Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-27

centuries and arts +? 1T isn't possible to
get an art museum, and then by merely
studying the things you put in 1t, to
produce an artist or a school of artists
they must come by natural development
Mr. Brush thought that religion, by
its conservatism, had rendered art i'm
mense assistance, and he spoke with al
most disgust of the freaks which in
dividualism has played with the archi-
lecture of this country. Today, he said,
we in America are infatuated with in
dividualism; but the great lesson of art
is that nothing can be done unless the
individual subordinates himself to the
whole. He pointed out how this had
been done in the case of an Egyptian
temple; also, that OF all the flowers
which might have been used in decora-
ton, but one had been used, and that
one the lotus, the flower which of all
others the Egyptians singled out by
their religions and race consciousness.
People today often say: But do you
think art is anything but giving one
self UP to sensuous enjoyment" Ger
tainly, said Mr.. Brush; but the strange
part of it Is that you can't get anything
very .sensuous out of art, unless it is i'm
pelled by deeper emotion than that
and this is why religion has played so
important part in the development Of
art Often this deeper emotion has come
not from the artist, but from the people;
but whenever this loftier impulse from
one or other direction has ceased, art
has declined.
Again, the service rendered by art is
seen in the subjects which it has sug-
gested. A modern artist often has to
ask himself what he shall choose TO
paint or carve; the Greeks and the
Italians had their subjects chosen for
them. The themes offered may have
been few, but they were ineXhaustiole.
Having their subject given them, they
were free to develop it, and it was the
fact of many generations having worked
upon few motifs in this way that
made a Pheidias or a Shakspere or
Michael Angelo possible.
Now here in America we do not have
the same advantages, said Mn. Brush.
The modern artist is barbarian, with
cruder ideas of art than a North Ameri-
can Indian. Lots of people spend their
time painting onions and bottles and
other old debris. 1t would never have
entered into the heart of primitive man
to do that. Art is in the condition it
is here, because we have not natural
uses for it. We have got to the pass
where we say, Here, we can't stand
this any longer. Let us have some
art quick Give us a few gods
swimming around in blue sky, We
have the stamps all right to pay for
itr' The fact is that our art is either
an imitation of by-gone ages or ram
paht individualism. Here Mr.. Brush
alluded to the houses, Queen Anne in
front and Mary Anne in the back" as
sample of popular architectural art
When we are convinced that we are here
to live for others, and that the practi-
cal purposes of things are not all, we
shall stop building things like that said
he. 1t is impossible to get beauty by
buying it. And I want to say that ma
chinery has done more to destroy art
than / could tell. The reason why
men do not know how to carve, is be-
cause they have been taught to work
by machinery and measurements. Their
ideal is to make thing look like ma
chine work, and that is why it is odious,
hideous. See the Catholic cathedral in
New York! 1t looks like the work of a
pastry cook. but it has cost hundreds
of thousands of dollars Not only is
the artisan ceasing to know beauty, but
he is ceasing to work with his hands at
all. He is becoming a "hand." How
can we get any art when all that the
employees see in work is their wages,
and as wages sink to starvation level, a
strike beyond?
What I want to impress upon you is
that our art must spring from our ar
tisan classes, and that if we crush them
down and keep them in wage slavery,
W. are going to do away with all art
II is almost destroyed as it is. Look at
New York Could anything be more
hideous? Look at Worcester. Could
anything be worse2 With our TROLLEY
wires and trolley cars, telephones
monographs, electric lights and all the
rest Of it, we are making life as near
an inferno as we can.
Art has bearing upon life independ-
ent of any ism" Art does not exist to
make life go gayly or for the sake Of
appealing to our sensuousness or love of
pleasure. You may say: tTs there any
hope for us? You have made us feel so
poor; are we then entirely destitute of
noble ambitions? Are we only so mil
lions Of people busy making more
money?" ] am not the pessimist that
would imply. Our conditions Of life diff
fer from those in the nations we have
spoken of, where the simpler conditions
lent themselves naturally to the plastic
arts. But we, too, have our victories.
although often they are best described
by the man of letters. Nothing that we
do is decorative, for which the promt-
nence Of the machine is partly RESPONSE
hla QI1f in ;e-
have as yet developed no unity of
thought or action. This division of in
terest is doubtless good for the race;
yet, the time must come when we shall
collect ourselves. Already, while we
complain, conditions are being stirred,
not only here, but all over the world,
which Indicate that unity will come
Our relations to each otheri Never has
there been so intense a thought as that
to give men the unity required by art
The nearest that we have come to it in
America is at the worlds fair.
Mr. Brusf's hearers were frequently
moved toQaughter at his shrewd thrusts
and plain speaking, and when he had
concluded, many remained to speak with
him.
Mr.. Charles H. Grout gave an organ
recital in the Baptist Church at South
bridge, Friday evening.
Bright young faces, pretty costumes
and happiness prevailed at the Busy
Bees party, which Mrs. A. c. Williams
gave to nearly 100 of the Busy Bees and
their friends in Terpsichorean Hall. Sat
urday evening. The time was pleasantly
passed in playing games and dancing.
number of games were played in
which the winner gained prize In the
peanut game, the guests prize, box