The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-03-16


and lie conscious OF no inward struggle between
conflicting emotions. Not so with the thinking
and analytical student OF life and nature He
learns to think and judge effectively from an alb
stract standard of artistic beauty When a bright
and clever reporter is ordered TO write up con-
Migration, funeral, execution, q wedding, he
must not allow himself to be carried away by his
own feelings, controlled 10y personal perceptions
1t would be fatal to his work TO govern himself BY
ordinary human sympathies and antipathies. lie
must remain a calm, cool, observing witness of
scenes which put all other men beside themselves
and he must aim at artistic merit and correct
representation of reality. Not To preach, but
truthfully and graphically to describe, is his task
Art, TO be art, must be impartial and unparalleled
Hence all artists sooner or later form a habit of
witnessing the most moving spectacles, with cold
dry eyes and immovable faces. Preoccupied with
the close and minute study of facts, regarding
everything material for possible productions
the writer and artist become separated and esranged
from the common mass Of humanity, and cannot
share in their transports and excitements. Even
his own inward life he studies a nom interested
observer. Moments of nnaloyed Joy or grief are
almost impossible for him he always examines and
analyses his impulses and emotions. Intellect
paralyzes passion. Strong, uncomfortable feelings
of love hatred, powerfully affecting the average
man, become foreign to the nature of man who,
from knowledge and experience, necessarily takes
an all. sided view of things. No philosopher ever
fights.
conduces to the disease of genius is found In the
completely of mems feelings. What to ordinary
people seem very simple acts of heroism, devotion,
sacrifice, to the penetrating and unsparing critic
appear q curious combination of the most unlike
elements. lie rejects the hasty and absolute
definitions of the multitude, and is slow with his
final stamp OF approval or condemnation. When
the world wonders, he doubts when Ii denounces
he hesitates and reflects In the worst specimen of
fallen humanity he discovers admirable traits and
Il
heroes he detects vulgar and unworthy motives.
lie knows that there is much insincerity, dis
honesty, wickedness in human nature that he
doubts everything but doubt. When he says,
81 love-" he inwardly asks himself "Do |, really?
Am not hypocrite?" When he IL benevolent he
derisively asks himself whether his benevolence is
not the lowest kind of vanity and selfshness.
The disease of genius is, therefore, fact.
Tolstoi, realizing this, would abolish civilization
and destroy the skeptical spirit. But we could
not succeed in attaining his ideal ii would, and
would not If we could. We believe that civilization
will correct its own evils and cure the diseases
which II generates. Our ideal must be a recon-
ciliation, blending OF the moral and artistic
standards
-~->N-
for publication by the Scribners and the work is
about TO be issued. The title to the volume is
"Memories of Fifty Years" The edition about to
be brought out will be limited to 500 copies,
large part OF winch mas already been subscribed fOr
This edition will be beautiful specimen of book
making, the illustrations, in particular, being
numerous and of the greatest interest. They
include many portraits of theatrical celebrities
contemporary with Wallack, views of the various
Wallack theatres, a reproduction of drawing by
Harlowe of the comedians mother, reproduction
of drawing by Sir John Milais of the elder
Wallack in costume; and, among Others several
fac sine reproduction of letters from Ned" Kean,
Stanfeld, Douglas Jerrold Sir David Wilkie etc.
In the reproduction of these letters etc. the colors
of the paper and ink of the originals will be
initiated. Each of the portraits will have a page
to itself, the back of the page being left blank
Exchange.
A Cheap Pair Of Pictures.