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the patrons of proportion have transferred their artificial ideas to
nature, and not borrowed from thence the proportions they use
in works of art; because in any discussion of this subject they
always quit as soon as possible the open field of natural beauties,
the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and fortify themselves
within the artificial lines and angles of architecture. For there is
in mankind an unfortunate propensity to make themselves, their
views, and their works, the measure of excellence in everything
whatsoever. Therefore, having observed that their dwellings were
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most commodious and firm when they were thrown into regular
figures, with parts answerable to each other; they transferred
these ideas to their gardens; they turned their trees into pillars,
pyramids, and obelisks; they formed their hedges into so many
green walls, and fashioned their walks into squares, triangles,
and other mathematical figures, with exactness and symmetry;
and they thought, if they were not imitating, they were at least
improving nature, and teaching her to know her business. But
nature has at last escaped from their discipline and their fetters;
and our gardens, if nothing else, declare we begin to feel that
mathematical ideas are not the true measures of beauty. And
surely they are full as little so in the animal as the vegetable
world. For is it not extraordinary, that in these fine descriptive
pieces, these innumerable odes and elegies, which are in the
mouths of all the world, and many of which have been the
entertainment of ages, that in these pieces which describe love
with such a passionate energy, and represent its object in such an
infinite variety of lights, not one word is said of proportion, if it
be, what some insist it is, the principal component of beauty;
whilst, at the same time, several other qualities are very
frequently and warmly mentioned? But if proportion has not this
power, it may appear odd how men came originally to be so pre-
possessed in its favour. It arose, I imagine, from the fondness I
have just mentioned, which men bear so remarkably to their own
works and notions; it arose from false reasonings on the effects of
the customary figure of animals; it arose from the Platonic theory
of fitness and aptitude. For which reason, in the next section, I
shall consider the effects of custom in the figure of animals; and
afterwards the idea of fitness: since, if proportion does not
operate by a natural power attending some measures, it must be
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either by custom, or the idea of utility; there is no other way.
Sect. V.
Proportion Further Considered
If I am not mistaken, a great deal of the prejudice in favour of
proportion has arisen, not so much from the observation of any
certain measures found in beautiful bodies, as from a wrong idea
of the relation which deformity bears to beauty, to which it has
been considered as the opposite; on this principle it was
concluded, that where the causes of deformity were removed,
beauty must naturally and necessarily be introduced. This I
believe is a mistake. For deformity is opposed not to beauty, but
to the complete common form. If one of the legs of a man be
found shorter than the other, the man is deformed; because there
is something wanting to complete the whole idea we form of a
man; and this has the same effect in natural faults, as maiming
and mutilation produce from accidents. So if the back be
humped, the man is deformed; because his back has an unusual
figure, and what carries with it the idea of some disease or
misfortune. So if a man`s neck be considerably longer or shorter
than usual, we say he is deformed in that part, because men are
not commonly made in that manner. But surely every hour`s
experience may convince us, that a man may have his legs of an
equal length, and resembling each other in all respects, and his
neck of a just size, and his back quite straight, without having at
the same time the least perceivable beauty. Indeed beauty is so
far from belonging to the idea of custom, that in reality what
affects us in that manner is extremely rare and uncommon. The
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beautiful strikes us as much by its novelty as the deformed itself.
It is thus in those species of animals with which we are
acquainted; and if one of a new species were represented, we
should by no means wait until custom had settled an idea of
proportion, before we decided concerning its beauty or ugliness:
which shows that the general idea of beauty can be no more
owing to customary than to natural proportion. Deformity arises
from the want of the common proportions; but the necessary
result of their existence in any object is not beauty. If we suppose
proportion in natural things to be relative to custom and use, the
nature of use and custom will show, that beauty, which is a
positive and powerful quality, cannot result from it. We are so
wonderfully formed, that, whilst we are creatures vehemently
desirous of novelty, we are as strongly attached to habit and
custom. But it is the nature of things which hold us by custom, to
affect us very little whilst we are in possession of them, but [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]