hangs hideous old
plates on the wall, and makes the fire-place
mare with dreary parasols. The dado Is It's de.
light. IL diSports itself In peacock feathers II
s snects very tight and twirllng garments, and
1rhzes the front hair In "frigntfuily fine" man.
ner. IL cuit1Vates an unhappy yearning express
sion OF countenance, and INDUCES In the mos
astonishing forms OF ecstatic speech.
Inc Votar1e5 OF this "kult" are invariably a
languid and detected set. 1t Is not "good form
10 DE cheerful II some lean, long haired young
man walls forth an fnane song Q'0n1el, he calls
IT, In rusty strain which terminates In some.
thing Ike howl acknowledged woman. an.
pareled In what looks like Scanty lot OF twisted
gray tow cling, hops Imply down on the dlvan.
clencnes her hands. and exclaims that nc Is
star like"
This 'kult" has large language of its own.
our readers are familiar with its lawfully
awful" utterly utter" and 'too too" One OF
word SO nearly expresses what may be called
its ''height of quiteneSs!" These EXPLANATIONS
are supposed to derive certain additional en-
phaaiS by being uttered with the chin firmly
Wf n I'm
tightly claSped with the outstretched arms.
This wretched cultivation OF hysteric self
consciousness, this hypercritical anectation of
deep emotion, has made its way not only into
artistic circles, but into the realms of music
literature and religion. II sets Silly folks into
Imaginary ecstasies over pictures that are
than the pictures: over music of the modern
romantic school that is an utter confusion of
sounds that makes 1t impossible to say whether
tne nddiers are saving OF right or wrong
are 1nexcusable and abOminable trash.
The Misses PrIgsby clasp their bony knees
while ''song without words" Is simply played,
and say they never listen to Mendelssohn."
But why not? because he has no false notes.,
You can detect false note In the playing OF
the music OF Mozart as readily as finger print
On FURNISHED silver, but in one Of the 'ro.
mantle" symphonies Of the Intense" school. a
mailman might be Kidding away meanwhile
ana NOBODY would suspect that it was not
'consummate."
SO that we could see its unreality aud absurd
ity. Mr. Du Maurier has done the world q great
service: Our dear old hump-backed friend
Petnch has never given the pubic anything
tne ACQUAINTANCE. and watch the per-
formances, and listen to the language OF Mrs.
Clmabue Brown, MIR. Pilcox, MIR. Jenaoy Pos
tlethWeite, Mr.. Maudle, Mr.. Prlgsby and
Jellaby Postlethwa,te is the great poet who
mas written "Sapphics'-a sweet youth with
IioWer. like eyes, wilowy frame, and an exqni-
thetic Chadband. who painted MIR. and Mrs.
Ctmabue Brown as "Abelard ana HeIoise.D
They think him "divinew When Maudle
poetry sRakespeares, or PostlethWap} eth1 or
even Sheliey's," sc. When PostlethWatte
speaks OF art he says: 1.-THE consummaCe
painters; such as yela-quez, or Maudle, or even
Plleox has painted Mrs. Cimabue Brown as
reclining with all the grace OF faint rag baby,
SICK OF lilies, and trying to smell sudhower.
he Is modestly afraid it is one OF his failures.
Mrs. Brown remarks that his failures remind
Dne OF Angelo at his best; whereupon PiIcox
smiles and hopes sit Is not quite so bad as
tbatr'
Mr.. Maudle crawls up to sensible English
woman and gasps out With his 1shy lips, "HoW
lovely your son is =" She re-
plies that he Is manly fellow who has Just
Ieft school and wishes to be an artist. Where
eItSt Beautifully? -
Postlethwalte now and then excItes little
pity, as when he enters a restaurant calls for
a glass Of water, puts freshIy-cut lily into tt.
and that Is his dinner. Poor JellaOy SAYS t.at
ne never eathe5, because he sees himself $50
f'eddfullg fOreShO1teiaed IN the tcater ~
Another exquisite bit OF criticism Is that car.
-oOn OF Maurier In which the aesthetic bride
groom brings home an old teapot. "It is auta
is 1t not 2" The "ntense" bride
,azes at 1t In speeches. ecstasy, then raises
her eyes to the "dado" and calculates, at
8 indeed! But Oh! Algernon, let US 1--we up
20 &"
Mr.. Du Maurier has struck rich vein, andIs
working 1t with remarkable success. Let us pray
hat his efforts TO reveal the emptiness aud
righteousness Of this mania may not only
inord the world great deal OF amusement
cut elect wholesome reaction and reform4-
Ion.
You tell me-" says John Shaker to his
Mary Ann, that there amt sech a thing as a
iaydo In the ole Of Gath Lodge. My dear gurl.
t Is quite ekscreTshiating."
This ''kult" Is quietly descending to the bot
ON or society. We have heard of society for
bringing beauty home to the pantry" We
would like to contribute to that society In our
beauty needs to be brought home
o the pantry once get her there, some room
nay De found for common sense and good taste
q the other parts Of the house. once Get q
lado IN the kitchen, and the regeneration OF So
fety viii have begun. Our sympathies are
With the Frenchman whom Smith had engaged
% hang his walls. "But, Monsieur Papelsrj
vii not orange curtains Kill nay high blue
lado?" .Parbleu!" replied Monsieur, HE ia a
,east. ycur Ugh blue dado, and wish to KIN
lin very much indeed"