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

THE ETHICAL FALLACY

133

influencewhich broughtitbacktoforce. Thedic-

tator'sauthorityhaslongsince,byhisownextrava-

gance,beendestroyed. The

casuistriesofTheStones

of

Venice are forgotten

;

its inconsistencies quite

irrelevant to the case. They are the unchecked

perversitiesofgenius,whichanethicalcriticismisnot

boundtodefend,andwhichitwouldbeidle,therefore,

to

attack. We areconcerned,

not with the

eccen-

tricitiesoftheleader,butwiththepossiblevalueand

permanent danger of the movement whichhe led.

Anditismorenecessaryatthisdatetoemphasizethe

servicewhichherenderedthantodecrythelogicof

hisonslaught.

Inthe firstplace, Ruskinundoubtedly raised the

dignity ofhis subject,

noless than he widened its

appeal. He made architecture seem important, as

no

other

critichadsucceeded indoing. Thesound

andthe fury,notundulychargedwith

significance

;

thecolourofhisperiods

;

theeloquencewhich

casts

suspicion on the

soundest argument and reconciles

ustothe weakest; the

flamingpropheciesand the

passionateunreason,hadthatefi"ectatleast. They

wereintenselydynamic.

In the second place, it is fair to

remember that

Ruskinasserted the

psychologicalreferenceofarchi-

tecture. No ingenuity of technique

would satisfy

him,

noranyabstract

accuracyofscholarship,

how-

ever mediaeval. Mere legalism, mere

mechanism.