The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-18


rest of the cultured world are most inter-
ested. Their words have been caught by
the messenger of their sphere, and the sub
stance will from time to time be repro
duced for-the entertainment of the readers
of The CALL.
DRAMATIs PEBsoNE-
Dohatea. ina CooIortn
Hetarodo Mrs. Edna Smell Poulson
Kenneth Malcolm. 1900. Charles Edwin Markham
Ruunvra EIDE :.......... William Greer Harrison
First FISH Babe-in-the-Wo Gods Mrs. Keller
second Babe.in-fhe Woods. Charles A. Keller
The Scribe Mrs Schernerhorn
TIRE. Cbiel 80 .-............. Miss AdeIfne Knapp
Others present: Mrs Lowell White, Miss Edith
=. White Mr.. Louis james.
At their last meeting the holiday
makers were. the guests of Mrs. Low
ell White and Louis James in the
redwoods at Mill Valley, and besides
these our circle was Joyfully widened to re-
ceiYe Miss Edith White, who was sojourn-
ing among the redwoods in search of in
SEPARATION for her facile brush. We were
very happy, for the morning had brought
the news that Donatella, whose illness had
cast a. shadow over all our hearts, could be
regarded as out of danger.
It was a glorious day. Beside little
brook in a sunlit open we sat us down
within hearing of the siIvery voice of a
chattering waterfall. The affable cid trees
closed in about US, interposing their trunks
and dropping their graceful branches to
keep out al corners. There was delicious
fragrance in the air, healing balsam IN
the breath of the redwoods. The little
fishes in the tiny brook swan fearlessly
within reach of our hands and looked up
into our faces as we talked.
"Who knows" Heterodoxia said, watch
ing them, "what literary and artistic
heresies we may be intoxicating in their
innocent minds? See that one run. am
sure he was alarmed at Runnymede's wild
arraignments of realism"
Runnymede, from his perch upon a
little hilIock, watched the swimmers
amiably. No." said he, "they are not
alarmed. Those fishes are idealists. They
are shocked and scandalized at the sight of
that ancient bone yonder in the water.
They recognize it as a false note in the
beautiful picture that surrounds them.
They are running away from it.
The Chiel-Suppose our realistic painter
were to make picture of this little stream
and its wooded banks, would he deem it
necessary to keep that big bone in evil
dence?
Observation-Disclosures unless he wished to
suggest something grewsome. 1t might
typify the uginess that is a part of all
beauty.
Runnymede-I do not think the repre-
sentation Of the ugly, the repellant or re-
voting, save as means to producing con-
trast, comes within the domain of art.
Second Babe-in-the-W oods-That ques-
ton of the domain of art, of what is and
what is not, legitimate material for art, is
a broad one. / doubt if any two of US
could agree in setting its limit. What is
your idea regarding it, Heterodoxia?
Heterodoxia-I think before answering
would first wish to know what you mean
by art. Do you limit the word to any par
ticuIar form of artistic expression?
The Chiel-Isn't it understood that in
these discussions we use the word in its
comprehensive sense?
Second Babe-Art is mind obiectifed, in
a permanent, symmetrical form, that shall
produce sensations Of pain or pleasure.
/ see Runnymede looks critical. Let US
hear what his criticism is.
Runnymede-Your definition is bad
one: You elaborate it too much. We are
discussing art and you give US scholastic
definition OF art that IS not artistic, and
which covers whole process of logic with
which art has nothing to do.
The Chiel-It is like all definitions, de-
fusion and snare. He who attempts a
definition of art is like man who diggeth
pit for his enemy and falleth therein him
self. Despite its elaboration, moreover,
the Second Babes definition is hardly
ample enough to cover the subject.
Second Babel think the only word
that. requires amplihcation is the word
symmetrical. L mean by that balanced,
unified, limited, ordered. The true work
of art must be all of these things.
Mrs. Lowell White-I agree with our
Babe-in-the- Woods, and would say that,
broadly speaking, the domain of art is the
soul of man plus the universe in which he
dwells. Through his senses the artist
reaches out and bringing a material object
within the grasp of mind, transfuses it in
that fire until it comes forth in another
form; which we call art.
The Chiel-It seems to me that when all s
said and done, art is the individual inter-
probation of life, in the language which
belongs to the individual. 1 wonder if our
Artist, here, would venture upon a defni-
ton of art?
The Artist-Who? I? Never couldn' t
do it. / don't know what art is. It's a
hurdy-gurdy. It's fits and starts. The
artist is merely something that an idea
siezes hold upon when it wants to get
lISStl OOIHs
The Chiel-But are there not limits to
the realm of what we understand as art?
The Artist-Certainly The artist is the
Limitation. Sometimes he isn't big enough
to hold and fuse the idea, and it gets away
from him. Sometimes his skill and tech
nique aren't equal to the demands upon it.
His limitations limit the expression, but
of art itself all creation is the domain.
Ali he can see, all he can feel, all he can
imagine belong to it.
Heterodoxia-I think art should limit
itself to the expression of that which exists
in the world, in nature or in humanity,
plus the spirituality of the artist. The
idealization should be along the lines of
nature. Literary art should concern itself
with the drama OF life rather than with
philosophizing about life. 1t is not the
province of art 70 teach directly.
Second Babe-No. 1t should not be di-
tactical.
Heterodoxia-It should teach only by
inference. If the conduct of life, or its
philosophy is taught, it must not be ap-
parent. If the novelist starts out with the
purpose of giving instruction he is swept
out of the realm of art. He becomes so
enamored of his own moral creed that he
devotes himself to stuffing out the pale
and ghostly phantoms of his own creation
who shall proclaim this creed, and does