The architecture of humanism; a study in the history of taste

138 THE ARCHITECTURE

OF HUMANISM

crimination which, in thecollapse

of theoldorder,

men

had

indubitablylost,weredeclaredtobeofless

servicein framingaright judgment

ofarchitecture

than the moral delicacy they conceived themselves

tohave

acquired. Fromthefactthatthesculptures

ofavillagechurchhave,oroncehad,anintelligible

interest forthepeasant, itis arguedthatallarchi-

tecture

should

addressitselftothelevel

ofhisunder-

standing
;

andthisparadoxissogarnishedwithnoble

phrases thatwehave

well-nigh

come

to

overlookits

eccentricity. This prejudice against a traineddis-

cernmentis significantlyuniversalamongwritersof

the ethical school. Theydescribe it as 'pride,'as

'pedantry,' as 'affectation';^ a habit of speech

whichwould
be

inexplicable

since,afterall,

training

isnot

averyobviousviceorfataldisqualification,did

wenot relateit to the combinationof romanticism

and

democracy in which this view of architecture

takes its rise. But their habit makes it easy to

understand that

the

ethical

criticism was certain

togain

ground. Itappealedtoasinceredesirefor

beauty in a society that had cast off, along with

the traditions

of the past, the means by which a

general grasp of architectural beauty had in fact

beenmaintained.

Itofferedtheprivilegesofculture

withoutdemandingitspatience. Anewpublic had

beencalledintobeing. Works

onarchitecture

could

'

e.g.TheStones

of

Venice,vol.iii.

chap.ii.

§

38.