the rhythm of life and other essays(生命的旋律)-第5节
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The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
important by their numbers。 These are they who make the look of the
artificial world。 They are man generalised； as units they inevitably lack
something of interest； all the more have they cumulative effect。 It would
be well if we could persuade the average man to take on a certain human
dignity in the clothing of his average body。 Unfortunately he will be
slow to be changed。 And as to the poorer part of the mass； so wretched
are their national customsand the wretchedest of them all the wearing of
other men's old raimentthat they must wait for reform until the reformed
dress； which the reformers have not yet put on； shall have turned second…
hand。
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THE UNIT OF THE WORLD
The quarrel of Art with Nature goes on apace。 The painters have long
been talking of selecting； then of rejecting； or even； with Mr。 Whistler； of
supplanting。 And then Mr。 Oscar Wilde； in the witty and delicate series
of inversions which he headed 'The Decay of Lying；' declared war with all
the irresponsibility naturally attending an act so serious。 He seems to
affirm that Nature is less proportionate to man than is architecture； that the
house is built and the sofa is made measurable by the unit measure of the
body； but that the landscape is set to some other scale。 'I prefer houses to
the open air。 In a house we all feel of the proper proportions。 Egotism
itself； which is so necessary to a proper sense of human dignity； is
absolutely the result of indoor life。' Nevertheless； before it is too late； let
me assert that though nature is not always clearly and obviously made to
man's measure； he is yet the unit by which she is measurable。 The
proportion may be far to seek at times； but the proportion is there。 Man's
farms about the lower Alps； his summer pastures aloft； have their relation
to the whole construction of the range； and the range is great because it is
great in regard to the village lodged in a steep valley in the foot hills。
The relation of flower and fruit to his hands and mouth； to his capacity and
senses （I am dealing with size； and nothing else）； is a very commonplace
of our conditions in the world。 The arm of man is sufficient to dig just as
deep as the harvest is to be sown。 And if some of the cheerful little
evidences of the more popular forms of teleology are apt to be baffled； or
indefinitely postponed； by the retorts that suggest themselves to the
modern child； there remains the subtle and indisputable witness borne by
art itself： the body of man composes with the mass and the detail of the
world。 The picture is irrefutable； and the picture arranges the figure
amongst its natural accessories in the landscape； and would not have them
otherwise。
But there is one conspicuous thing in the world to which man has not
served as a unit of proportion； and that one thing is a popularly revered
triumph of that very art of architecture in which Mr。 Oscar Wilde has
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confidence for keeping things in scale。 Human ingenuity in designing St。
Peter's on the Vatican； has achieved this one exception to the universal
harmonya harmony enriched by discords； but always on one certain scale
of noteswhich the body makes with the details of the earth。 It is not in
the landscape； where Mr。 Oscar Wilde has too rashly looked for contempt
and contumely； but in the art he holds precious as the minister to man's
egotism； that man's Ego is defied。 St。 Peter's is not necessarily too large
（though on other grounds its size might be liable to correction）； it is
simply out of relation to the most vital thing on the earththe thing which
has supplied some secret rod to measure the waves withal； and the whales；
the sea…wall cliffs； the ears of wheat； the cedar…branches； pines and
diamonds and apples。 Now； Emerson would certainly not have felt the
soft shock and stimulus of delight to which he confesses himself to be
liable at the first touch of certain phrases； had not the words in every case
enclosed a promise of further truth and of a second pleasure。 One of
these swift and fruitful experiences visited him with the sayinggrown
popular through himthat an architect should have a knowledge of
anatomy。 There is assuredly a germ and a promise in the phrase。 It
delights us； first； because it seems to recognise the organic； as distinct
from the merely constructive； character of finely civilised architecture； and
next； it persuades us that Vitruvius had in truth discovered the key to size
the unit that is sometimes so obscurely； yet always so absolutely； the
measure of what is great and small among things animate and inanimate。
And in spite of themselves the architects of St。 Peter's were constrained to
take something from man； they refused his height for their scale； but they
tried to use his shape for their ornament。 And so in the blankest dearth of
fancy that ever befel architect or builder they imagined human beings
bigger than the human beings of experience； and by means of these；
carved in stone and inlaid in mosaic； they set up a relation of their own。
The basilica was related to the colossal figure （as a church more wisely
measured would have been to living man）； and so ceased to be large； and
nothing more important was finally achieved than transposal of the whole
work into another scale of proportions… …a scale in which the body of man
was not the unit。 The pile of stones that make St。 Peter's is a very little
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thing in comparison with Soracte； but man； and man's wife； and the
unequal statures of his children； are in touch with the structure of the
mountain rather than with that of the church which has been conceived
without reference to the vital and fundamental rule of his inches。
Is there no egotism； ministering to his dignity； that man； having the
law of the organism of the world written in his members； can take with
him； out of the room that has been built to accord with him； into the
landscape that stands only a little further away？ He has deliberately
made the smoking chair and the table； there is nothing to surprise him in
their ministrations。 But what profounder homage is rendered by the
multitudinous Nature going about the interests and the business of which
he knows so little； and yet throughout confessing him！ His eyes have
seen her and his ears have heard； but it would never have entered into his
heart to conceive her。 His is not the fancy that could have achieved these
woods； this little flush of summer from the innumerable flowering of
grasses； the cyclic recreation of seasons。 And yet he knows that he is
imposed upon all he sees。 His stature gives laws。 His labour only is
needfulnot a greater strength。 And the sun and the showers are made
sufficient for him。 His furniture must surely be adjudged to pay him but
a coarse flattery in comparison with the subjection； yet the aloofness； of all
this wild world。 This is no flattery。 The grass is lumpy； as Mr。 Oscar
Wilde remarks with truth： Nature is not man's lacquey； and has no
preoccupation about his more commonplace comforts。 These he gives
himself indoors； and who prizes； with any self…respect； the things carefully
provided by self…love？ But
