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

90 THE

ARCHITECTURE OF HUMANISM

curiousandwilfullycapricious,

likethemodem

style

of Germany or the fantastic style of the Gothic

revival,maybethusunfit. Butarchitecture

which

aims
atthe

picturesque

need

notbeinsistent.

There

is a romanticism of conceits: the romanticism of

Chambord, or the poetry of Donne. But'there

is

alsoaromanticismofnaturalsimplicity

the

roman-

ticismofWordsworthandofa

'

rustic

'

architecture.

Architecture, in fact, can be picturesque

without

affectation, and various without disquiet.

Why

should not this be favoured? Where is the fault

inthat

domestictypeofarchitecture,thevariety.of

theformofwhichisconditioned solely

by

conveni-

ence? Herewill

be

repose,

becausethepicturesque-

nessis

unstudied,fittingthehousetounselfconscious

nature. Noinsistentappealis thruston theatten-

tion, for nodeliberate

appeal exists. This, in our

time,isthetruerivaltotheRenaissancestyle. Itis

thisarchitecturewhichhassofirm

aholdinEngland,

which

seems

toussogoodtopaintandgoodtolivein.

Poetryandsentimentare

initsfavour; itindolently

providespleasure

tothe eye. Leave ittobeover-

grown and it willbe soon

'

transformed

by

theen-

chantment of

Nature to the likeness of her own

creations.' Its

beauty is secure from fashion, for

itiselementaryandgenuine.

Thisistrue

;

buthowmuchshall

webe

willingto

foregoforthesakeofthis

inoffensive,thissometimes