The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-04-23

conscious cult are secretly ashamed of
their ideal. That that ideal has many
laws is evident. 1t does not in the
least follow that because principle or q
form is new, 1t therefore marks step
in human or in artistic progress. The
Ideas of the Marquis de Sade were
original but they can never meet with
general accep ance. The methods of
Helne, of Zola, of George Moore were
all strikingly original but they all had
their evident defects. And further,
the devotion to originality has not only
been shrinking but also by no means
universal. Such representative figures
as Tennyson, as Brahms or even as the
latest novelist, William De Morgan, in
stantly occur in support of this state
ment.
But "Originality," remark nine
tenths of the magazine editors, in those
sugary "COnfdential Talks with our
Readers" which embelllsh most of
these publications at present, "Origi-
naIity is what the public wants." and
althO there is a great difference be-
tween the magazine public and liter
ary public, this is sign of the times
For originality is certainly what the
public is getting, If it is getting any
thing out of art in what the pessimist
calls this degenerate age. 1t is of
course impossible to decide which of
our contemporaries are immortal, but
passing in review some of those who
have been and are prominently before
the public, the point will be sufficient
ly clear.
1t would be presumptuous for an
outsider to discuss the arts of sculp-
ture and of painting, but it seems per-
fectly clear that the vogue of Rodin,
of Whistler, even of Turner, to take no
later instances, depends primsrily on
the new qualities which appear In
their work and not on their adherence
to. tradition. In the world of music,
the two most striking figures at pres
ent are Richard Strauss and Claude
Debussy. Both utterly disregard, as
in fact do all modern composers, the
rules of harmony which 1t is the first
duty Of composers to assimilate. but
whereas the genius of Strauss over
rides them roughly, and evolves dis
sOnances which to the unframed ear
aud even to the many trained ears of
the old school are mere Babel of
sound, Debussy goes farther yet, and
disregards the diatonic scale which has
been the foundation of all music since
it's modern development.
In the world of poetry it is very diff
cult to choose names of sufficient
prominence. The Muse of Swinburne
is silent; but altho that real laureate
of England was far enough removed
from the modern spirit, in form he too
caught the modern straining after the
"new thing" Alfred Austin is of
course merely singer of songs. as are
most of the American poets, and of
later lights who show some promise it
is too early to speak. George Sterling,
lately proclaimed poet by a brilliant
but erratic critic, is certainly wOr-
shipper of the new cult, however he
may rank as poet.
In the novel, which ia generally re-
gsrded as the least important form of
art but which seems very characterize
tic of the age, Originality reaches its
highest point, because it is in fiction,
after all, that it is most justifisble.
With the exception of De Morgan who
follows Dickens, Edith Wharton who
refines ON Henry James and certain
illustrious followers of Kipling, every
prominent novelist of today is original.
The romanticism of Scott or Cooper,
the skill as u color-painter of Hichens
bears no resemblance to the witchery
of Stevenson. In fact, it is the novel
lists first requirement to be original,
and it may be suspected that the de-
velopment of the ideal of originality is
not unconnected with the develop
ment Of the novel.
e One last art remains to be consid-
ered-the dramatic. The stage is va
riously described as being constantly
developing and as being on its last
legs, choice which depends largely on
whether you believe in lbsen, Shaw,
Sudermann and Maeteflink or not.