Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 129.djvu/259

Rh when it springs from the author's individual nature, and is directed exclusively to the best expression of the idea of the moment. It is artificial and affected when it is made a distinct object of pursuit for its own sake, whether it be the original product of the person who uses it or consciously borrowed from another. So that, in this class of cases also, affectation connotes the presence of consciousness and deliberate volition with respect to a thing which ought, so to speak, to take care of itself by means of an instinctive or mechanical process.

In the affectations of art as well as in those of social life we may see the distinction between a comparatively harmless and a culpably insincere profession. Thus with respect to artistic imitation we draw a sharp line between affectation, or the adoption of another's style, and plagiarism, or the adoption of another's ideas. The latter term conveys a grave accusation of intellectual dishonesty, while the former is only in a very slight degree condemnatory. This difference is probably explained by the consideration that the borrowing of ideas is never, like the borrowing of style, to be excused on the ground of the limitation of the individual mind, for nobody has any business to write who has no ideas of his own to convey; also that the filching of an author's ideas is much more likely to impose on readers, and far more difficult to detect, than the adoption of an element of his style which lies patent, diffused, so to speak, over the whole surface of his writings.

We conclude, therefore, that the term affected has only a very slight amount of ethical force. In some cases it does no doubt imply the presence of some amount of falsification or simulation, but this is not of a serious character calling for stern disapprobation. On the other hand, people certainly do very often mean to express their strong dislike by this word, and we may reasonably infer that, as employed by the more refined and discerning, it strikes, so to speak, at a certain quality of deformity in the behaviour or action so described. In other words, an affectation is something which offends our aesthetic sentiment. This inference is fully borne out by a consideration of the essential qualities of affected actions. We have seen that they are such as possess a certain unnaturalness, being the result of conscious study and voluntary endeavour, instead of the spontaneous outflow of native or acquired disposition. The aesthetic charm of a good deal of human action resides in its unconsciousness. A man whose every action was directed by deliberate purpose and reflection would be intensely wearisome to the aesthetic eye, which loves before all other things in human character and conduct spontaneity and ease. There is, too, in all affected conduct a further repulsiveness which is connected with a recognition of illusion and pretence. Contradiction is always unsightly, and the deliberate simulation of a natural quality strikes us as an aesthetic dissonance. At the same time there are many examples of affectation which do not so much displease our sense of fitness and harmony as awaken our feeling for the ludicrous. This holds good especially of all the attempts of people to robe themselves in the unsuitable manners of their superiors. Of course this interpretation applies only to the term as employed with a certain degree of precision by thoughtful persons. Unfortunately, however, these are very few, and the greater number of people who use the term do so in the most slovenly manner. It naturally follows that these same people are utterly careless in making sure that the persons they thus vaguely characterize have the quality attributed to them. It will be seen from what we have said that it is often a matter of great delicacy of insight to decide whether a particular ingredient of a man's behaviour or an oddity of style is really an affectation.

 

the artistic works which will shortly be despatched from this country to the Philadelphia Exhibition, few will be more attractive than the embroideries made by the ladies of the Kensington School of Art Needlework. The fabrics to be sent to the exhibition are gradually, as they are completed, being placed for a short time in the public room of the school, so that those interested in such matters may inspect them. Embroideries applied to articles of domestic use, such as doilies, tablecloths, panels for furniture, curtains, wall-hangings, etc., are shown. These works often show an amount of taste and skill which reflects credit upon the institution. But, though new life seems to have been given to artistic needlework, perfection is far off yet. The specimens often please on account of their novelty and freshness, but if we 