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

ARTAND

THOUGHT

253

abruptchangesofhistory
ortheslowdecayof
power,

thesewereatanytime
enfeebledor
destroyed,some

nucleus ever remained round
which the artistic

energy, indueseason,
couldshapeitselfonce
more,

and continue, without question,
the longprocess of

itsunconscious
evolution.

Whollydifferent,however,initscircumstances,

to

anyproblem

by

which

ithashithertobeenfaced,is

thedilemmaofartisticenergyto-day. Forthe first

timeinhistorythewholeofarthas

becomecontempo-

rary. Themaskoftimeandthebarsofdistanceare

at oneinstant broken down. Ancient styles come

crowding onournotice,and stylesremoteinplace.

The arts

succeed

nolonger, oneuponthe other, in

solemn

dynasties,norrule,

each anemperor,behind

theirgreat,estrangingwalls: theystandconfronted

on a vast but single

plain. No common use of

languageservesthemfordispute. Their

armies

that

so long were strangers

and mighty only by their

severaldisciplineshave nowirrevocablymerged

and

clashed.

Thereare

foraysandstrangecaptures.

In-

experthands seizegreedily

onnew-foundinstrument

of war

;

the air is noisy with unlooked-for

detona-

tions. Overamotley,modem

hordearchaicbanners

areunfolded,andthe

Westiscampedin

the tentsof

theEast. Critics,stammering

thetongues,passlike

interpreters between

the hosts, and

give, to brief

alliances,

names and an

unrespected law. This

is