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

128 THE

ARCHITECTURE OF

HUMANISM

reduction, in effect,

the ethical criticism

of archi-

tectureattemptedto achieve.

Norwas thereany-

thingabsurd

intheattempt.

The ethical

criticism, then, though it claims a

differentsanctionandraisesa

widerissue,arosefrom

the

romantic. It arose, also, las a protest against

,themechanical

theory. Its

motive

wastoassertthe

human reference of art against the empty cult of

abstracttechnique. Wehavealreadyseenthatthe

extreme constructionalideal ofarchitecturewas

no

morethanaphaseofnineteenthcenturymaterialism.

It ignored feeling. It neglected alike the aesthetic

conscience

andthe moral.

Itappealedsolelytoan

intellectwhichrecognisednolawbutthemechanical.

Itwasanepisodeinthedehumanisation

ofthought

:

a process which, carried to its logical conclusion,

rendersallvaluesunmeaning. Such

aprocess,how-

everpowerfulitsimpulse, could

notbutprovoke

in

manymindsanimmediateresistance. But

itwasa

resistance in the field of

ethics and theology. For

here were the interests

which materialism seemed

mostobviouslyandimmediately

tochallenge: here,

atany rate, werethe interests

which itwas all-im-

portant

to

safeguard.

^Estheticvaluesare

aluxury

;

theyare readilyforgotten

whenmore vitalconflicts

become acute. Thus,

the necessary

counter-attack

tothemovement

ofsciencewas

consequentlyethical

in temper. Its concern

was with conduct

and not