Мхи старої садиби
The Artist of the Beautiful
Thusfreedfromthenecessityoftoil,andhavinglostthesteadfastinfluenceofagreatpurpose,—great,atleast,tohim,—heabandonedhimselftohabitsfromwhichitmighthavebeensupposedthemeredelicacyofhisorganizationwouldhaveavailedtosecurehim.Butwhentheetherealportionofamanofgeniusisobscuredtheearthlypartassumesaninfluencethemoreuncontrollable,becausethecharacterisnowthrownoffthebalancetowhichProvidencehadsonicelyadjustedit,andwhich,incoarsernatures,isadjustedbysomeothermethod.OwenWarlandmadeproofofwhatevershowofblissmaybefoundinriot.Helookedattheworldthroughthegoldenmediumofwine,andcontemplatedthevisionsthatbubbleupsogaylyaroundthebrimoftheglass,andthatpeopletheairwithshapesofpleasantmadness,whichsosoongrowghostlyandforlorn.Evenwhenthisdismalandinevitablechangehadtakenplace,theyoungmanmightstillhavecontinuedtoquaffthecupofenchantments,thoughitsvapordidbutshroudlifeingloomandfillthegloomwithspectresthatmockedathim.Therewasacertainirksomenessofspirit,which,beingreal,andthedeepestsensationofwhichtheartistwasnowconscious,wasmoreintolerablethananyfantasticmiseriesandhorrorsthattheabuseofwinecouldsummonup.Inthelattercasehecouldremember,evenoutofthemidstofhistrouble,thatallwasbutadelusion;intheformer,theheavyanguishwashisactuallife.
