The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-08 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Science of Beauty: as developed in Nature
and applied in, Art. By D. R. Hay. Black-
wood acid Sons.
It is not extravagant to observe that what Locke
was to the Human Understanding, Hay isin regard
to the Science of Beauty ! The revealer of many
hidden harmonies, the organiser of a perfectly
novel branch of metaphysics, the fabricator of a
clue, guiding us, enraptured, onward and onward
through ail the mssnifold intricacies of a hitherto
inscrutable and itnpeiretrable labyrinth. It is so.
Without exaggeration we may speak as we have
here spoken, we may reiterate what we have
already more than once very earnestly
declared, in reference to Mr. Hay as one
of the most origin al of aesthetic inquirers, as
he is also unquestioeiably one of the most
distinguished among our Artist-geometricians. He
began as an originator ; he _has ended by becoming
an authority. He is, to our th:uking, in one sense of
the word, and in the best sense of the word, iu its
abstract meaning, in its root sigeeificance—a poet,
a maker, a creator. The poet of .a new theory—
the maker of a new hypothesis—the creator of a
new science—and that science, the Science of
Beauty ! So successfully has he contrive' to
systematise principles hitherto undreamt of- —iu
regard to form, in regard to colour, in regard to
proportion generally, whether considered in re-
ference to anatomy or in reference to architecture
—viewing Beauty alike as developed in Nature or
as applied in Art—that ho has long since been
acknowledged to have altogether surpassed the most
illustrious of his predecessors. To have entirely
I superseded the most eminent among the early in-
vestigators into the subtle and exquisite secrets
at once of natural and artistic loveliness ; to
have completely and permanently dwarfed into
the obsolete by the mere force of comparison
the earlier treaties upon Beauty penned by Albrecht
Durer, by our own inimitable Hogarth, or by the
marvellously gifted and versatile Leonardo !
The Authority upon Beauty nowadays we
take to be—Hay. Henceforth he assumes
rank in his way as a classic upon the national
bookshelves. He is in regard to Beauty more,
much more, than Alison was in regard to
Taste, for Alison at best was but a graceful and
bewitching theorist, whereas Hay, we take
to be, indisputably, much more than the pro-
pounder of an elegant hypothesis : we regard
him as the demonstrator of a system, as the
establisher of a series of lofty principles, as the
Founder of a Science, and that science, again
we repeat, the Science of Beauty. Insomuch is
our author all this that he has been recognised
among the philosophic inquirers, in this inquiring
and philosophic generation, as one of the fore-
mostamong those investigators who have done good
service in their day in regard to the grand ulterior
design of all science, namely, the reduction of the
laws of the entire universe into One Code—a Code
at once compact, symmetrical, and comprehensive.
Mr. Hay has done his part in reference to this
dating design of the codification of the laws of the
visible universe, by means of a succession of works,
instinct we cannot but remark throughout, 1
with a true love for nature, and a profound and
awful sense of homage for nature's God, the un-
seen but omniscient and omnipresent Omnipotence.
As an inquirer, indeed, than Mr. Hay none, we
believe, could well be, at one and the same time,
more daring and more reverent. The union of
these two qualities we conceive to be apparent from
the first to the last of his really remarkable publi-
cations. Those publications already number no
less than twelve distinct works altogether—works
some of them as costly and elaborate as they are
all of them, without exception, novel and beautiful.
In one of these Mr. Hay has boldly and definitively
traced out the " First Principles of Symmetrical
Beauty." In another he has revealed to the ar-
tist-student " The Principles of Beauty in Colour-
ing Systematised." A complete repertory of recon-
dite and most valuable information may be found
massed together in his ample " Nomenclature of
Colours applicable to the Arts and Natural Sci-
ences." A perfect compendium of the " The Laws
of Harmonious Colouring adapted to Interior De-
corations " evidences by that one masterly volume
his substantial claims to the title of a lawgiver upon
matters of art in its practical application—com-
bining with the analytic skill of the jurisconsult
the synthetic aptitude of the encycloprediast. In
his noble quarto upon " The Natural Principles
and Analogy of the Harmony of Form," he has
afforded signal evidence, if we may so express it,
of his lucidity as an art-grammarian ; while de-
monstrating in the volume which we have here the
last but two particularised his industry, perspica-
city, and research as an art-lexicographer. Besides
the five remarkable works already enume-
rated, Mr. Hay has from time to time
given to the world some other treatises of
singular novelty and elegance, relating—one to the
" Orthographic Beauty of the Parthenon, " another
to " The Harmonic Law of Nature applied to Archi-
tectural Design," a third to the " Natural Prin-
ciples of Beauty as developed in the Human Figure,"
a fourth to the " Science of Proportions in the
Human Head and Countenance," a fifth defining
the " Geometric Beauty of the Human Figure,"
a sixth analysing the " Geometric Principles of
Beauty," in other words the secret charm of Propor-
tion, the seventh being an essay upon " Ornamental
Design," in the course of which its true principles
are progressively developed and perspicuously elu-
cidated. Such are the twelve important works by
D. R. Hay, upon which, as upon so many stately
and substantial columns, he has reared, so to
speak, the intellectual fane of a new Science—the
Science of Beauty. The present volume—extend-
ing to upwards of a hundred pages, and em-
bellished with twenty-three elegantly-engraved
illustrations constitutes an epitome of the
dozen books preceding it. Insomuch that
the treatise under notice has been designat-
ed by its author as a résumé of his former writ-
ings—explanatory of his entire theory, Hay's
Theory of Beauty in Form and Colour : and
beyond this exhibiting to the general reader " by
the most simple mode of illustration and descrip-
tion," how this theory is developed in Nature, and
how it may be extensively, and with ease. applied
in those Aris in which Beauty forms an essential
element. The difficulty Mr. Hay has had to en-
counter in thus succinctly and popularly explaining,
within the compass of a single volume, the whole
of the somewhat intricate and complex theory upon
which he has, within the last few years, been
building up anew the Science of Beauty, he has
himself very clearly defined, where he observes, in his
Preface—" Although the law upon whichmy theory
is based is characterised by unity, yet the subjects
in which it is applied, and the modes of its applica-
tion are equally characterised by variety, and con-
sequently cccupy several volumes." Nevertheless,
in spite of this very obvious difficulty, he has con-
trived with admirable ingenuity to give to
the public at large in this compacted form
the pith and marrow of the desired explica-
tion. How Mr. Hay works out the problems
geometrically illustrative of the glories of the
Science of Beauty, of its simplicity and of its sym-
metry, is a thing to be marvelled at, and to be re-
membered. Ex. gr. out of the vibrations of the
monoehord he composes a scale, and afterwards
, delineates, upon the quadrant of a circle, angles an-
swering to those vibrations. Having in this man-
ner obtained a series of triangles, he then
combines with these triangles a circle and an
ellipse, the proportions of which circle and ellipse
are adopted from the very triangles themselves—
and out of the maze of the apparently inextricable
confusion of this mere " scribbling o'er," he draws
forth a never-failing rule from the composition of
a human head of ideal loveliness ! Again—as
wonderfully indicative of his marvellous adroit-
ness and lucidity as an elucidator of the ac-
curacy of certain abstract principles —it may
be sufficient to direct attention to Mr. Hay's
graceful application of the ellipse of three foci, the
Greek oval, or as he himself terms it the composite
ellipse, a wonder-working symbol, which under his
guidance will be found to afford practical forms of in-
finite beauty and almost inexhaustible variety alike
to potter, moulder, pattern-draughtsman, andarchi-
tect. The scheme of the remarkable volume now
before us may be here very
readily and very briefly
indicated. The Science of Beauty being consid-
ered in it successively under seven aspects, or, as
it may be termed, in seven distinct relations. As
evolved from the Harmonic law of Nature,
agreeably to the Pythagorean System of Numeri-
cal Ratio. As applied to Sounds. As applied
to Forms. As developed in the human head and
countenance. As developed in the human figure.
•As developed in colours. As applied to the forms
and proportions of ancient Grecian vases and orna-
ments. Six appendices crowning the entire trea-
tise, a treatise inaugurated as every such treatise
ought to be inaugurated, with a befitting and cog
prehensive Introduction.

The European Revolutions of 1848. By Edward
Stillingtieet Cayley. Smith, Elder, and Co.

The publication of this historical narrative was
decided on, we are told, " when the war with
Russia seemed about to bring into active operation
some of those political events which were likely to
arise from the settlement of Europe after the con-
vulsions of 1848." The work makes its appear-
ance now that peace is said to be concluded. Wo
cannot say it comes too late, for that would be to
admit more than we are disposed to concede. On
the contrary, the work possesses considerable value,
for it is an honest contribution by a thoughtful
observer, and deserves perusal, however much. dis-
posed , the reader may be to question the oorrect-

I ness orally portion of the writer's view and im-
pressions As we have said, it is an homest contri-
bution. Evidently possessing a conservative bias,
the author describes with considerable impartiality
and skill ae. causes, events, actors, au d immediate
results of the revolutions which convulsed Europe
during the above period. Probably no class will
find its opinions of men and things in this eventful
period fully represented. This, however, may be
considered an almost inevitable result of independ-
ent thought, and as by no means depriving the
work of utility. The revolutionary leaders, it may
be thought, have not full justice done them ; but,
on the other hand, the author does not scruple to
paint the oppression and injustice which drove
them and their followers to revolt, as becomes an
Englishman. His bias to conservatism may be
objected to, but not his political ethics. Raving
gathered the necessary facts for his cr.vn edification
and guidance, he shaped them, he tells us, for the
better accomplishment of his purpose, into the
form of a narrative, which of course embodied his
foregone conclusions. These he deemed it neces-
sary to modify, not to conceal ; and, thus modified,
the work is presented to the public. The moral of
it may be gathered from a quotatioe in the frontis-
piece :—" The great inheritance of man is a com-
monwealth of blunders. One race spend their
lives in botching the errors transmitted to them
by another. The main cause of all political, i. e.,
all the worst and most general blunders is this—
the same rule we apply to individual cases we will
I vot apply to the public. All men consent that
?swindling for a horse is swindling ; they punish
the individual and condemn the fault. But in a
State there is no such unanimity. Swindling !
Lord help you, it is called by some fine name, and
grows grandiloquent and styles itself policy. In
consequence of this there is always a battle between
those who call things by their right names, and
those who pertinrseiously give them the wrong
ones." The words Are Sir E. B. Lytton's. Their
applicability to the author's narrative is in this
wise :—He has arrived at the conclusion that the
revolutionary movements he describes—bloody and
prejudicial as they have proved to the cause of
liberty—were precipitated by impolitic and unjust
legislation in this country. The contraction of the
currency by Sir Robert Peel, and his free trade
measures on that contraction, he argues, led to
commercial paralysis at home and abroad—com-
mercial paralysis to stagnation of trade and depri-
vation of employment—and these to poverty, want,
and revolt—the latter being previously provoked
by undoubted oppression. That this country es-
caped revolution he attributes to the lack of inflam-
mable material ; the people having, nuder our pe-
culiar Constitution, no motives to rise in revolt,
but the contrary, being self-governed, and able to
right themselves peaceably. The following quota-
tions may not be out of place or unacceptable :

" It is not asserted that the policy of Sir R. Peel cast
the gun. It did not manufacture the gunpowder or
found the shot. It did not load, prime, point, or cock
the weapon. Bat finding the cannon so pointed and so
prepared, it was Sir Robert Peel's policy that pulled the
trigger line and sent the charge warring through all the
nations of Europe—and nersons who discharge firearms
into a crowd are both legally and morally responsible
for the destruction which follows. This was the cause
(the stringent clauses in the bank charter, coupled with
the export of gold to pay fox food) which rocked every
State of Europe to its foundation—which burst the
floodgates of nations, overthrew thrones, and crushed
peoples. It is this cause that has so long hampered
England—has made it submit to acts of piracy on the
part of Russia in the Black Sea—to the imprisonment of
its subjects, and the violation of its territory by the
United States of America—to every insult which a
large State chose to put upon it. And this thraldom
has encouraged the aggression of Thassia on Turkey,
conceiving that under a Peelite Ministry- England could
not be moved. But it so happened that' the influx of
gold liberated industry—the great natural unlimited
bank of issue in the gold-fields set England free. Ao-
cident roused the people, and they forced into a war a
Ministry pacific by intention, warlike by accident
man proposes—God disposes."
Again—
" The currency question, after all, lies in a nutshell:
Is commerce to be the slave of money, or money the
slave of commerce Money is only the measure of
value. Things do not lose their real value because
there is little money. Are we to stop exchanging what
we do not want for what we do, because we have lost
the bushel in which we measure it ? It were as rational
to stop a draper from selling his goods because all his
yard wands have been lost, while at the same time he
has plenty of measuring tapes, which will answer the
purpose equally well."
The revolutions of each country are narrated in
separate sections, and under the heading of " The
United Kingdom, &c.," a sketch is given of the
financial legislation of England since the peace of
1815—of the Irish Rebellion and the English Re-
volution that was to have been—and the reason
why the United Kingdom was not revolutionised.
By no means pledging ourselves to the author's
views, from many of which we dissent, while
others meet with our qualified concurtrence, we
feel no hesitation in recommending the work to
the perusal of our readers.

The Annals of British Legislation. E Sited by
Professor Leone Levi. (Smith, Elder, and Co.)—
Promises to be an exceedingly valuable work to
many classes of the community. The design of the
editor being to epitomise the contents of Blue
Books, Reports, &c., annually issued, on subjects
of public interest, so that without wading through
a mass of uninteresting matter, the reader may be-
come conversant with the principal facts on which
further proceedings have been or may be taken—
facts alike illustrative of the condition, wants, and
prospects of society. A work of this sort has long
been a desideratum, and in the proved ability of
Professor Levi, the public have the most sa.tisfac-
tory guarantee that this desideratum will be duly
supplied. Members of the Legislature, and of ad-
ministrative bodies, merchants, bankers, colonists,
consuls, literary men, and politicians, will at once
recognise the value of such a record. The subjects,
we must add, are duly classified—thus under Sf ri es
A we have finance, commerce, and agriculture ;
under series B diplomacy and war ; under series 0
ecclesiastical affairs and education ; under serif D
railway, shipping, and postal communication ;
under series E law, justice, and crime ; and under
series F British India, Colonies, and Dependencies
—a classification at once sufficiently distinctive, and
comprehensive.

The Ari..Tournal offers, as usual, a store of useful
information and able comment, in connection with
subjects of art, together with a number of Idgh-
class illustrations. Among the latter, " The Chil-
dren in the Wood," engraved by H. Bourne, f•-om
the painting by J. T. Peele, and " Amalfi" (Gulf
of Salerno), engrave,' by E. Goodall, from. the
painting by G. E. Hering, both pictures ita the
Royal collection, together with " Spring," a 4;aste-
ful engraving by T. M. Knight, from the beautiful
statue by B. E. Spence, are especially deserving of
notice, as well as the most prominent. The British
artist selected for criticism in the present number
is Thomas Creswick, LA., minor engravings
from as many of whose landscapes lend additional
picturesque beauty to its pages. The Rev. E.: L.
Cutts, 8.A., contributes an interesting illustrated
paper on " The Minstrels of the Middle Ages."
Mrs. S. C. Hall, " A New Pleasure" in a recom-
mendatory exposition of the attractions of " The
Marine Aquarium," while in 4‘ A Few Words: oa
our near Neighbour's Taste and Our Own," will be
found matter for congratulation by British lovers
of art.

The History of France. By Thomas Wright,
Esq., M.A.—The second part of this illustrated
history contains two beautiful engravings on steel,
viz., " Louis XVI. threatened by the Mob," and.
" The Battle of Bouvines," the former from. the
painting by Raffel, and the latter from the painting
by Horace Vernet.

gistory of England. By Charles Knight.—The
fifth number of this popular history commences
with the reign of Stephen, and terminates with the
march of Richard, the Crusader, by the line of the
coast of Jaffa, towards Jerusalem. The illustra-
tions are both numerous and pleasing.

The English Cyclopcedia, conducted by the same
writer, has reached its 38th part, and, like its
predecessor, is devoted to biography, which is
brought down to the latest period.

The Law Amendment Journal, issued gratuity-
ously to members of the Law Amendment Society,
is, as its title denotes, devoted to the promotion of
the object of the society.

FLOUR COMING DOWN.—Who could have believed
last December that flour in April, from common to
good New York State flour, would be quoted in this
city at a fraction under 6 dollars a barrel ? Yet this
thing has come to pass, and the probablities are that
flour, breadstuff., and provisions of all kinds will con-
tinue to come down for the balance of the year. The
bulk of our prodigious crops of last year still remains
in the interior. In addition to this our farmers la,t fall,
considering the prospect of a long war in Europe and
of still upward prices for breadstuffs, put in an immense
breadth of land for the coming harvest. Should this
harvest, therefore, be an average one per acre, the ag-
gregate yield will swell our existing surplus to an in-
credible amount ; but, should it be a harvest like that of
last year, bread and meat will be cheap and plentiful
beyond all anticipations. This will especially be the
result with good crops in Europe, and the Russian de-
pots in the Black Sea and the Baltic opened to the
wants of England and France. We understand that on
W'ednin thisesday from 8,000 to 10,000 barrels of flour were
sold city at an advance of is. upon a specula-
tion ; but this is no indication whatever of a aupen•
fsion of the ebb tide,--New York Reralal.