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16 CINEMATOGRAPHIC ANNUAL
with the more fleeting effects of mere entertainment. They held that a mental suggestion so directly offered, as in a book, was a living seed cast into fertile soil, and sure to bring forth fruit, good or evil, according to its nature. Such literature is illustrated in the works of men like Bunyan and DeFoe.
Likewise, the early painters devoted their talents almost entirely to religious subjects, and musical composers were inspired by the purest devotion, and their works reached such dramatic heights, and continued to exert such influence, that even to the present, prosaic age, religious fervor is more easily aroused by those beautiful masses, oratorios and hymns of praise than by any other means. Even the early drama was designed to convey spiritual and religious lessons, as exemplified by the medieval miracle plays, traveling shows, and church performances. These early dramas were recognized as having such a powerful influence on the lay mind that they were not only supported by the church but were actually produced and supervised by the clergy. The themes were taken from Biblical passages, both the old and new Testament depicting the life of the prophets, and particularly the Passion. They also represented allegorical figures of the various virtues. The fundamental principle, in all cases, was the reward of virtue and the punishment of evil. But in all ages, abuses have clothed themselves in the prerogatives of art, and questionable matter has been presented under that elastic patronage that the arts seem to enjoy. This fact is particularly noticed while reviewing the history of the Restoration, that period, succeeding the civil wars in England, which ushered in a condition of utter abandon, which usually succeeds great cataclysms — revolutionary, social, religious, or political. This same condition is being experienced in our present era as a result of the World War. The depression of tragic memories is vented in daring extremes of distraction — at first, out of sheer relief from suffering, but which eventually becomes habitual by unrestrained indulgence.
In all ages there have been these periods of moral independence or social license. This condition has consequently introduced serious social problems, and the drama, as well as current literature, has frequently taken advantage of this condition to resort to extremes in stimulating emotions that have been paralyzed by satiety, rather than expressing the more noble desire of attempting to correct dangerous evil. There is a great temptation to appeal to a craving for sensation, the modern so-called "kick" which always results from these periodic extravagancies in the human race. It is during such periods that sentiment gives place to insouciance, culture surrenders to coarseness, taste succumbs to vulgarity, and impudence becomes strident.
It is easy to see, then, that in all forms of art during such periods of evolution, the entertainment values are recognized as important factors, and with this condition is necessarily introduced commercial complications and there develops, also, temptation to divorce art from moral responsibilities in exploiting the purely entertainment features.