Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-04-27


tons.
1t will no doubt have been evident
that the spirit which animates these
pages is not utilitarian. 1t would be
an error to suppose that the simplicity
we seek has anything in common with
that which misers impose upon them
selves through cup.dity or narrow
minded people through false austerity.
To the former the simple life is the
one that costs least; to the latter 1t is
q fat and colorless existence, whose
merit lies in depriving oneself of ev-
erything bright, smiling, seductive.
1t displeases us not a whit that peo-
pie Of large means should put their
fortune into circulation instead of
boarding 1t, SO giving life to COM
merce and the fine arts. That is US
ing ones privileges to good advantage.
What we would combat is foolish prod
igality, the selfish use Of wealth and,
above all, the quest of the superfuous
on the part Of those who have the
greatest need Of taking thought for the
necessary. The lavishness of Mace
mas could not have the same effect in
thrift who astonishes his contempt
raries by the magnificence of his life
and the folly of his waste. In these
two cases the same term means very
different things. To scatter money
broadcast does not say it at all. There
1nfnU w
men and others which degrade them.
Besides, to scatter money supposes
that one Is well provided with it.
When the love Of sumptuous living
takes possession of those whose means
are limited the matter becomes
strangely altered. And a very strik-
ing characteristic Of our time is the
rage for scattering broadcast which
the very people have who ought to
husband their resources Munificence
IL benefit to society; that we grant
willingly. Let us even allow that the
prodigallty of certain rich men is a
safety valve for the escape of the su-
perabundant. We shall not attempt to
gainsay It, Our contention is that too
many people NEEDLE with the safety
valve when to practice economy is the
part of both their interest and their
duty. Their extravaganza is n private
misfortune and n public danger.
So much for the utility of luxury.
We now wish to explain ourselves
upon the question Of aesthetics-oh,
very modestly and without trespass-
ing on the ground Of the specialists.
Through II too common Illusion sim
plicity and beauty are considered as
rivals. But simple Is not synonymous
with ugly any more than sumptuous,
stylish and costly are synonymous with
beautiful. Our eyes are wounded by
the crying spectacle of gaudy orna-
ment, venal art and senseless and
graceless luxury. Wealth coupled with
bad taste sometimes makes us regret
that so much money IL In circulation
to provoke the creation of such prod
igality of horrors. Our contemporary
art suffers as much from the want Of
simplicity as does our literature-too
much In II that Is irrelevant, over
wrought, falsely imagined. Rarely Is 1t
given us to contemplate In line, form
or color that simplicity allied 10 per-
lection which commands the eyes as
evidence does the mind. We need to
be rebaptized in the Ideal purity of
immortal beauty which puts its seal
on the masterpieces. One shaft of Its
radiance is worth more than all our
pompous exhibitions.
Yet what we now have most Mt heart
Is to speak of the ordinary aesthetics
Of life, of the care one should bestow
upon the adornment of his dwelling
and his person, giving to existence that
luster without which 1t lacks charm.
For 1t Is not matter of Indifference
whether man pays attention to these
superfluous necessities or whether he
does not; 1t is by them that we know
whether he puts soul into his work.
Far from considering 1t MS wasteful to
give time and thought to the perfect
Ing. Identifying and poetizing of
forms, think we should spend rs much
rs we can upon them. Nature gives
us her example, and the man who
should affect contempt for the ephem-
eral splendor of beauty with which
we garnish our brief days would lose
sight of the intentions of him who has
put the same care and love into the
painting of the lily of an hour and the
eternal hills.
But we must not fall into the gross
error Of confounding true beauty with
that which has only the name. The
beauty and poetry of existence lie in
the understanding we have of 1t. Our
home, our table, our dress, should be
the interpreters of intentions. That
these intentions be so expressed 1t Is
first necessary to have them, and he
who possesses them makes them evil
dent through the simplest means One
need not be rich to give grace and
charm to his habit and his habitation.
Ii sutfices to have good taste and good
will We come here to point very
important to everybody, but perhaps
OF more interest to women than to
men.