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

ART

AND

THOUGHT

247

reflections,bothingeneral
andwith
specialreference

totheNurse,whose
garrulous
andgiddynaturewas

alargepartofthemischief,
andthe
partforwhich

thereisthe

leastexcuse.

Criticism,

intheartsofform,

whenitceasedtobe

atriflingcomment,

became,mostoften,apernicious

logic. At no

timeinhistoryhassomuch

logicbeen

expended on the arts as during

the pasthundred

years. Atno time in historyhave the arts them-

selves sunk solow,oropinionbeen

moreludicrously

divided. This

failureofcriticismcomesfromalack

of clearness on an essential

point. Itis still too

seldomandtoolittlevividlyconsideredhowopposite

intheirnaturearethearts

offormto

theintelligence

whichreasonsonthem.

Artitself,andourthoughtaboutart,proceedfrom

diverse

origins, through differingchannels,

andsel-

domjoin effective issue. Sufficient to itself in its

methods, and satisfyingmen with itsresults, art

is

thelastofallhumanactivitiestocallforthescrutiny

ofthereasoningintelligence. More

obstinatelythan

any other of our interests, beauty still continues

to elude the reason's search and

contradict its

inferences.

There is nothing in

this

that

need surprise us.

Rational

understanding,atitsbirth,turnedto

solve

thevitalproblemswhich

calleditintobeing.

Primi-