presumably； he fancied I could see to best advantage what he had to show
me。
〃You don't want me to talk； I suppose；〃 I said。
〃No； blast you； I want you to hold your tongue。〃
He placed a picture on the easel； and let me look at it for a minute or
two； then took it down and put another in its place。 I think he showed me
about thirty canvases。 It was the result of the six years during which he
had been painting。 He had never sold a picture。 The canvases were of
different sizes。 The smaller were pictures of still…life and the largest were
landscapes。 There were about half a dozen portraits。
〃That is the lot；〃 he said at last。
153
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The Moon and Sixpence
I wish I could say that I recognised at once their beauty and their great
originality。 Now that I have seen many of them again and the rest are
familiar to me in reproductions； I am astonished that at first sight I was
bitterly disappointed。 I felt nothing of the peculiar thrill which it is the
property of art to give。 The impression that Strickland's pictures gave me
was disconcerting； and the fact remains； always to reproach me； that I
never even thought of buying any。 I missed a wonderful chance。 Most of
them have found their way into museums； and the rest are the treasured
possessions of wealthy amateurs。 I try to find excuses for myself。 I
think that my taste is good； but I am conscious that it has no originality。 I
know very little about painting； and I wander along trails that others have
blazed for me。 At that time I had the greatest admiration for the
impressionists。 I longed to possess a Sisley and a Degas； and I
worshipped Manet。 His seemed to me the greatest picture of
modern times； and
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