Money
It is curious that money, which is the most valuable thing in life,
exceptis excipiendis, should be the most fatal corrupter of music,
literature, painting and all the arts. As soon as any art is pursued
with a view to money, then farewell, in ninety-nine cases out of a
hundred, all hope of genuine good work. If a man has money at his
back, he may touch these things and do something which will live a
long while, and he may be very happy in doing it; if he has no money,
he may do good work, but the chances are he will be killed in doing
it and for having done it; or he may make himself happy by doing bad
work and getting money out of it, and there is no great harm in this,
provided he knows his work is done in this spirit and rates it for
its commercial value only. Still, as a rule, a man should not touch
any of the arts as a creator unless be has a discreta posizionina
behind him.
Modern Simony
It is not the dealing in livings but the thinking they can buy the
Holy Ghost for money which vulgar rich people indulge in when they
dabble in literature, music and painting.
Nevertheless, on reflection it must be admitted that the Holy Ghost
is very hard to come by without money. For the Holy Ghost is only
another term for the Fear of the Lord, which is Wisdom. And though
Wisdom cannot be gotten for gold, still less can it be gotten without
it.
Pages:
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246