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accessible to architecture； to pictures； to statues； to dresses； and to the arts
of the stage。 Every device of art should be brought to bear on the young；
so that they may discover some form of it that delights them naturally； for
there will come to all of them that period between dawning adolescence
and full maturity when the pleasures and emotions of art will have to
satisfy cravings which； if starved or insulted； may become morbid and
seek disgraceful satisfactions； and； if prematurely gratified otherwise than
poetically； may destroy the stamina of the race。 And it must be borne in
mind that the most dangerous art for this necessary purpose is the art that
presents itself as religious ecstasy。 Young people are ripe for love long
before they are ripe for religion。 Only a very foolish person would
substitute the Imitation of Christ for Treasure Island as a present for a boy
or girl； or for Byron's Don Juan as a present for a swain or lass。
Pickwick is the safest saint for us in our nonage。 Flaubert's Temptation of
St Anthony is an excellent book for a man of fifty； perhaps the best within
reach as a healthy study of visionary ecstasy； but for the purposes of a boy
of fifteen Ivanhoe and the Templar make a much better saint and devil。
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And the boy of fifteen will find this out for himself if he is allowed to
wander in a well…stocked literary garden； and hear bands and see pictures
and spend his pennies on cinematograph shows。 His choice may often be
rather disgusting to his elders when they want him to choose the best
before he is ready for it。 The greatest Protestant Manifesto ever written；
as far as I know； is Houston Chamberlain's Foundations of the Nineteenth
Century： everybody capable of it should read it。 Probably the History
of Maria Monk is at the opposite extreme of merit （this is a guess： I have
never read it）； but it is certain that a boy let loose in a library would go for
Maria Monk and have no use whatever for Mr Chamberlain。 I should
probably have read Maria Monk myself if I had not had the Arabian
Nights and their like to occupy me better。 In art； children； like adults； will
find their level if they are left free to find it； and not restricted to what
adults think good for them。 Just at present our young people are going
mad over ragtimes； apparently because syncopated rhythms are new to
them。 If they had learnt what can be done with syncopation from
Beethoven's third Leonora overture； they would enjoy the ragtimes all the
more； but they would put them in their proper place as amusing
vulgarities。
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Artist Idolatry
But there are more dangerous influences than ragtimes waiting for
people brought up in ignorance of fine art。 Nothing is more pitiably
ridiculous than the wild worship of artists by those who have never been
seasoned in youth to the enchantments of art。 Tenors and prima donnas；
pianists and violinists； actors and actresses enjoy powers of seduction
which in the middle ages would have exposed them to the risk of being
burnt for sorcery。 But as they exercise this power by singing； playing；
and acting； no great harm is done except perhaps to themselves。 Far
graver are the powers enjoyed by brilliant persons who are also
connoisseurs in art。 The influence they can exercise on young people
who have been brought up in the darkness and wretchedness of a home
without art； and in whom a natural bent towards art has always been
baffled and snubbed； is incredible to those who have not witnessed and
understood it。 He （or she） who reveals the world of art to them opens
heaven to them。 They become satellites； disciples； worshippers of the
apostle。 Now the apostle may be a voluptuary without much conscience。
Nature may have given him enough virtue to suffice in a reasonable
environment。 But this allowance may not be enough to defend him
against the temptation and demoralization of finding himself a little god
on the strength of what ought to be a quite ordinary culture。 He may find
adorers in all directions in our uncultivated society among people of
stronger character than himself； not one of whom； if they had been
artistically educated； would have had anything to learn from him or
regarded him as in any way extraordinary apart from his actual
achievements as an artist。 Tartuffe is not always a priest。 Indeed he is not
always a rascal： he is often a weak man absurdly credited with
omniscience and perfection； and taking unfair advantages only because
they are offered to him and he is too weak to refuse。 Give everyone his
culture； and no one will offer him more than his due。
In thus delivering our children from the idolatry of the artist； we shall
not destroy for them the enchantment of art： on the contrary； we shall
teach them to demand art everywhere as a condition attainable by
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cultivating the body； mind； and heart。 Art； said Morris； is the expression
of pleasure in work。 And certainly； when work is made detestable by
slavery； there is no art。 It is only when learning is made a slavery by
tyrannical teachers that art becomes loathsome to the pupil。
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〃The Machine〃
When we set to work at a Constitution to secure freedom for children；
we had better bear in mind that the children may not be at all obliged to us
for our pains。 Rousseau said that men are born free； and this saying； in
its proper bearings； was and is a great and true saying； yet let it not lead us
into the error of supposing that all men long for freedom and embrace it
when it is offered to them。 On the contrary； it has to be forced on them；
and even then they will give it the slip if it is not religiously inculcated and
strongly safeguarded。
Besides； men are born docile； and must in the nature of things remain
so with regard to everything they do not understand。 Now political
science and the art of govemment are among the things they do not
understand； and indeed are not at present allowed to understand。 They
can be enslaved by a system； as we are at present； because it happens to be
there； and nobody understands it。 An intelligently worked Capitalist
system； as Comte saw； would give us all that most of us are intelligent
enough to want。 What makes it produce such unspeakably vile results is
that it is an automatic system which is as little understood by those who
profit by it in money as by those who are starved and degraded by it： our
millionaires and statesmen are manifestly no more 〃captains of industry〃
or scientific politicians than our bookmakers are mathematicians。 For
some time past a significant word has been coming into use as a substitute
for Destiny； Fate； and Providence。 It is 〃The Machine〃： the machine
that has no god in it。 Why do governments do nothing in spite of reports
of Royal Commissions that establish the most frightful urgency？ Why do
our philanthropic millionaires do nothing； though they are ready to throw
bucketfuls of gold into the streets？ The Machine will not let them。
Alwa