OUT OF DOOES WITH NATUEE. 319 



they when we are untrue to ourselves 'that the icy points 

 dropt in gazing from their dim far homes into our souls, 

 may freeze us into shudderings of awe ! but these Flow- 

 Stars of Earth they do not so ! They are no deadly-eyed 

 and distant strangers but with meek upward faces they 

 soothe us with soft eyes, and in the warm breath of sweetest 

 odors, exhale their loving lives in tenderness for us ! This 

 is the Astrology of Love that cannot lie the Alchemy, 

 Elixir, Spell that shall renew our Youth forever. 



Then let us go forth out of doors with Nature ! 



See how even art has sold her birthright! for after 

 all that has been said in a pompous criticism about Art, 

 old mother nature sets our learning at nought, in " mere sim- 

 plicity." The Human Artist, working under terror of the 

 "Rules," attempts too much. He does not deign to look at 

 Her as his great teacher, but turning in veneration towards 

 some " Name" weak as his own except in notoriety he in- 

 carnates nature in a school, and tamely strives rather to re- 

 produce its errors to perpetuate its dogmas than to search 

 for living truths himself. 



Thus he attempts too much if he have one instinct of 

 art in him for in the effort to serve both nature and the 

 " Master," he confounds the two crowds and over works his 

 picture, and utterly destroys all unity and directness of 

 effect. 



The fact is, men are afraid of nature so accustumed are 

 they to the regalia of honor and of state, that her plainness 

 repells them. They do not understand dignity or greatness, 

 or nobility, divested of and separate from the " tricksey 

 pomps" of "ribbons," "garters," gew gaws, &c. 



They convey this morbid appetite into landscape uncon- 

 sciously, and hence the horrid array of blazing pictures we 

 find on the walls of our exhibitions. The scenes must be all 

 Autumn loaded with garish colors trees like hay -ricks on 

 fire ; or, Indian Summer all haze with red sunsets, like 

 the flaming faces of market women from behind their Sun- 



