Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-18
THE ARTIST WHO BREACHES.
Lays Himself Open to Criticism
Which He Cannot Resent.

From the Century.
Some of the men Of genius among the fc-
'tionists and dramatists Of our day. having
taken to philosophizing and even preaching
through their works of art, have placed
their productions in category where the
writer's must be willing to receive criticism
which includes the obvious content of their
works. The content can, Of course, never
be unconsidered in Judging Of any work OF
art, but it is peculiarly invited by those
works of literary art where the moral" Is
extremely apparent. The authors referred
to see certain wrongs in life, and they
bend their art to purposes of reform. at
least to violent criticism, which evidently
implies the reforming of manners and tnstl-
tutions. We refer to those artists who, be-
ing originally such. become promulgators of
ideas-of ideas which amount to social reel
pes, meant to cure acutely felt social evils.
These artists (who are also preachers or
special pleaders and advocates) being men
or women of intense feeling, strong convic-
tons, moral bravery and great powers OF
description, of denunciation, OF expression
in general, do not content themselves with
presentations Of the pathos and tragedy or
life but deliberately suggest, or Imply, the
necessity of changes in civilized customs.
They do this with fury; they feel they have
a message; they will not be controlled by
considerations Of PUBLIC opinion, nor by any
consideration Whatever, III dttaChlHB ue.
structively that which they see as foul, and
detest as unjust, unnecessary. and against
human liberty and right development. They
live in public opinion not that OF the gen.
eral public-which general opinion they de-
spise-but an opinion perhaps largely of
their own making-the opinion of the few
''unlrammeled souls" They are possessed
by the idea of a mission, Of living, almost
alone, in a free atmosphere, of being the
sole consistently and remorselessly honest
mil Immediate inSnfrarS
and followers.
Possessed by theories Of reconstruction,
or, If they do not go SO far as to lay down
definite or to hint at indefinite reforms, az
least possessed Of their own ideas of wrong
and right-in this state of mind, they are
led from the path of balanced and disinter-
erted art, and take their places among
philosophical critics and promotive Of
causes.
In this case, however, they must not OBJ
ject to being criticised by those who OBJ
serve social phenomena-the relation Of the
sexes, for instance-not only from the point
thropy, but also from the scientific point of
view. These preaching artists view and
theory OF life must be taken into account.
no less than their view Of beauty and of
as Such an art artist sh sssh %
great a genius. either to the criticism Of his
art creations from the point Of view Of art,
or by standards Of philosophy, of science,
and Of social well-being.
Take the question of individuansm, the
full development Of the ego be that ego
male or female. The critic Of the work OF
art In which Is favored the freedom of the
ego from all restraint except that Of the
laws of It's own growth, career. happiness,
expansion, success-such a critic may be
negligible when he opposes from the merely
conventional point Of view the work of art
In which self-centered egoism is glorifed;
but he is not negligible when his criticism
Is based upon a calm and not unfeelng con-
temptation of human experience, Of physi-
cal. psychological and sanely human con-
siderations.
The power Of man Of genius to pour his
emotions, fanc!es and imaginations into per-
manent forms Of art by no means implies
that his sociological and political observa-
tions and conclusions are correct They may
or may not DO so. The poetic Imagination
amounts in many cases and occasions to
seership; but when an artist deliberately
takes the role of the sociologist politician,
economist or statesman, he enters a realm
where the IDEAS Intentionally embodied in
his art may be, and should be, frankly and
fully discussed, and, II necessary, opposed,
by those who have studied and deeply
thought on the very questions suggested or
by those whose natures are such that their
instincts are as worthy Of consideration as
those OF the imaginative artist himself.