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

THE BIOLOGICAL

FALLACY

167

been

its bearing upon the

appreciation of Renais-

sance architecture? Has it assisted us, or not, to

seeitsvalueasanartandto
judge

it

for

thatthird

conditionofwell-building—^its

*

delight'? Itisthe

gainandlosswhich

'

evolution

'

hasbroughttotaste

that

nowmustbecomputed.

Inonesense the gainhas been obvious. Of the

evolutionaryinfluenceon criticismthemostevident

resulthasbeenawideenlargementofoursympathy.

Asharply-defined circle formedthelimit ofeigh-

teenth-century vision

;

within it, all was precisely

seen, brilliantly illumined

;

beyond it, outer dark-

ness. That sympathetic traveller, the Presidentde

Brosses,has

nothing

to

sayofthepaintingsofGiotto

save thattheyare

^

fort

mauvaises

'

;

Goethe,even,

atAssisi,doesnotremarkonthemat

all

;

noronthe

two churches of St,

Francis: the vestiges of the

classic temple engage allhis

attention. Thearchi-

tecturalhistoriesofthetime,aftercitingafew

historic

landmarksliketheTower

ofBabel,hastenontothe

businessinhand—the

'

better

manner

'

oftheirown

day. Stepbackfrom

'

legrandsihcle

'

and

youare

in'lemSchanttemps.' And

whentheobligations

of

devotioncompelledthesefastidious

amateurstopass

anhourbeneath a

Gothic groin,theytook

care, at

least, that afestive chandelier

shouldhang

fromit

to provide a haven

forthe outraged eye,

and that

richlyscrolled and classic

woodwork

should accom-