08-beauty-第2部分

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is　entitled　to　be　valued　by　his　best　moment。　　We　measure　our　friends

so。　　We　know；　they　have　intervals　of　folly；　whereof　we　take　no　heed；

but　wait　the　reappearings　of　the　genius；　which　are　sure　and

beautiful。　　On　the　other　side；　everybody　knows　people　who　appear

beridden；　and　who；　with　all　degrees　of　ability；　never　impress　us　with

the　air　of　free　agency。　　They　know　it　too；　and　peep　with　their　eyes

to　see　if　you　detect　their　sad　plight。　　We　fancy；　could　we　pronounce

the　solving　word；　and　disenchant　them；　the　cloud　would　roll　up；　the

little　rider　would　be　discovered　and　unseated；　and　they　would　regain

their　freedom。　　The　remedy　seems　never　to　be　far　off；　since　the　first

step　into　thought　lifts　this　mountain　of　necessity。　　Thought　is　the

pent　air…ball　which　can　rive　the　planet；　and　the　beauty　which　certain

objects　have　for　him；　is　the　friendly　fire　which　expands　the　thought；

and　acquaints　the　prisoner　that　liberty　and　power　await　him。



　　　　　　　　The　question　of　Beauty　takes　us　out　of　surfaces；　to　thinking　of

the　foundations　of　things。　　Goethe　said；　〃The　beautiful　is　a

manifestation　ofonsmustfurnish　secret　laws　of　Nature；　which；　but　for

this　appearance；　had　been　forever　concealed　from　us。〃　And　the　working

of　this　deep　instinct　makes　all　the　excitement　　much　of　it

superficial　and　absurd　enough　　about　works　of　art；　which　leads

armies　of　vain　travellers　every　year　to　Italy；　Greece；　and　Egypt。

Every　man　values　every　acquisition　he　makes　in　the　science　of　beauty；

above　his　possessions。　　The　most　useful　man　in　the　most　useful　world；

so　long　as　only　commodity　was　served；　would　remain　unsatisfied。　　But；

as　fast　as　he　sees　beauty；　life　acquires　a　very　high　value。



　　　　　　　　I　am　warned　by　the　ill　fate　of　many　philosophers　not　to　attempt

a　definition　of　Beauty。　　I　will　rather　enumerate　a　few　of　its

qualities。　　We　ascribe　beauty　to　that　which　is　simple；　which　has　no

superfluous　parts；　which　exactly　answers　its　end；　which　stands

related　to　all　things；　which　is　the　mean　of　many　extremes。　　It　is　the

most　enduring　quality；　and　the　most　ascending　quality。　　We　say；　love

is　blind；　and　the　figure　of　Cupid　is　drawn　with　a　bandage　round　his

eyes。　　Blind：　　yes；　because　he　does　not　see　what　he　does　not　like；

but　the　sharpest…sighted　hunter　in　the　universe　is　Love；　for　finding

what　he　seeks；　and　only　that；　and　the　mythologists　tell　us；　that

Vulcan　was　painted　lame；　and　Cupid　blind；　to　call　attention　to　the

fact；　that　one　was　all　limbs；　and　the　other；　all　eyes。　　In　the　true

mythology；　Love　is　an　immortal　child；　and　Beauty　leads　him　as　a

guide：　nor　can　we　express　a　deeper　sense　than　when　we　say；　Beauty　is

the　pilot　of　the　young　soul。



　　　　　　　　Beyond　their　sensuous　delight；　the　forms　and　colors　of　Nature

have　a　new　charm　for　us　in　our　perception；　that　not　one　ornament　was

added　for　ornament；　but　is　a　sign　of　some　better　health；　or　more

excellent　action。　　Elegance　of　form　in　bird　or　beast；　or　in　the　human

figure；　marks　some　excellence　of　structure：　or　beauty　is　only　an

invitation　from　what　belongs　to　us。　　'Tis　a　law　of　botany；　that　in

plants；　the　same　virtues　follow　the　same　forms。　　It　is

onsmustfurnisha　rule　of　largest　application；　true　in　a　plant；　true　in

a　loaf　of　bread；　that　in　the　construction　of　any　fabric　or　organism；

any　real　increase　of　fitness　to　its　end；　is　an　increase　of　beauty。



　　　　　　　　The　lesson　taught　by　the　study　of　Greek　and　of　Gothic　art；　of

antique　and　of　Pre…Raphaelite　painting；　was　worth　all　the　research；

　namely；　that　all　beauty　must　be　organic；　that　outside

embellishment　is　deformity。　　It　is　the　soundness　of　the　bones　that

ultimates　itself　in　a　peach…bloom　complexion：　health　of　constitution

that　makes　the　sparkle　and　the　power　of　the　eye。　　'Tis　the　adjustment

of　the　size　and　of　the　joining　of　the　sockets　of　the　skeleton；　that

gives　grace　of　outline　and　the　finer　grace　of　movement。　　The　cat　and

the　deer　cannot　move　or　sit　inelegantly。　　The　dancing…master　can

never　teach　a　badly　built　man　to　walk　well。　　The　tint　of　the　flower

proceeds　from　its　root；　and　the　lustres　of　the　sea…shell　begin　with

its　existence。　　Hence　our　taste　in　building　rejects　paint；　and　all

shifts；　and　shows　the　original　grain　of　the　wood：　refuses　pilasters

and　columns　that　support　nothing；　and　allows　the　real　supporters　of

the　house　honestly　to　show　themselves。　　Every　necessary　or　organic

action　pleases　the　beholder。　　A　man　leading　a　horse　to　water；　a

farmer　sowing　seed；　the　labors　of　haymakers　in　the　field；　the

carpenter　building　a　ship；　the　smith　at　his　forge；　or；　whatever

useful　labor；　is　becoming　to　the　wise　eye。　　But　if　it　is　done　to　be

seen；　it　is　mean。　　How　beautiful　are　ships　on　the　sea！　but　ships　in

the　theatre；　　or　ships　kept　for　picturesque　effect　on　Virginia

Water；　by　George　IV。；　and　men　hired　to　stand　in　fitting　costumes　at　a

penny　an　hour！　　　What　a　difference　in　effect　between　a　battalion　of

troops　marching　to　action；　and　one　of　our　independent　companies　on　a

holiday！　　In　the　midst　of　a　military　show；　and　a　festal　procession

gay　with　banners；　I　saw　a　boy　seize　an　old　tin　pan　that　lay　rusting

under　a　wall；　and　poising　it　on　the　top　of　a　stick；　he　set

onsmustfurnishit　turning；　and　made　it　describe　the　most　elegant

imaginable　curves；　and　drew　away　attention　from　the　decorated

procession　by　this　startling　beauty。



　　　　　　　　Another　text　from　the　mythologists。　　The　Greeks　fabled　that

Venus　was　born　of　the　foam　of　the　sea。　　Nothing　interests　us　which　is

stark　or　bounded；　but　only　what　streams　with　life；　what　is　in　act　or

endeavor　to　reach　somewhat　beyond。　　The　pleasure　a　palace　or　a　temple

gives　the　eye；　is；　that　an　order　and　method　has　been　communicated　to

stones；　so　that　they　speak　and　geometrize；　become　tender　or　sublime

with　expression。　　Beauty　is　the　moment　of　transition；　as　if　the　form

were　just　ready　to　flow　into　other　forms。　　Any　fixedness；　heaping；　or

concentration　on　one　feature；　　a　long　nose；　a　sharp　chin；　a

hump…back；　　is　the　reverse　of　the　flowing；　and　therefore　deformed。

Beautiful　as　is　the　symmetry　of　any　form；　if　the　form　can　move；　we

seek　a　more　excellent　symmetry。　　The　interruption　of　equilibrium

stimulates　the　eye　to　desire　the　restoration　of　symmetry；　and　to

watch　the　steps　through　which　it　is　attained。　　This　is　the　charm　of

running　water；　sea…waves；　the　flight　of　birds；　and　the　locomotion　of

animals。　　This　is　the　theory　of　dancing；　to　recover　continually　in

changes　the　lost　equilibrium；　not　by　abrupt　and　angular；　but　by

gradual　and　curving　movements。　　I　have　been　told　by　persons　of

experience　in　matters　of　taste；　that　the　fashions　follow　a　law　of

gradation；　and　are　never　arbitrary。　　The　new　mode　is　always　only　a

step　onward　in　the　same　direction　as　the　last　mode；　and　a　cultivated

eye　is　prepared　for　and　predicts　the　new　fashion。　　This　fact　suggests

the　reason　of　all　mistakes　and　offence　in　our　own　modes。　　It　is

necessary　in　music；　when　you　strike　a　discord；　to　let　down　the　ear　by

an　intermediate　note　or　two　to　the　accord　again：　and　many　a　good

experiment；　born　of　good　sense；　and　destined　to　succeed；　fails；　only

because　it　is　offensively　sudden。　　I　suppose；　the　Parisian　milliner

who　dresses　the　world　from　her　onsmustfurnishimperious　boudoir　will

know　how　to　reconcile　the　Bloomer　costume　to　the　eye　of　mankind；　and

make　it　triumphant　over　Punch　himself；　by　interposing　the　just

gradations。　　I　need　not　say；　how　wide　the　same　law　ranges；　and　how

much　it　can　be　hoped　to　effect。　　All　that　is　a　little　harshly　claimed

by　progressive　parties；　may　easily　come　to　be　conceded　without

question；　if　this　rule　be　observed。　　Thus　the　circumstances　may　be

easily　imagined；　in　which　woman　may　speak；　vote；　argue　causes；

legislate；　and　drive　a　coach；　and　all　the　most　naturally　in　the

world；　if　only　it　come　by　degrees。　　To　this　streaming　or　flowing

belongs　the　beauty　that　all　circular　movement　has；　as；　the

circulation　of　waters；　the　circulation　of　the　blood；　the　periodical

motion　of　planets；　the　annual　wave　of　vegetation；　the　action　and

reaction　of　Nature：　and；　if　we　follow　it　out；　this　demand　in　our

thought　for　an　ever…onward　action；　is　the　argument　for　the

immortality。



　

　　　　　　　　One　more　text　from　the　mythologists　is　to　the　same　purpose；　

_Beauty　rides　on　a　lion_。　　Beauty　rests　on　necessities。　　The　line　of

beauty　is　the　result　of　perfect　economy。　　The　cell　of　the　bee　is

built　at　that　angle　which　gives　the　most　strength　with　the　least　wax；

the　bone　or　the　quill　of　the　bird　gives　the　most　alar　strength；　with

the　least　weight。　　〃It　is　the　purgation　of　superfluities；〃　said

Michel　Angelo。　　There　is　not　a　particle　to　spare　in　natural

structures。　　There　is　a　compelling　reason　in　the　uses　of　the　plant；

for　every　novelty　of　color　or　form：　and　our　art　saves　material；　by

more　skilful　arrangement；　and　reaches　beauty　by　taking　every

superfluous　ounce　that　can　be　spared　from　a　wall；　and　keeping　all　its

strength　in　the　poetry　of　columns。　　In　rhetoric；　this　art　of　omission

is　a　chief　secret　of　power；　and；　in　general；　it　is　proof　of　high

culture；　to　say　the　greatest　matters　in　the　simplest　way。



　　　　　　　　Veracity　first　of　all；　and　forever。　　_Rien　de　beau　que　le

vrai_。　　In　all　design；　art　lies　in　making　your　object

pronsmustfurnishominent；　but　there　is　a　prior　art　in　choosing　objects

that　are　prominent。　　The　fine　arts　have　nothing　casual；　but　spring

from　the　instincts　of　the　nations　that　created　them。



　　　　　　　　Beauty　is　the　quality　which　makes　to　endure。　　In　a　house　that　I

know；　I　have　noticed　a　block　of　spermaceti　lying　about　closets　and

mantel…pieces；　for　twenty　years　together；　simply　because　the

tallow…man　gave　it　the　form　of　a　rabbit；　and；　I　suppose；　it　may

continue　to　be　lugged　about　unchanged　for　a　century。　　Let　an　artist

scrawl　a　few　lines　or　figures　on　the　back　of　a　letter；　and　that　scrap

of　paper　is　rescued　from　danger；　is　put　in　portfolio；　is　framed　and

glazed；　and；　in　proportion　to　the　beauty　of　the　lines　drawn；　will　be