A Question

[ckaratnytsky at nypl.org]

Flatterer Andrew Clarke Walser write:

>	An acquaintance of mine once came across a list of activities --
>gardening, music, and so on -- that she remembers as "the Seven Arts" or
>"the Seven Graces."  I mentioned the quadrivium and trivium, the three
>Graces, the nine Muses, and anything else I could think of, but none of
>these answers satisfied her.  She needs to know the exact name of
>this list, its components, and its origin . . .
>	Does this ring any bells with any of you?  I told my acquaintance
>I had access to a group of frighteningly erudite individuals and (continue
>flattery until end of message) . . . 

     Flattery will get you everywhere, Andrew, but, alas, there is no 
     definitive listing of the "Seven Lively Arts."
     
     Gilbert Seldes coined the phrase as the title of a book of essays he 
     wrote about the arts in 1924.  What Seldes meant by the "lively" arts, 
     cribbing the idea from Pater, were the "popular" arts (meaning popular 
     with the general public), such as film (esp. comedies), circuses, 
     vaudeville and burlesque, jazz (esp. ragtime) and other popular music, 
     comic strips (Krazy Kat, Ted!), dancing, etc.  He actually covers more 
     than seven...
     
     How's that?
     
     Not frighteningly erudite--just frightening,
     
     Chris