-RESEARCH IN BRITISH ART
[To the Editor of Tun SPECTATOR.]
SHI,—The very pertinent letter of " C. D.," in your issue of January 24th, draws attention to a serious lack in our national culture. We have some excellent books on British art, but all too few, and the reference -works in many branches of this subject are sadly out of date. There is an immense amount of work to be done, research--critic 1, interpretive, &e.— and there are the people capable of undertaking these labours.
The difficulty is that there is no support from the general public, and so few are interested in the, matter that neither author nor publisher can afford to bring opt these books on art, which require costly illustration to be really useful. There arc numerous good text-books available, but these, by their 'very nature, do hot have the same appeal as a work of original research or imaginative criticism, nor do, they serve to render more widely known and understood those branches of British art at present neglected or only known to the specialist.
The interest of pictorial and plastic art is at least as great Ir; that of literature; and it is certainly remarkable that, while there is a constant output of books on our letters and men of letters, there are so few works on our native artists and craftsmen.
The only hope seems to be, as " C. D." writes, in the gene- rosity of the wealthy amateurs—a class of benefactor who has always kept alive those forms of art which are not entertain- ment to the general public.—Yours faithfully, MARJORIE Bown.N.
16 Queen Anne's Gate, London, S.W.1.
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