DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41193#0027
no further than to suggest rebellion in general as a
remedy, the end of which rebellion, if successful,
must needs be to set up some form of art again as
a necessary solace of mankind*
But to say the truth, this leads me to making an-
other suggestion, a practical one I consider it* Sup-
pose we start by rebelling at once; because when
I spoke of the world havingto choose between ac-
cepting and rejecting art, I did not suppose that
its choice could be final if it chose to reject it. No,
the rebellion will have to come and will be vic-
torious, don't doubt that; only if we wait till the
tyranny is firmly established our rebellion will
have to be a Nihilistic one; every help would be
gone save deadly anger and the hope that comes
of despair; whereas if we begin now, the change
and the counter-change will work together, and
the new art will come upon us gradually, and we
shall one day see it marching on steadily and vic-
toriously, though its battle has raised no clamour,
we, or our sons, or our sons' sons*
How shall our rebellion begin then? WLat is the
remedy for the lack of due pleasure in their work
which has befallen all craftsmen, and for the con-
sequent sickness of art and degradation of civilize
ation ?
I am afraid whatever answer I may make to that
question will disappoint you. I myself suffer so
sorely from the lack above-mentioned that I have
little remedy in myself save that of fostering dis-
19
Lecture II*
Art and the
Beauty of
the Earth.
remedy, the end of which rebellion, if successful,
must needs be to set up some form of art again as
a necessary solace of mankind*
But to say the truth, this leads me to making an-
other suggestion, a practical one I consider it* Sup-
pose we start by rebelling at once; because when
I spoke of the world havingto choose between ac-
cepting and rejecting art, I did not suppose that
its choice could be final if it chose to reject it. No,
the rebellion will have to come and will be vic-
torious, don't doubt that; only if we wait till the
tyranny is firmly established our rebellion will
have to be a Nihilistic one; every help would be
gone save deadly anger and the hope that comes
of despair; whereas if we begin now, the change
and the counter-change will work together, and
the new art will come upon us gradually, and we
shall one day see it marching on steadily and vic-
toriously, though its battle has raised no clamour,
we, or our sons, or our sons' sons*
How shall our rebellion begin then? WLat is the
remedy for the lack of due pleasure in their work
which has befallen all craftsmen, and for the con-
sequent sickness of art and degradation of civilize
ation ?
I am afraid whatever answer I may make to that
question will disappoint you. I myself suffer so
sorely from the lack above-mentioned that I have
little remedy in myself save that of fostering dis-
19
Lecture II*
Art and the
Beauty of
the Earth.