Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, December 10, 1914

Mild melting day. Morning cold and damp but the clouds break soon and the sun sends its powerful shafts down thru (sic) the cloud-holes like a gigantic bomb bursting.

To Lunch with Eastman.  He tells me of a talk by Keller at Inter Arts Club meeting last night. Keller showed and explained the different movements in art from the Old Masters down thru (sic) impressionism, pointillism, futurism, cubism and even beyond - metaphysical sensations as Eastman termed them.  Also of a talk of his own on Chinese tapestries & embroideries.  At lunch a discussion of Nietsche (sic) and the folly of youth trying to decide for itself what it believes. We agreed that “belief” was a matter of years: i.e. Like the physical body, it slowly evolves, and the culmination can only happily be reached late in life.  Meantime the mind should be kept open and free like a flower to the sun­light.

Eastman cited cases of individuals being ruined by becoming buried deeply in some one belief.  He also deplored a person spending his life at war with the world because he had different ideas from the world in general.  I disagree with that: that is the coward’s viewpoint. How can a person, a genius for instance, ever accomplish anything if he is continually giving in to a hostile world? Was not Wagner’s life a continual strife? Or Christ’s?  That is the meaning of Nietsche’s (sic) “Not peace at any price but war!” If the individual to gain peace of mind gives in to circumstances or a hostile people, his work for humanity at once ceases.

On the return he talks of Keller and makes a point of the fact that the latter has changed his personality, morals & method of painting several times during his life a fact which shows his eternal youth. I could not agree.

In my work I have just arrived at the point where I realize that I know nothing. So far, I have kept one straw to cling to: that I knew a little of pattern & color. This too has been taken away.

Once in the afternoon the sun came out clear.  Its light was very white and pale.

Charles E Burchfiled,  December 10, 1914 (Thursday)