Theresultisthatthetradesmenarebecomingbetterartiststhanthey,andnaturallyso;forwhere,asinphotography,thedrawingcountsfornothing,thethoughtandjudgmentcountforeverything;whereasintheetchinganddaubingprocesses,wheregreatmanualskillisneededtoproduceanythingthattheeyecanendure,theexecutioncountsformorethanthethought,andifafellowonlyfittocarrybricksupaladderorthelikehasambitionandperseveranceenoughtotrainhishandandpushintothevan,youcannotaffordtoputhimbackintohisproperplace,becausethoroughlytrainedhandsaresoscarce。Considertheproofofthisthatyouhaveinliterature。Ourbooksaremanuallytheworkofprintersandpapermakers;youmaycutanauthor\'shandoffandheisasgoodanauthorasbefore。Whatistheresult？Thereismoreimaginationinanynumberofapennyjournalthaninhalf—a—dozenoftheRoyalAcademyroomsintheseason。Noauthorcanlivebyhisworkandbeasempty—headedasanaveragesuccessfulpainter。Again,considerourimplementsofmusic——ourpianofortes,forexample。Nobodybutanacrobatwillvoluntarilyspendyearsatsuchadifficultmechanicalpuzzleasthekeyboard,andsowehavetotakeourimpressionsofBeethoven\'ssonatasfromacrobatswhoviewitheachotherintherapidityoftheirprestos,orthestayingpoweroftheirleftwrists。Thoughtfulmenwillnotspendtheirlivesacquiringsleight—of—hand。Inventapianowhichwillrespondasdelicatelytotheturningofahandleasourpresentonesdotothepressureofthefingers,andtheacrobatswillbedrivenbacktotheircarpetsandtrapezes,becausethesolefacultynecessarytotheexecutantmusicianwillbethemusicalfaculty,andnootherwillenablehimtoobtainahearing。\"
Thecompanyweresomewhatovercomebythisunexpectedlecture。
SirCharles,feelingthatsuchviewsboreadverselyonhim,andweresomehowiconoclasticandlow—lived,wasabouttomakeapeevishretort,whenErskineforestalledhimbyaskingTrefusiswhatideahehadformedofthefutureofthearts。Herepliedpromptly。\"Photographyperfectedinitsrecentlydiscoveredpowerofreproducingcoloraswellasform！Historicalpicturesreplacedbyphotographsoftableauxvivantsformedandarrangedbytrainedactorsandartists,andusedchieflyfortheinstructionofchildren。Nine—tenthsofpaintingasweunderstanditatpresentextinguishedbythecompetitionofthesephotographs,andtheremainingtenthonlyholdingitsownagainstthembydintofextraordinaryexcellence！Ourmistunedandunplayableorgansandpianofortesreplacedbyharmoniousinstruments,asmanageableasbarrelorgans！Worksoffictionsupersededbyinterestingcompanyandconversation,andmadeobsoletebythehumanmindoutgrowingthechildishnessthatdelightsinthetalestoldbygrownupchildrensuchasnovelistsandtheirlike！Anendtothesillyconfusion,undertheonenameofArt,ofthetomfooleryandmake—believeofourplay—hourswiththehighermethodsofteachingmentoknowthemselves！Everyartistanamateur,andaconsequentreturntothehealthyolddispositiontolookoneverymanwhomakesartameansofmoney—gettingasavagabondnottobeentertainedasanequalbyhonestmen！\"
\"Inwhichcaseartistswillstarve,andtherewillbenomoreart。\"
\"Sir,\"saidTrefusis,excitedbytheword,\"I,asaSocialist,cantellyouthatstarvationisnowimpossible,exceptwhere,asinEngland,masterlessmenareforciblypreventedfromproducingthefoodtheyneed。Andyou,asanartist,cantellmethatatpresentgreatartistsinvariablydostarve,exceptwhentheyarekeptalivebycharity,privatefortune,orsomedrudgerywhichhinderstheminthepursuitoftheirvocation。\"