Life — October 28, 1909 — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Every Man His Own Critic DON'T know much about art’ (or music, as the case may be), “but | know what I like.”* 'Tis the voice of the Philistine; you've heard him declaim. Brave Philistine! At least he has the courage of his bad taste—that is to say, if he is an Ameri- can. In England it seems to be oth wise. If we are to believe the Hon. John Collier, an English painter of some repute, the British public that buys pi lures is too modest to judge for itself, yet too wholesome to swallow the sort of fare recommended by the average and critic. That is why so few pic are sold, says Mr. Collier in the Nine- teenth Century, and that is why he should like to urge all people who care for pictures to have the courage of their likes and dislikes."* He is confident th pictures “smaller, less ugly, less weird- ly unlike nature, less dismal,’’ would find a ready market, and advises his brothers of the brush to please their customers rather than themselves It will be observed that Mr. Collier arraigns not the public taste but the taste of the artist and his ally the critic Now, we don't know much about and of course Mr. Collicr does, and it may be that he is ht; but we confess to being taken off our feet by the prin- ciples he espouses. If his essential con tention holds good in art, why not letters? We shudder to think what might happen if authors and critics al dicated in favor of the public. There would be no telling Thomas Hardy from Hall Caine. Tom Lawson would be “featured '’ in the <tlantic, Gorly in the Ladies’ Home Jouri George Ber- nard Shaw would emulate the more pop- ular style of Hamilton Wright Mabie; Henry James would contribute the “Daily Short Story’? to the ing Mail, We can even see Mr. Kipling as a contributor of topical verses to Th Sun's editorial page—indeed, why not? For the truth is, in our own beloved country one man’s opinions of art and poetry and such is quite as good as an other's—if not a little better—and it isn't because he doesn’t know it, but be- cause he doesn’t have time to think about it, that we are spared the state of things evoked by the Hon. John Collier's suggestion. The Sense of Humor DLY opening our half-morocco, gold- lettered file of Coltier’s, and casually thumbing the back numbers—for what else can we do until a new number ap- pears?—our eye is arrested by certain remarks in the first person plural. The editor opines that the value of a sense of humor is sometimes overestimated and wonders why it is that any person reproached with lacking it will moze carnestly resent the criticism than if he were taxed with a deficient sense of beauty. (Continued on page 573) NEXT WEEK The Thanksgiving Life Colored Cover by Flagg A DOUBLE NUMBER Obey That Impulse “T must subscribe to LIFE Did you ever say that to yourself— and then forget it— antil the next time ? Now there are several Reasons Why you should subscribe Yo LIFE foal’ tithe in are “of berug ubliged 10. confess that peertal Nituencoy se posaibles 30u_ beet It joue for yourself, Seventh: Hecause, if you don’t subscribe regularis, you may mise an occasiooal number, Why lay’ sourceit open Yom calamity like thi Eighth: Because, at the present moment, it doesn’t to be really necessary. Thia 1s the things. afe calwagerthe “tooat important. ey i zone of sour own pers i and’ accordiog as ‘you Dring yourself to do Them will sod fixe above the bun If—after reading these reasons—you conclude to subscribe, do not permit your- self the slightest feeling. of sembarrassment because you have not hitherto done so. We shall say nothing about it. We shall keep the affair absolutely confidential It will just be between us. We shall welcome you as if you had always been. Your past.avill not be held up against you. We already have the ninety and nine, we want YOU Remit Five Dollars to LIFE, 17 West 31st Street, New York. It will bring LIF to you for 52 weeks (including all specials). A handsome picture free to all xew sub scribers. Catalogue for selection returned to you on receipt of money. comicbooks.com