Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, September 11, 1934

September 11, 1934 – Tuesday

Working on frames. I feel stupefied and completely immersed in frames – frames - I don’t even know what the outdoors looks like.

Barbellion has turned cynic by 1914, and while his journal is just as interesting, the ecstasy of his earlier entries is gone; some fineness has gone out of his nature. And while his provocation was great, and we who enjoy any degree of health are perhaps not fit to judge, still, I can’t help but hold it against him. He threw over his love of nature and zoӧlogy (sic) for the pleasure of writing of his woes and disappointment in his journal. He wanted to be a great zoologist, but he was not one because his passion for it was not great enough. His journal of disappointment is interesting, but I am glad that Beethoven chose rather to give us music instead of a journal.