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THE MOON AND SIXPENCE byW.SomersetMaugham StyledbyLimpidSoft Contents ChapterI 4 ChapterVIII 43 ChapterII 14 ChapterIX 54 ChapterIII 19 ChapterX 58 ChapterIV 24 ChapterXI 68 ChapterV 31 ChapterXII 75 ChapterVI 35 ChapterXIII 88 ChapterVII 40 ChapterXIV 93 2 CONTENTS ChapterXV 99 ChapterXXVIII 189 ChapterXVI 110 ChapterXXIX 200 ChapterXVII 113 ChapterXXX 206 ChapterXVIII 117 ChapterXXXI 212 ChapterXIX 122 ChapterXXXII 217 ChapterXX 133 ChapterXXXIII 221 ChapterXXI 139 ChapterXXXIV 226 ChapterXXII 150 ChapterXXXV 233 ChapterXXIII 154 ChapterXXXVI 237 ChapterXXIV 161 ChapterXXXVII 239 ChapterXXV 169 ChapterXXXVIII 242 ChapterXXVI 178 ChapterXXXIX 248 ChapterXXVII 185 ChapterXL 258 3 CONTENTS ChapterXLI 263 ChapterL 339 ChapterXLII 277 ChapterLI 347 ChapterXLIII 285 ChapterLII 355 ChapterXLIV 295 ChapterLIII 358 ChapterXLV 299 ChapterLIV 366 ChapterXLVI 304 ChapterLV 373 ChapterXLVII 311 ChapterLVI 387 ChapterXLVIII 327 ChapterLVII 391 ChapterXLIX 333 ChapterLVIII 400 4 Thepresentdocumentwasderivedfromtext provided by Project Gutenberg (document 222)whichwasmadeavailablefreeofcharge. Thisdocumentisalsofreeofcharge. Chapter I I confess that when first I made acquaintance with CharlesStricklandIneverforamomentdiscernedthat there was in him anything out of the ordinary. Yet now fewwillbefoundtodenyhisgreatness.Idonotspeakof that greatness which is achieved by the fortunate politi- cianorthesuccessfulsoldier; thatisaqualitywhichbe- longstotheplaceheoccupiesratherthantotheman;and achangeofcircumstancesreducesittoverydiscreetpro- portions. The Prime Minister out of office is seen, too often, to have been but a pompous rhetorician, and the Generalwithoutanarmyisbutthetameheroofamarket town. ThegreatnessofCharlesStricklandwasauthentic. It may be that you do not like his art, but at all events 6 CHAPTER I you can hardly refuse it the tribute of your interest. He disturbs and arrests. The time has passed when he was anobjectofridicule,anditisnolongeramarkofeccen- tricitytodefendorofperversitytoextolhim. Hisfaults are accepted as the necessary complement to his merits. Itisstillpossibletodiscusshisplaceinart,andtheadu- lation of his admirers is perhaps no less capricious than the disparagement of his detractors; but one thing can neverbedoubtful,andthatisthathehadgenius. Tomy mindthemostinterestingthinginartisthepersonalityof theartist;andifthatissingular,Iamwillingtoexcusea thousandfaults.IsupposeVelasquezwasabetterpainter thanElGreco,butcustomstalesone’sadmirationforhim: theCretan,sensualandtragic,proffersthemysteryofhis soullikeastandingsacrifice. Theartist,painter,poet,or musician, by his decoration, sublime or beautiful, satis- fies the aesthetic sense; but that is akin to the sexual in- stinct, and shares its barbarity: he lays before you also thegreatergiftofhimself.Topursuehissecrethassome- thingofthefascinationofadetectivestory. Itisariddle which shares with the universe the merit of having no answer.ThemostinsignificantofStrickland’sworkssug- gestsapersonalitywhichisstrange,tormented,andcom- plex;anditisthissurelywhichpreventseventhosewho 7 CHAPTER I donotlikehispicturesfrombeingindifferenttothem;it isthiswhichhasexcitedsocuriousaninterestinhislife andcharacter. It was not till four years after Strickland’s death that MauriceHuretwrotethatarticleinthe MercuredeFrance which rescued the unknown painter from oblivion and blazed the trail which succeeding writers, with more or less docility, have followed. For a long time no critichasenjoyedinFranceamoreincontestableauthor- ity, and it was impossible not to be impressed by the claimshemade;theyseemedextravagant;butlaterjudg- mentshaveconfirmedhisestimate,andthereputationof CharlesStricklandisnowfirmlyestablishedonthelines which he laid down. The rise of this reputation is one of the most romantic incidents in the history of art. But I do not propose to deal with Charles Strickland’s work except in so far as it touches upon his character. I can- notagreewiththepainterswhoclaimsuperciliouslythat thelaymancanunderstandnothingofpainting,andthat he can best show his appreciation of their works by si- lenceandacheque-book. Itisagrotesquemisapprehen- sionwhichseesinartnomorethanacraftcomprehensi- bleperfectlyonlytothecraftsman: artisamanifestation ofemotion,andemotionspeaksalanguagethatallmay 8 CHAPTER I understand. But I will allow that the critic who has not apracticalknowledgeoftechniqueisseldomabletosay anythingonthesubjectofrealvalue,andmyignoranceof paintingisextreme. Fortunately,thereisnoneedforme torisktheadventure,sincemyfriend,Mr. EdwardLeg- gatt, an able writer as well as an admirable painter, has exhaustivelydiscussedCharlesStrickland’sworkinalit- tle book<note>"A Modern Artist: Notes on the Work of Charles Strickland," by Edward Leggatt, A.R.H.A. Mar- tinSecker,1917.</note>whichisacharmingexampleof astyle,forthemostpart,lesshappilycultivatedinEng- landthaninFrance. Maurice Huret in his famous article gave an outline of Charles Strickland’s life which was well calculated to whet the appetites of the inquiring. With his dis- interested passion for art, he had a real desire to call the attention of the wise to a talent which was in the highest degree original; but he was too good a journal- ist to be unaware that the "human interest" would en- able him more easily to effect his purpose. And when such as had come in contact with Strickland in the past, writers who had known him in London, painters who had met him in the cafes of Montmartre, discovered to theiramazementthatwheretheyhadseenbutanunsuc- 9 CHAPTER I cessful artist, like another, authentic genius had rubbed shoulderswiththemtherebegantoappearinthemaga- zinesofFranceandAmericaasuccessionofarticles, the reminiscencesofone,theappreciationofanother,which added to Strickland’s notoriety, and fed without satisfy- ingthecuriosityofthepublic. Thesubjectwasgrateful, and the industrious Weitbrecht-Rotholz in his imposing monograph<note>"KarlStrickland:seinLebenundseine Kunst," by Hugo Weitbrecht-Rotholz, Ph.D. Schwingel undHanisch.Leipzig,1914.</note>hasbeenabletogive aremarkablelistofauthorities. The faculty for myth is innate in the human race. It seizes with avidity upon any incidents, surprising or mysterious, in the career of those who have at all dis- tinguished themselves from their fellows, and invents a legend to which it then attaches a fanatical belief. It is the protest of romance against the commonplace of life. Theincidentsofthelegendbecomethehero’ssurestpass- porttoimmortality. Theironicphilosopherreflectswith asmilethatSirWalterRaleighismoresafelyinshrinedin thememoryofmankindbecausehesethiscloakforthe VirginQueentowalkonthanbecausehecarriedtheEn- glishnametoundiscoveredcountries.CharlesStrickland livedobscurely. Hemadeenemiesratherthanfriends. It 10

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The Moon And Sixpence PDF is a popular British Literature Novel written by W. Somerset Maugham. The book was originally published on April 15, 1919. It follows the genre of Fiction, Classic, Art, Literature,