On Art and Artists

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. There exists a school of aestheticism which laughs contemptuously at the mere sight of this superscrip tion. Art having a mission! What utter nonsense. A person must be a rank Philistine to connect with the idea Of art the conception of a non-artistic mission, be it social or otherwise. Has a work of art any other mission than to give pleasure by beauty? It strives to attain no goal that lies out side of itself. It is its own Object, and whoever assigns to it another, sins against the sanctity Of art.