everlasting bondage to the productions of our brain and to the work
of our hands. A man is born to serve his time on this earth, and
there is something fine in the service being given on other grounds
than that of utility. The bondage of art is very exacting. And,
as the writer of the article which started this train of thought
says with lovable warmth, the sailing of yachts is a fine art.

His contention is that racing, without time allowances for anything
else but tonnage--that is, for size--has fostered the fine art of
sailing to the pitch of perfection. Every sort of demand is made
upon the master of a sailing-yacht, and to be penalized in
proportion to your success may be of advantage to the sport itself,
but it has an obviously deteriorating effect upon the seamanship.
The fine art is being lost.



VIII.



The sailing and racing of yachts has developed a class of fore-and-
aft sailors, men born and bred to the sea, fishing in winter and
yachting in summer; men to whom the handling of that particular rig
presents no mystery. It is their striving for victory that has
elevated the sailing of pleasure craft to the dignity of a fine art
in that special sense. As I have said, I know nothing of racing
and but little of fore-and-aft rig; but the advantages of such a
rig are obvious, especially for purposes of pleasure, whether in
cruising or racing. It requires less effort in handling; the