Мхи старой усадьбы
The Artist of the Beautiful
Ihavemadetheverystroke—thefatalstroke—thatIhavedreadedfromthefirst.Itisallover—thetoilofmonths,theobjectofmylife.Iamruined!"
Andtherehesat,instrangedespair,untilhislampflickeredinthesocketandlefttheArtistoftheBeautifulindarkness.
Thusitisthatideas,whichgrowupwithintheimaginationandappearsolovelytoitandofavaluebeyondwhatevermencallvaluable,areexposedtobeshatteredandannihilatedbycontactwiththepractical.Itisrequisitefortheidealartisttopossessaforceofcharacterthatseemshardlycompatiblewithitsdelicacy;hemustkeephisfaithinhimselfwhiletheincredulousworldassailshimwithitsutterdisbelief;hemuststandupagainstmankindandbehisownsoledisciple,bothasrespectshisgeniusandtheobjectstowhichitisdirected.
ForatimeOwenWarlandsuccumbedtothisseverebutinevitabletest.Hespentafewsluggishweekswithhisheadsocontinuallyrestinginhishandsthatthetowns-peoplehadscarcelyanopportunitytoseehiscountenance.Whenatlastitwasagainupliftedtothelightofday,acold,dull,namelesschangewasperceptibleuponit.IntheopinionofPeterHovenden,however,andthatorderofsagaciousunderstandingswhothinkthatlifeshouldberegulated,likeclockwork,withleadenweights,thealterationwasentirelyforthebetter.Owennow,indeed,appliedhimselftobusinesswithdoggedindustry.
