ERNEST。ThehighestCriticism，then，ismorecreativethancreation，andtheprimaryaimofthecriticistoseetheobjectasinitselfitreallyisnot；thatisyourtheory，Ibelieve？
GILBERT。Yes，thatismytheory。Tothecritictheworkofartissimplyasuggestionforanewworkofhisown，thatneednotnecessarilybearanyobviousresemblancetothethingitcriticises。Theonecharacteristicofabeautifulformisthatonecanputintoitwhateveronewishes，andseeinitwhateveronechoosestosee；andtheBeauty，thatgivestocreationitsuniversalandaestheticelement，makesthecriticacreatorinhisturn，andwhispersofathousanddifferentthingswhichwerenotpresentinthemindofhimwhocarvedthestatueorpaintedthepanelorgravedthegem。
ItissometimessaidbythosewhounderstandneitherthenatureofthehighestCriticismnorthecharmofthehighestArt，thatthepicturesthatthecriticlovesmosttowriteaboutarethosethatbelongtotheanecdotageofpainting，andthatdealwithscenestakenoutofliteratureorhistory。Butthisisnotso。Indeed，picturesofthiskindarefartoointelligible。Asaclass，theyrankwithillustrations，and，evenconsideredfromthispointofviewarefailures，astheydonotstirtheimagination，butsetdefiniteboundstoit。Forthedomainofthepainteris，asI
suggestedbefore，widelydifferentfromthatofthepoet。Tothelatterbelongslifeinitsfullandabsoluteentirety；notmerelythebeautythatmenlookat，butthebeautythatmenlistentoalso；notmerelythemomentarygraceofformorthetransientgladnessofcolour，butthewholesphereoffeeling，theperfectcycleofthought。Thepainterissofarlimitedthatitisonlythroughthemaskofthebodythathecanshowusthemysteryofthesoul；onlythroughconventionalimagesthathecanhandleideas；
onlythroughitsphysicalequivalentsthathecandealwithpsychology。Andhowinadequatelydoeshedoitthen，askingustoacceptthetornturbanoftheMoorforthenoblerageofOthello，oradotardinastormforthewildmadnessofLear！Yetitseemsasifnothingcouldstophim。MostofourelderlyEnglishpaintersspendtheirwickedandwastedlivesinpoachinguponthedomainofthepoets，marringtheirmotivesbyclumsytreatment，andstrivingtorender，byvisibleformorcolour，themarvelofwhatisinvisible，thesplendourofwhatisnotseen。Theirpicturesare，asanaturalconsequence，insufferablytedious。Theyhavedegradedtheinvisibleartsintotheobviousarts，andtheonethingnotworthlookingatistheobvious。Idonotsaythatpoetandpaintermaynottreatofthesamesubject。Theyhavealwaysdonesoandwillalwaysdoso。Butwhilethepoetcanbepictorialornot，ashechooses，thepaintermustbepictorialalways。Forapainterislimited，nottowhatheseesinnature，buttowhatuponcanvasmaybeseen。