登陆注册
4617800000022

第22章 CHARMIAN(2)

Some will tell us that the unveiled light is too clear or sharp for art. So much the worse for art; but even on that plea the limitations of art are better respected by natural mist, cloudy gloom of natural rain, natural twilight before night, or natural twilight--Corot's--before day, than by the artificial dimness of our unlovely towns. Those, too, who praise the "mystery" of smoke are praising rather a mystification than a mystery; and must be unaware of the profounder mysteries of light. Light is all mystery when you face the sun, and every particle of the innumerable atmosphere carries its infinitesimal shadow.

Moreover, it is only in some parts of the world that we should ask for even natural veils. In California we may, not because the light is too luminous, but because it is not tender. Clear and not tender in California, tender and not clear in England; light in Italy and in Greece is both tender and clear.

When one complains of the ill-luck of modern utilities, the sympathetic listener is apt to agree, but to agree wrongly by denouncing the electric light as something modern to be deplored.

But the electric light is the one success of the last century. It is never out of harmony with natural things--villages, ancient streets of cities, where it makes the most beautiful of all street-lighting, swung from house to opposite house in Genoa or Rome. With no shock, except a shock of pleasure, does the judicious traveller, entering some small sub-alpine hamlet, find the electric light, fairly, sparingly spaced, slung from tree to tree over the little road, and note it again in the frugal wine-shop, and solitary and clear over the church portal.

Yet, forsooth, if yielding to the suggestions of your restless hobby, you denounce, in any company, the spoiling of your Italy, the hearer, calling up a "mumping visnomy," thinks he echoes your complaint by his sigh, "Ah, yes--the electric light; you meet it everywhere now; so modern, so disenchanting." It is, on the contrary, enchanting. It is as natural as lightning. By all means let all the waterfalls in all the Alps be "harnessed," as the lamentation runs, if their servitude gives us electric light. For thus the power of the waterfall kindles a lovely lamp. All this to be done by the simple force of gravitation--the powerful fall of water. "Wonderful, all that water coming down!" cried the tourist at Niagara, and the Irishman said, "Why wouldn't it?" He recognised the simplicity of that power. It is a second-rate passion--that for the waterfall, and often exacting in regard to visitors from town.

"I trudged unwillingly," says Dr. Johnson, "and was not sorry to find it dry." It was very, very second-rate of an American admirer of scenery to name a waterfall in the Yosemite Valley (and it bears the name to-day) the "Bridal Veil." His Indian predecessor had called it, because it was most audible in menacing weather, "The Voice of the Evil Wind." In fact, your cascade is dearer to every sentimentalist than the sky. Standing near the folding-over place of Niagara, at the top of the fall, I looked across the perpetual rainbow of the foam, and saw the whole further sky deflowered by the formless, edgeless, languid, abhorrent murk of smoke from the nearest town. Much rather would I see that water put to use than the sky so outraged. As it is, only by picking one's way between cities can one walk under, or as it were in, a pure sky. The horizon in Venice is thick and ochreous, and no one cares; the sky of Milan is defiled all round. In England I must choose a path alertly; and so does now and then a wary, fortunate, fastidious wind that has so found his exact, uncharted way, between this smoke and that, as to clear me a clean moonrise, and heavenly heavens.

There was an ominous prophecy to Charmian. "You shall outlive the lady whom you serve." She has outlived her in every city in Europe;but only for the time of setting straight her crown--the last servility. She could not live but by comparison with the Queen.

同类推荐
  • 角力记

    角力记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 宦游纪略

    宦游纪略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 四镇略迹

    四镇略迹

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严清凉国师礼赞文

    华严清凉国师礼赞文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 智覃正禅师语录

    智覃正禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 捉鬼

    捉鬼

    上海绵密而漫长的雨季,像天井里挂着的一件绸布衫,刚刚干爽了几分,一阵急雨,又开始在衣架上垂头丧气了。因为雨的缘故,森林的颜色变得鲜艳欲滴。老黄头经年的斗笠与崭新的蓑衣,像极了一只烧得乌黑的烟斗头和金光闪闪的烟斗柄。一只镀金的烟斗被罗列拿在手里。烟斗里闪烁着猩红的烟丝,罗列吸了一口,发出一声长叹,吐出浓浓的一团烟圈。“罗大探长光临敝处不会是让我帮忙鉴赏烟斗吧?”杜仲说着这话的时候,眼睛并没有从放大镜上移开。放大镜下面放着的是一卷袖珍胶卷,那是杜仲的英国朋友请他帮忙解决的一个难题。
  • 公关活动技巧举要

    公关活动技巧举要

    《公关活动技巧举要》一书从灵活运用攻关法则、善于使用媒介、好的公关策划、掌控必备的公关技巧、成功的新闻发布会、合理选择公关活动的模式、营造良好的公关文化等方面对公关活动的技巧进行了探索。
  • 我是猫

    我是猫

    《我是猫》确立了夏目漱石在文学界的地位。小说采用幽默、讽刺、滑稽的手法,借助一只猫的视觉、听觉、感觉,以主人公中学教员珍野苦沙弥的日常起居为主线,穿插了邻居资本家金田企图嫁女不成、阴谋报复苦沙弥的矛盾冲突,嘲笑了明治时代知识分子空虚的精神生活,讥讽他们自命清高,却无所事事;不满现实,却无力反抗;平庸无聊,却贬斥世俗的矛盾性格,鞭挞金田等资产阶级人物及帮凶的势利、粗鄙、凶残的本性。小说构思奇巧,描写夸张,结构灵活,具有鲜明的艺术特色。
  • 太子妃的开挂人生

    太子妃的开挂人生

    上官星辰从小跟随爷爷长大对父亲的记忆一直都是别人口中英雄,对母亲的了解更是寥寥无几,爷爷想让星辰做个大家闺秀,可星辰偏偏精通十八般武艺,对琴棋书画一点都不精通,十三开始就随爷爷征战沙场,慢慢展露头角,十五岁遇见一个翩翩公子,一步一步踏入他的圈套内,星辰说“母亲说过父亲眼里有星辰大海,我一直不明白,直到遇见你,我懂了,可是你不是我的星辰大海”
  • 我的极品甜宠女友

    我的极品甜宠女友

    余莜莜对江弈,就是这种感觉。渐渐地,江弈发现,自己对余莜莜,好像也变成了这种感觉……(1V1,甜宠。)
  • 空间农女甜蜜蜜

    空间农女甜蜜蜜

    (新文《农门娇女有点田》已发布。) 一朝穿越,她成为了小小农女。 好在家人友爱,邻里和睦,大家齐心协力发家致富。 外人叹息战王娶了个农女,可谁知她背景强大到帝王都要让三分;外人叹息战王妃丑陋,可那倾城容颜却无人能及;外人叹息战王妃没有才情,可谁知她真的没有!!! 传言池暮战王,不近人情女色,毫无人性可言,却无人知他千万年来都在等着那倾世的女子。 “暖暖,只要有我在便不会让人伤你分毫。” 时隔千万年的誓言再次重提,墨姝暖只觉得心头一暖,这大概是她生生世世的不幸所得来的幸运吧……(身心干净1v1男强女强宠文)
  • 西楚争雄

    西楚争雄

    关于秦汉之间的历史节点,想努力去改变到最后发现改变的只是自己,而历史总是惊人的相似
  • 词学集成

    词学集成

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 北固清怀

    北固清怀

    我出生在晋北的一个小山村,至今仍然说着浓重的乡音,经常梦到儿时的伙伴和那些春播秋收的往事。这里土地贫瘠,没有什么资源,但是祖祖辈辈的人们辛勤劳作,忙碌着那仅够维持温饱的希望,日复一日,年复一年。很多时候,他们活的是一种精神。我知道自己愚笨迟钝,所以做啥工作都认真、执着;我喜欢读书,工作之余,把大量的时间用在读书写作上,如同我们那里的土地一样,即使下百倍千倍的努力,收获依然十分有限,但是我心甘情愿,起早贪黑,日复一日,年复一年。很多时候,我活的是一种信念。
  • 一日一省大全集(超值金版)

    一日一省大全集(超值金版)

    《一日一省大全集(超值金版)》撷取了大师先哲的智慧,篇篇蕴含振聋发聩、发人深省的生活真理,促使你扪心自省,将你思想中浅薄、浮躁、消沉、自满、狂傲等污垢涤荡干净,让你在反思中重新认识自己,从反思中获取前进的力量。把“省”当成每日的功课,让它深植在你的心里,你就能理清生命的脉络,并让你的人生之路变得更加清晰、明了。心量有多大,事业就有多大;心能容多少,成就就有多少。