Sunday, February 10, 2008

Daring Conqueror Still Trying

Modernism was born of the false belief that a bridge may lie between the conceptions of Catholicism and those of unbelief; unable to build on theological ground, it sought another: this is the ground of art and literature. On it modernism has pitched its tent, and on it, doubtlessly, modernism will show itself to be a most daring conqueror. And the reason for this is very simple: artists and poets know no other master than their hearts and imaginations. And besides, we live in times when art and literature are granted a credit and an authority that is almost dogmatic... Modern literature, it is evident, is not Christian. In the novel and the short story, an unrestrained subjectivism rules, that cherishes the fantastic dream of a new religion for future men.

- Gaspard Decurtins, 1911 or earlier [h/t: Daniel Mitsui]

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