/Maintenance 237 



simple appropriateness and from a blending of delicate 

 and pathetic elements of a certain unascertained pro- 

 portion. It seems to touch unknown memories into 

 life and to give a hint of the workings of some whimsical, 

 half tenderly conceived spirit brooding over its work, 

 adding a touch of form here, and a dash of colour there, 

 and pleased to see when all is done that it is good. " 



This is fine, and in a way true, but after all it is only 

 an attempt to express the inexpressible. The magic 

 and mystery may be there, but the interpretation, who 

 will give it? If the charm is there, all will recognize 

 it, either consciously or unconsciously, in any bit of 

 landscape as well as elsewhere. The best course to 

 pursue is to keep the charm as far as possible untouched 

 and to set anything like buildings or plants outside of 

 its sphere of influence. Its inherent quality is strangely 

 fragile. On the other hand, if one were so fortunate 

 as to give something of this subtile charm to a bit of 

 landscape work, one should never allow it to be marred 

 by a too strict adherence to academic influences; and 

 moreover, having once created a picture possessing 

 this precious quality, it behooves the artist to cherish 

 and maintain his work in the excellent way that has 

 been briefly, and all too unsatisfactorily, suggested in 

 previous parts of this chapter. 



