Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-02-02
CHAPTER XI.
GTNpTE pTATTY

service Of luxury, that providence Of
business, fostering mother Of arts aud
grace Of civilized society. We shall
try briefly to anticipate these objec-
tions.
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 III common with
that which misers impose upon them
selves through cupidity or narrow
minded people through false austerity.
To the former the simple life is the
ene that costs least; to the latter 1t Is
a 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 IL 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 s.uperfuous
on the part of those who have the
greatest need of taking thought for the
necessary. The lavishness Of G. M.eoe-
ras could aol nave the same effect in
n society as that of common spend
thrift who astonishes his contempo-
raries by the magnificence Of his life
and the folly of his waste In these
two cases the sama term means very
different things. TO scatter money
broadcast does not say 1t ut all. There
are ways of doing it which ennoble
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. Muniicence
is benefit to society; that we grant
willingly. Let us even allow that the
prodigality cf certain rich men Is O
safety valve fof the escape OF the SUI
perabundant. We shall not attempt to
gainsay it. Our contention Is that too
many people meddle with the safety
valve when to practice economy is the
part of both their interest and their
duty. Their extravaganza is private
misfortune and a public danger.
SO much for the utility of luxury.
We now wish to explain ourselves
re na-thntiac IN
very modestly and without trespass-
ing On the ground OF the specialists.
Through a 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 Fryipg 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 Is In circulation
to provoke the creation of such prod
igalfty Of horrors. Our contemporary
art suffers as much from the want OF
simplicity as does our literature-too
much in it that Is irrelevant, over
wrought, falsely imagined. Rarely Is 1t
| given us to contemplate in line, form
or color that simplicity allied to per
| fection which commands the eyes as
evidence does the mind, We need 10
| te reeaptizcd In the ideal purity Of
| immortal beauty which puts It's seal
| on the masterpieces. One shaft OF its
radiance is worth more than all our
| pompous exhibitions.
Yet what we now have most OF heart
| is to speak of th9 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 It Jacks charm.
| For 1t Is not matter OF indifference
| whether man pays attention to these
/ superhuous necessities or whether he
does not; 1t is by them that we know
| whether he puts soul Into his work.
| Far from considering 1t as wasteful to
| give time and thought to tho perfect
| ing, beautlfying and poetizing Of
FORMS think we should spend as much
as 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 garnlsh 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 tho gross
| error of eo1founding true beauty with
| tat, bn Tho
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 80 expressed 1t IL
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.
1t sufiices to have good taste and good
| Will. We come here 10 point very
important to everybody, but perhaps
Of more interest to women than to
| men.
Those who would have women con-
ceal themselves In coarse garments OF
the shapelesB uniformity of bags ylo-
late nature In her very heart and mis-
understand completely the spirit OF
things If dress were only precau-
ton to shelter us from cold or rain q
piece OF sacking or the skin OF beast
would answer. But II Is vastly more
than this. Man puts himself entire
into all that he does. He transforms
into types the things that serve him
The dress IL not simply covering; II
Is n symbol. | call to witness the rich
towering OF national and provincial
costumes and those worn by our early
corporations. A woman's toilet, too
he's something TO say To us. The more
| meaning there is In II the greater Its
worth. To be truly beautiful 1t must
tell us Of beautiful things, things per
, ponal and veritable. Spend all the mon
ey you possess upon 1t; IL It's form is
determined by chance or custom, II II
has no relation to her who wears II, II
: Ia only toggery, n domino Ultra fash
, ionable dress, which completely mask
feminine personality under designs o
pure convention, despoils 1t OF its prin
cipal attraction. From this abuse
comes about that many things whicl
1 women admire do as much wrong t