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

2 THEARCHITECTURE

OF

HUMANISM

seldomattempting

anystatementof

the

relation

they

beartooneanother,

neverpursuing

totheir

conclu-

sion

the

consequences which

they

involve. It

has

leanednow

thisway andnow

that,

andstruck, be-

tween

these incommensurable

virtues, at

different

points,itsarbitrary

balance.

Architecture, the

mostcomplexofthe

arts,offers

toitscritics manypathsof

approach,and asmany

opportunitiesforavoidingtheirgoal. At

theoutset

ofafresh

studyinthisfield,itiswell,attheriskof

pedantry,todefinewherethesepathslead.

Architecture requires

'

firmness.' By this neces-

sityitstands

related

to

science,and

to

thestandards

^

ofscience. Themechanicalbondageofconstruction

i

has closely circumscribed its growth. Thrust

andl

balance,pressureanditssupport, areattherootof

i

the language which architecture employs. The in-

herent characters of marble, brick,

wood and iron

havemouldeditsforms,setlimitstoitsachievement,,

and governed, in a measure, even

its decorativ^

detail. On every

hand the study of architecture

encounters physics, statics, and

dynamics, suggest-l

ing,controlling, justifying

itsdesign. Itis opento^

us, therefore,

to look in buildings

for the logical

expression ofmaterial

propertiesand material

laws.j

Without these,

architecture is

impossible, its his

toryunintelligible. And

if,findingthese

everywherJ

paramount, weseek,in

termsof

materialproperties]