Justin Schwartz wrote:
> >CB: So what is the problem with having a political standard for art ?
> >
>
> None, as long as it is one standard among many, and is enforced only by the
> critics and the public rather than the cops.
>
I like the idea of multiple standards (which I would prefer to label multiple decorums), and I also agree abstractly with your rejection of enforcement of one of them by the cops. That, however (and of course), is a bit too simple -- which is part of the reason why after about 25 years of struggling with some of the issues implicit here I am no nearer a solution than I was when the import of the "Temptation of Athens" in Paradise Lost first dawned on me. That "dawning" coincided with my discovery that I had been incorrectly remembering a phrase in "Martinus Scriblerus on the Poem," part of the prefatory matter of the Dunciad Varioruu. I had remembered it as being "a deluge of bad authors." But on rereading it back in the mid-70s discovered that what Pope actually wrote was "a deluge of authors cover'd the land." _Authors_ period -- NOT "bad authors." And this discovery of misrembering a quotation coincided with my rereading of Paradise Regained. Beginning in the early 17th century, _the_ problem of (what came to be called a few centuries later) "high culture" was THAT THERE TOO FUCKING MANY FIRST-RATE AUTHORS, too many regardless of what standard one chose. And incidentally, Pope and his contemporaries often referred to early 17th century authors as writing "before the flood," without so far as I can remember now ever specifying in what the flood consisted.
Now one of the "miracles" of capitalist society (most visible in democracies but I don't doubt operates as the ground of more direct tyrannies in totalitatian states) is that "the police" (or the Church of earlier centuries) get replaced by an overpowering chorus of "what's not worth considering." (Doug has frequently cited the fact that the press can't tell us what to think but it can be pretty successful in telling us what to think about.) In other words, keeping the police out of it is only a beginning, and not a very substantial beginning, in "freeing" the public to choose among all those conflicing standards/decorums.
This I think provides some context for the following passage from Paradise Regained.
Carrol
These here revolve, or, as thou lik'st, at home, Till time mature thee to a Kingdom's waight; These rules will render thee a King compleat Within thy self, much more with Empire joyn'd.
To whom our Saviour sagely thus repli'd. Think not but that I know these things, or think I know them not; not therefore am I short Of knowing what I aught: he who receives Light from above, from the fountain of light, 290 No other doctrine needs, though granted true; But these are false, or little else but dreams, Conjectures, fancies, built on nothing firm. The first and wisest of them all profess'd To know this only, that he nothing knew; The next to fabling fell and smooth conceits, A third sort doubted all things, though plain sence; Others in vertue plac'd felicity, But vertue joyn'd with riches and long life, In corporal pleasure he, and careless ease, 300 The Stoic last in Philosophic pride, By him call'd vertue; and his vertuous man, Wise, perfect in himself, and all possessing Equal to God, oft shames not to prefer, As fearing God nor man, contemning all Wealth, pleasure, pain or torment, death and life, Which when he lists, he leaves, or boasts he can, For all his tedious talk is but vain boast, Or subtle shifts conviction to evade. Alas what can they teach, and not mislead; 310 Ignorant of themselves, of God much more, And how the world began, and how man fell Degraded by himself, on grace depending? Much of the Soul they talk, but all awrie, And in themselves seek vertue, and to themselves All glory arrogate, to God give none, Rather accuse him under usual names, Fortune and Fate, as one regardless quite Of mortal things. Who therefore seeks in these True wisdom, finds her not, or by delusion 320 Far worse, her false resemblance only meets, An empty cloud. However many books Wise men have said are wearisom; who reads Incessantly, and to his reading brings not A spirit and judgment equal or superior, (And what he brings, what needs he elsewhere seek) Uncertain and unsettl'd still remains, Deep verst in books and shallow in himself, Crude or intoxicate, collecting toys, And trifles for choice matters, worth a spunge; 330 As Children gathering pibles on the shore. Or if I would delight my private hours With Music or with Poem, where so soon As in our native Language can I find That solace? All our Law and Story strew'd With Hymns, our Psalms with artful terms inscrib'd, Our Hebrew Songs and Harps in Babylon, That pleas'd so well our Victors ear, declare That rather Greece from us these Arts deriv'd; Ill imitated, while they loudest sing 340 The vices of thir Deities, and thir own In Fable, Hymn, or Song, so personating Thir Gods ridiculous, and themselves past shame. Remove their swelling Epithetes thick laid As varnish on a Harlots cheek, the rest, Thin sown with aught of profit or delight, Will far be found unworthy to compare With Sion's songs, to all true tasts excelling, Where God is prais'd aright, and Godlike men, The Holiest of Holies, and his Saints; 350 Such are from God inspir'd, not such from thee; Unless where moral vertue is express't By light of Nature not in all quite lost. Thir Orators thou then extoll'st, as those The top of Eloquence, Statists indeed, And lovers of thir Country, as may seem; But herein to our Prophets far beneath, As men divinely taught, and better teaching The solid rules of Civil Government In thir majestic unaffected stile 360 Then all the Oratory of Greece and Rome. In them is plainest taught, and easiest learnt, What makes a Nation happy, and keeps it so, What ruins Kingdoms, and lays Cities flat; These only with our Law best form a King.
So spake the Son of God; but Satan now Quite at a loss, for all his darts were spent, Thus to our Saviour with stern brow reply'd.