Page:Margaret Sherwood--A Puritan in Bohemia.djvu/115

A Puritan Bohemia the colours blend in your eye, not on the canvas. Here, in addition to that, the various elements of truth must blend in your soul in order to have coherence. 'All art is what you do when you look at it.'"

"Isn't that a subterfuge of the artist who hasn't energy to make his work perfect?"

"Perfection is limitation," answered Howard gravely. "Symbolism means trying to say more than can be said. The message transcends expression. Its imperfection is its greatness."

"Then there ought to be two kinds of expression," said Anne. "If the Art Club accepts this, I am going to write an explanatory poem for you to tack to the frame. It is positive cruelty to the masses to give them so much hidden meaning."

"The picture will speak to those who can listen. If you are the right spectator its meaning will flash upon you. For this is given it the touch of strangeness, of