He rejoiced to be one of the first to see him, just
returned after three years' absence from England, and having spent the
last three months at the front.
Arthur Coniston (also in khaki), who was a born interviewer, was anxious
to know Aylmer's impression of certain things over here, after his
long absence.
'I should so very much like to know,' he said, 'what your view is of the
attitude to life of the Post-Impressionists.'
Aylmer smiled. He said: 'I think their attitude to life, as you call it,
is best expressed in some of Lear's Nonsense Rhymes: "_His Aunt Jobiska
said, 'Everyone knows that a pobble is better without his toes_.'"'
Archie looked up in smiling recognition of these lines, and Edith
laughed.
'Excuse me, but I don't quite follow you,' said young Coniston gravely.
'Why, don't you see? Of course, Lear is the spirit they express. A
portrait by a post-Impressionist is sure to be "A Dong with a luminous
nose." And don't you remember, "_The owl and the pussycat went to sea in
a beautiful pea-green boat_"? Wouldn't a boat painted by a
Post-Impressionist be pea-green?'
'Perfectly. I see that. But--why the pobble without its toes?'
'Why, the sculptor always surrenders colour, and the painted form.
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