A work of art is first cloudily conceived in the mind; during
the period of gestation it stands more clearly forward from
these swaddling mists, puts on expressive lineaments, and
becomes at length that most faultless, but also, alas! that
incommunicable product of the human mind, a perfected design.
On the approach to execution all is changed. The artist must
now step down, don his working clothes, and become the
artisan. He now resolutely commits his airy conception, his
delicate Ariel, to the touch of matter; he must decide,
almost in a breath, the scale, the style, the spirit, and the
particularity of execution of his whole design.
The engendering idea of some works is stylistic; a technical
preoccupation stands them instead of some robuster principle
of life. And with these the execution is but play; for the
stylistic problem is resolved beforehand, and all large
originality of treatment wilfully foregone. Such are the
verses, intricately designed, which we have learnt to admire,
with a certain smiling admiration, at the hands of Mr. Lang
and Mr. Dobson; such, too, are those canvases where dexterity
or even breadth of plastic style takes the place of pictorial
nobility of design. So, it may be remarked, it was easier to
begin to write ESMOND than VANITY FAIR, since, in the first,
the style was dictated by the nature of the plan; and
Thackeray, a man probably of some indolence of mind, enjoyed
and got good profit of this economy of effort.
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