I should like to make life beautiful--I mean everybody's…
““I should like to make life beautiful--I mean everybody's life. And then all this immense expense of art, that seems somehow to lie outside life and make it no better for the world, pains one. It spoils my enjoyment of anything when I am made to think that most people are shut out from it." I call that the fanaticism of sympathy," said Will, impetuously. "You might say the same of landscape, of poetry, of all refinement. If you carried it out you ought to be miserable in your own goodness, and turn evil that you might have no advantage over others. The best piety is to enjoy--when you can. You are doing the most then to save the earth's character as an agreeable planet. And enjoyment radiates. It is of no use to try and take care of all the world; that is being taken care of when you feel delight--in art or in anything else. Would you turn all the youth of the world into a tragic chorus, wailing and moralising over misery? I suspect that you have some false belief in the virtues of misery, and want to make your life a martyrdom.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Art and beauty should be enjoyed rather than turned into moral obligations that cause suffering.
In simple terms: Enjoy art without feeling guilty.
Key Takeaway
Seek pleasure in creativity without self‑imposed martyrdom.
Themes
art
beauty
ethics
Mood
thoughtful
contemplative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- museum visits
- personal creation
- art education
- community projects
Key Concepts
aestheticism
humanism
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we sometimes feel art must serve a moral purpose?
- Can art be both beautiful and socially responsible?
A Different Perspective
Obsessing over moralizing art can stifle its joy and usefulness.