假如给我三天光明（11）Myhandshavelingereduponthelivingmarbleofromansculptureaswellasthatoflatergenerations.IhavepassedmyhandsoveraplastercastofMichelangelｏ'sinspiringandheroicMoses;IhavesensedthepowerofRodin;IhavebeenawedbythedevotedspiritofGothicwoodcarving.Theseartswhichcanbetouchedhavemeaningforme?buteventheyweremeanttobeseenratherthanfelt?andIcanonlyguessatthebeautywhichremainshiddenfromme.IcanadmirethesimplelinesofaGreekvase?butitsfigureddecorationsarelosttome.Soonthis?myseconddayofsight?Ishouldtrytoprobeintothesoulofmanthroughthisart.ThethingsIknewthroughtoesplendidstill?thewholemagnificentworldofpaintingwouldbeopenedtome,fromtheItalianPrimitives?withtheirserenereligiousdevotion?totheModerns,withtheirfeverishvisions.IshouldlookdeepintothecanvasesofRaphael,LeonardodaVinci?Titian?Rembrandt.IshouldwanttofeastmyeyesuponthewarmcolorsofVeronese?studythemysteriesofE1Greco?catchanewvisionofNaturefromCorot.Oh?thereissomuchrichmeaningandbeautyintheartoftheagesforyouwhohaveeyestosee!UponmyshortvisittothistempleofartIshouldnotbeabletoreviewafractionofthatgreatworldofartwhichisopentoyou.Ishouldbeabletogetonlyasuperficialimpression.Artiststellmethatfordeepandtrueappreciationofartonemmustlearnthroughexperiencetoweighthemeritsofline?ofcomposition?offormandcolor.IfIhadeyes?howhappilywouldIembarkuponsofascinatingastudy!YetIamtoldthat?tomanyofyouwhohaveeyestosee?theworldofartisadarknight?unexploredandunilluminated.ItwouldbewithextremereluctancethatIshouldleavetheMetropolitanMuseum?whichcontainsthekeytobeauty—abeautysoneglected.Seeingpersons?however?donotneedametropolitantofindthiskeytobeauty.Thesamekeylieswaitinginsmallermuseums?andinbooksontheshelvesofevensmalllibraries.Butnaturally?inmylimitedtimeofimaginarysight?Ishouldchoosetheplacewherethekeyunlocksthegreatesttreasuresintheshortesttime.TheeveningofmyseconddayofsightIshouldspendatatheatreoratthemovies.EvennowIoftenattendtheatricalperformancesofallsorts?buttheactionoftheplaymustbespelledintomyhandbyacompanion.ButhowIshouldliketoseewithmyowneyesthefascinatingfigureofHamlet?orthegustyFalstaff***dcolorfulElizabethantrappings!HowIshouldliketofolloweachmovementofthegracefulHamlet?eachstrutoftheheartyFalstaff!AndsinceIcouldseeonlyoneplay?Ishouldbeconfrontedbyamany?horneddilemma?fortherearescoresofplaysIshouldwanttosee.Youwhohaveeyescanseeanyyoulike.Howmanyofyou?Iwonder?whenyougazeataplay?amovie?oranyspectacle?realizeandgivethanksforthemiracleofsightwhichenablesyoutoenjoyitscolor?grace?andmovement?