n the canvas by clever men
who have learnt this trade. As for how a story may be told on canvas,
the way in which the conception of the artist has been executed, the
truth of the drawing, the fidelity of colouring--on these points no
questions are asked and no curiosity is expressed. Why should they?
Painting they regard as one of the arts which may be learned for a
trade, like matchmaking or shoemaking. Remember that it never occurs
to people to learn the mysteries of any trade beside their own. On my
last visit to this museum, for instance, I chanced upon two women who
were standing before a vase. It was a large and very beautiful vase,
of admirable form and proportions, and it was decorated on the top by
a group representing three captives chained to the rock. Their comment
on this work of art was as follows: 'Look,' said one, 'look at those
poor men chained to the rock.' 'Yes,' replied the other, 'poor
fellows! ain't it shocking?'

To their eyes the only thing to be looked at was the group of figures,
and the only suggestion made to their minds by the vase related to the
story, thus half told, of the captives. As for the vase itself, it was
nothing; the workmanship and painting were nothing; the sculpturing of
the figures was nothing.

It is constantly argued that the mere contemplation of things
beautiful creates this artistic sense--the sense of beauty. This is
undoubtedly true if one were to dwell entirely among beautiful things.
But how if for one thing which is beautiful you are made to
contemplate a hundred which are not? Suppose you offer a girl of
untrained eye a choice of costumes, of which one is artistic and the
rest are all hideous, how can you expect her to know the one--the only
one--which she sought to choose? Or, again, if you allow a boy to read
and learn as much bad poetry as good, what can you expect of his
standard of taste? In other words, when the surroundings of life are
wholly without Art, an occasional visit to a collection of paintings
cannot create an intelligent appreciation of Art.

Again, there are many branches and diverse forms or Art. For Instance,
there is music, there is singing there is acting, there is sculpture,
poetry, fiction; and besides these there are working in metals,
engraving in wood and copper, leather work, brass work, fret work, and
decoration. None of these arts are illustrated and recognised in the
Bethnal Green Museum, Yet, when we speak of the spreading of Art