handicraftsman. The one was not too free, the other was not a slave. The
eye of the artist saw, his brain conceived, his imagination created, but
the hand of the weaver had also its opportunity for wonderful work, and
did not copy what was already made, but re-created and put into a new and
delightful form a design that for its perfection needed the loom to aid,
and had to pass into a fresh and marvellous material before its beauty
came to its real flower and blossom of absolutely right expression and
artistic effect. But, said Mr. Morris in conclusion, to have great work
we must be worthy of it. Commercialism, with its vile god cheapness, its
callous indifference to the worker, its innate vulgarity of temper, is
our enemy. To gain anything good we must sacrifice something of our
luxury--must think more of others, more of the State, the commonweal: 'We
cannot have riches and wealth both,' he said; we must choose between
them.

The lecture was listened to with great attention by a very large and
distinguished audience, and Mr. Morris was loudly applauded.

The next lecture will be on Sculpture by Mr. George Simonds, and if it is
half so good as Mr. Morris it will well repay a visit to the
lecture-room. Mr. Crane deserves great credit for his exertions in
making this exhibition what it should be, and there is no doubt but that
it will exercise an important and a good influence on all the handicrafts
of our country.




SCULPTURE AT THE ARTS AND CRAFTS