The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-07
VII.

AS q matter Of fact, among these three feel
ings transmitted by the art Of the rich, 1t is
sensuality. the lowest, because accessible not
only to all mon but even to animals. which
forms the chief subject matter Of works Of art
In recent times. From Petrarch to Marcel Pre-
vost almost all the poems and verses transmit
the feeling Of sexual love in its various forms,
localized or realistic. OF the novels published
on the Continent. adultery is not only the
~favorite. but almost the only. theme. A theat-
rical performance Is scarcely reckoned q per-
Torrance at all unless. under some pretence,
women appear with exposed busts and limbs.
The songs and rorndnces devised by must
cal composers are almost all expressions
OF the sexual happiness idealized In vari-
Gus degrees. A majority Of tho pictures by
French artists represent feminine nakedness
in various forms. In recent French literature
thero 10 hardly q page or q poem In which
nudity Is not described. In Tolstoi's opinion,
these are all the productions OF people suffering
from erotic mania. The authors ara evidently
convinced that. as the whole of their own lives.
in consequence Of their diseased condition. is
concentrated on tho indulgence Of sexual de-
sire. therefore the life OF all mankind must be
similarly concentrated.
Tolstoi returns to this particular topic In q
later chapter OF his book. the seventeenth, and
insists that 1t Is the art Of our time that serves
as the chief cause Of the perversion Of people
in the most important question Of social Life, to
wit, their sexual relations. I'VE nearly all
know" he says. by our own experience, and
those who are fathers and mothers know In
the case OF their Grown-up children also. what
fearful mental and physical suffering, what
useless waste OF strength people suffer merely
as a consequence Of dissoluteness in sexual do
sire. Since the world began, since tho Trojan
war. which sprang from that same sexual dis
soluteness. down to and including the suicides
and murders Of lovers described IN almost
every Newspaper. a great proportion OF the suf-
ferlngs OF the human race has como from
this source" With reference to this source
Of human suffering. what is the art OF
our time doingr Tolstoi nswers: AN
art, real and counterfeit, with very few
exceptions, Ia devoted to describing, de.
plotting and iniamin9 sexual love in syory
shape and form. When one remembers ali
tho novels and their lust-kIndling descrip-
tions Of love. from the most refined TO tho
Grossest, with which the literature OF our soci-
ETY. overnows; II one only remembers all tho
pictures and statues representing women's
naked bodies. and the multiform denominations
which are reproduced in illustrations and adj
refreshments; II one only remembers all the
filthy operas and operettas. songs and rOmances
With which our world teens, involuntarly IL
seems az If existing art had but one definite
Aim-to disseminate sexual vice as widely as
possible. Such. though not all. are the most
direct consequences OF that peryersion OF art
which has occurred in our society. So that.
h in our society is called art not only does
not conduee TO the progress OF mankind. but,
more than almost anything else. hinders the
attainment OF goodness in our lives"
In view OF this outcome OF modern art, our
author suggests that the question which must
inyoluntarily present itself to every man not
engaged In artistic activity, and. therefore,. not
tied TO existing art by self-interest. is the aues-
ton asked by him at the beginning Of this
work: Is 1t Just that 10 what we call art. TO a
something belonging to but q small section OF
society. should DO offered up such sacrifices Of