MR. EPSTEIN AND THE MAN IN THE STREET
; . [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SII4•=1hOlIgh an old man, I heartily accept the dictum, itite, that the purpose of art is self-expression. The sense. of beauty being a passion, its expression is absolutely essential to our individual and racial evolution : moreover, it is unchangeable, however authoritative its fluctuations and fashions. My father, George MacDonald, a Victorian writer of note in .bis day, expressed the claim in these words, " The freedoin of the rose tree is the rose." In the sense of this aphorism, it must be conceded that Mr. Epstein's works achieve self-expression. But what expression I Take one of the more intelligible and concrete of these Old Testament draWinics—" And God blessed the Seventh Day." To one man in the street at least, Mr. Epstein's horrible Jehovah is just an angry, not very intelligent Being, dismayed at the horrors of which he has been guilty and for which he may well implore the forgiveness of Adam, created unfortunately in His likeness. I went again yesterday to look at these repulsive, technically outrageous drawings, some of which, were they exhibited in an East End dive, a penny for gate- nMneY, would certainly attract the critics of Scotland Yard. But this particular drawing dealing with the Sabbath is exceptionally intelligible and I would invite those who think I MIL hardly justified in writing thus strongly to glance at two others, "The Spirit of God upon the Face of the Waters," and " David Dances."
After all, I must be quite " Modern ; for I went from the Redfern Gallery to the French Exhibition. Only to see the vast crowd of men and women in the street, their faces all uplifted by the mighty pictures, was enough to get the bad taste out.of my mouth.—I am, Sir, &c., Your Half-century Reader,
GREVILLE MACDONALD (M.D.).
.ROgil Societies Cluk S.W.1.
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