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that the villagers could not pass from one to the other without
many miles of a round。 And when we came back in winter he asked us
to help him to make a road across this morass for these village
people to use。 So out we went； day after day； and learned how to
lay levels and to break stones； and to wheel barrows along a plank
… a very difficult thing to do。 And Ruskin worked with us in the
mist and rain and mud of an Oxford winter； and our friends and our
enemies came out and mocked us from the bank。 We did not mind it
much then； and we did not mind it afterwards at all； but worked
away for two months at our road。 And what became of the road？
Well； like a bad lecture it ended abruptly … in the middle of the
swamp。 Ruskin going away to Venice； when we came back for the next
term there was no leader； and the 'diggers；' as they called us；
fell asunder。 And I felt that if there was enough spirit amongst
the young men to go out to such work as road…making for the sake of
a noble ideal of life； I could from them create an artistic
movement that might change； as it has changed； the face of England。
So I sought them out … leader they would call me … but there was no
leader： we were all searchers only and we were bound to each other
by noble friendship and by noble art。 There was none of us idle：
poets most of us； so ambitious were we： painters some of us； or
workers in metal or modellers； determined that we would try and
create for ourselves beautiful work： for the handicraftsman
beautiful work； for those who love us poems and pictures； for those
who love us not epigrams and paradoxes and scorn。
Well； we have done something in England and we will do something
more。 Now； I do not want you； believe me； to ask your brilliant
young men； your beautiful young girls； to go out and make a road on
a swamp for any village in America； but I think you might each of
you have some art to practise。
We must have； as Emerson said； a mechanical craft for our culture；
a basis for our higher accomplishments in the work of our hands …
the uselessness of most people's hands seems to me one of the most
unpractical things。 'No separation from labour can be without some
loss of power or truth to the seer；' says Emerson again。 The
heroism which would make on us the impression of Epaminondas must
be that of a domestic conqueror。 The hero of the future is he who
shall bravely and gracefully subdue this Gorgon of fashion and of
convention。
When you have chosen your own part； abide by it； and do not weakly
try and reconcile yourself with the world。 The heroic cannot be
the common nor the common the heroic。 Congratulate yourself if you
have done something strange and extravagant and broken the monotony
of a decorous age。
And lastly； let us remember that art is the one thing which Death
cannot harm。 The little house at Concord may be desolate； but the
wisdom of New England's Plato is not silenced nor the brilliancy of
that Attic genius dimmed： the lips of Longfellow are still musical
for us though his dust be turning into the flowers which he loved：
and as it is with the greater artists； poet and philosopher and
song…bird； so let it be with you。
LECTURE TO ART STUDENTS
IN the lecture which it is my privilege to deliver before you to…
night I do not desire to give you any abstract definition of beauty
at all。 For we who are working in art cannot accept any theory of
beauty in exchange for beauty itself； and； so far from desiring to
isolate it in a formula appealing to the intellect； we； on the
contrary； seek to materialise it in a form that gives joy to the
soul through the senses。 We want to create it； not to define it。
The definition should follow the work： the work should not adapt
itself to the definition。
Nothing； indeed； is more dangerous to the young artist than any
conception of ideal beauty： he is constantly led by it either into
weak prettiness or lifeless abstraction： whereas to touch the
ideal at all you must not strip it of vitality。 You must find it
in life and re…create it in art。
While； then； on the one hand I do not desire to give you any
philosophy of beauty … for； what I want to…night is to investigate
how we can create art； not how we can talk of it … on the other
hand； I do not wish to deal with anything like a history of English
art。
To begin with； such an expression as English art is a meaningless
expression。 One might just as well talk of English mathematics。
Art is the science of beauty； and Mathematics the science of truth：
there is no national school of either。 Indeed； a national school
is a provincial school； merely。 Nor is there any such thing as a
school of art even。 There are merely artists； that is all。
And as regards histories of art； they are quite valueless to you
unless you are seeking the ostentatious oblivion of an art
professorship。 It is of no use to you to know the date of Perugino
or the birthplace of Salvator Rosa： all that you should learn
about art is to know a good picture when you see it； and a bad
picture when you see it。 As regards the date of the artist； all
good work looks perfectly modern： a piece of Greek sculpture； a
portrait of Velasquez … they are always modern； always of our
time。 And as regards the nationality of the artist； art is not
national but universal。 As regards archaeology； then； avoid it
altogether： archaeology is merely the science of making excuses
for bad art； it is the rock on which many a young artist founders
and shipwrecks； it is the abyss from which no artist； old or young；
ever returns。 Or； if he does return； he is so covered with the
dust of ages and the mildew of time； that he is quite
unrecognisable as an artist； and has to conceal himself for the
rest of his days under the cap of a professor； or as a mere
illustrator of ancient history。 How worthless archaeology is in
art you can estimate by the fact of its being so popular。
Popularity is the crown of laurel which the world puts on bad art。
Whatever is popular is wrong。
As I am not going to talk to you； then； about the philosophy of the
beautiful； or the history of art； you will ask me what I am going
to talk about。 The subject of my lecture to…night is what makes an
artist and what does the artist make； what are the relations of the
artist to his surroundings； what is the education the artist should
get； and what is the quality of a good work of art。
Now； as regards the relations of the artist to his surroundings； by
which I mean the age and country in which he is born。 All good
art； as I said before； has nothing to do with any particular
century； but this universality is the quality of the work of art；
the conditions that produce that quality are different。 And what；
I think； you should do is to realise completely your age in order
completely to abstract yourself from it； remembering that if you
are an artist at all； you will be not the mouthpiece of a century；
but the master of eternity； that all art rests on a principle； and
that mere temporal considerations are no principle at all； and that
those who advise you to make your art representative of the
nineteenth century are advising you to produce an art which your
children； when you have them； will think old…fashioned。 But you
will tell me this is an inartistic age； and we are an inartistic
people； and the artist suffers much in this nineteenth century of
ours。
Of course he does。 I； of all men； am not going to deny that。 But
remember that there never has been an artistic age； or an artistic
people； since the beginning of the world。 The artist has always
been； and will always be； an exquisite exception。 There is no
golden age of art； only artists who have produced what is more
golden than gold。
WHAT； you will say to me； the Greeks？ were not they an artistic
people？
Well； the Greeks