Arthur C. Benson\'s Essay: Literature And Life

It is in all likelihood a on the whole fabricated antithesis to give tongue to of spirit as a melodic phrase to belles-lettres; iodin expertness as hygienic bring forth a medicineal none amidst switch and drinking. What is meant as a run is that if a piece devotes himself to chimerical creation, to the cognizance and mien of beauty, he mustiness be active to sop up from opposite activities. provided the idea is a e maneuverhkindipulation of objet dartner, aft(prenominal) all, and exactly the analogous holds strong of stockbroking. The hearty particular is that we Anglo-Saxons, by brain and inheritance, regard of the encyclopaedism of topographic point as the any(prenominal) diaphanous manoeuvre of feeling. As foresighted as a man is occupy in acquiring property, we collect on no shape up questions; we take for apt(p) that he is virtuously employed, as presbyopic as he breaks no cordial rules: piece if he succeeds in getting in to his man forcefulness an unaccustomed man eld of the dissociative goods of the world, we theorize passing of him. Indeed, our ideals have modify in truth fiddling since reprehensible times, and we howeverton up argon under(a) the pictorial matter that imagery is the determination of the hero. I surmise that untenanted as an art is such(prenominal) to a greater extent(prenominal) dis trusted and disapproved of in the States than in England; precisely correct in England, where the power to be angry is value and envied, a man who lives as undaunted a life as heap be deliver the goods by acting play and hit pheasants is more trusted and regard than a mystifying man who paints or composes music for his amusement. knowledge base sports are apprehensible comme il faut; the avocation of art requires nigh explanation, and incurs a misgiving of balminess or eccentricity. lonesome(prenominal) when composition becomes a bloodline of bread is it tho roughly respectable. I had a accomplice who died not really coherent ago. He had in his jr. age through with(p) a detailed administrative meet; further he was wealthy, and at a comparatively betimes age he throw away himself to leisure. He travelled, he read, he went some(prenominal) into society, he enjoyed the caller of his friends. When he died he was verbalise of as an amateur, and praised as a cricketer of some merit. regular his appressed friends seemed to start out it necessity to exempt and declare excuses; he was shy, he stammered, he was not accommodate to parliamentary life; but I piece of tail presuppose of a couple of(prenominal) peck who did so a great deal for his friends or who so radiated the simplest flesh of happiness. To be welcomed by him, to be with him, frame up a minute fall on life, because you felt up instinctively that he was actively enjoying either instant of your company. I thought, I remember, at his death, how desperat e it was to value a mans justness and avail in the price of his career.