The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-09

are pleasant and stenches noisome. All ENJOY
the sunset and the rainbow. mountains and
waterfalls the song OF birds and simple mel
odics. beauty in man or woman. though by no
means all equally with ono another. We're 1t
not so. art. which trades upon these common
tastes. would be impossible. Now all that any
science need primarily account for, in order to
vindicato its title to the name Of science. IL the
normal and usual phenomena the fundancn-
tai data. OF its subject matter. When these are
fully understood it may pass on to the abnormal .
the complicated. tho unusual The first object
should be to explain. not the aesthetic feelings
of n Raphael Mozart Milton. but those of tho
average human being with whom we come in
daily contact. Hitherto tho gravcst error in
disquisitions on Gsthetcs-next to the total
ignoring OF n physical basis-has been this,
that thcv have taken for the most part only the
very highest developments Of the sentiment and
endcavored to explain them without reference
to tho simpler cases. 1t is unique merit OF
Mr.. Aliens treatise that ho mainly confines
himself to accounting physoogically for the
common pleasure in bright colored objects. clc-
mcntary paintings easy melodies. and popular
poetry. and touches but slightly upon the moro
involved phenomena OF kindred origin.
Taste in short, may be scientifically regarded
rs the personal equation Of aesthetics for which
allowance must in each case be made. but which
does not detract from the objective truth of the
general result. Only in aesthetics. where we
are dealing with phenomena Of the nervous
system itself. the personal equation rises into
such great importance us TO form one OF the
main departments of the subject. SO we must
endcavor to account not merely for the most
usual form OF taste. but also for the structural
pccuinritics which give rise to the principal
variations. This must especially be done in
treating of those varieties which differcntiate
the artisticay- minded few from the inartistic
masses. II s also to be borne in mind that so
far we have only looked at the sensuous or pre-
sentative elements Of aesthetic feeling. When
we remember that IL includes. besides, n vast
body of emotional and intellectual elements the
difficulty Of explaining differences in taste is
still further decreased Since men and women
differ infinitely in emotions and intellect, SO
they must differ infinitely in their appreciation
of that which calls such activities into exercise
in various combinations. We cannot expect
child or savage to admire the landscapes OF
Turner. the poetry Of Wordsworth. the sonatas
of Beethoven. Yet even here we trace n certain
community OF feeling. for what is at once sim
Pile and beautiful. an old English melody or n
Homeric ballad. is pleasing to the highest and
lowest intelligenccs alike If not equally.
We are now brought 10 an important point
about which there is much misconccption in
current literary and art criticism. We are not
TO suppose, and the author of this treatise is
very far from affirming. that because aesthetic
feelings are simply relative To- the nervous organ
izgton OF the individual. therefore an absolute
aesthetic standard is impossiblc-that good and
bad taste are mere matters Of convention. On
the contrary 1t follows from what has been said
| that bad taste 10 the concomitant OF a coarse and
indiscrminativc nervous organization, an un-
| trained attention. II low emotional nature. and
an imperfect intelligence. So. too. it follows
that good taste is the progressive product of in
creasing nneness and discrimination in the
nerves. educated attention. high and noble emo
| tonal constitution. and ripened intellect.
| Though II is doubtless impossible for us NJ the
| present obviously imperfect stage OF m 49, de-
velopment to set up a final and absolute stan
| dard of TASTE, we are yet bound to accept rs a
relative and temporary authentic test the ludg-
mont OF the nnest-nurtured and most acuiely
discrminative. the purcst and most cultivated
| Of our contemporaries who have paid the great
est attention TO aesthetic perceptions. We can
do this with the assurance that while such a
standard may fall short here and there OF abso-
Lutte perfection. it will at any rate be far truer
and higher than that of the masses. We must
recognize their sentence as Professionally bind
ing. and attribute our own failure TO agree with
| them to defect in our own sensuous and emo
| tionnl nature or in our artistic education. As
regards. indeed. the education OF taste II would
| seem that its range must be- comparatively
| limited in the case Of given individual. Al
that it can effect il to cduce the existing facul
| ties. not to produce new ones. Such general OF
and transmutaton is reserved for the slow evo
| luton of the race. BY cultivating the habit OF
attention and the habit Of association. we cal
quicken and discipline the senses and percep-
| tive capacities OF a particular person. but W,
cannot lead him beyond the limit which his
cerebral structure has laid on his Intelligence.
For one who studies this subject from physo,
logical point Of view. what relation to human
happiness do the aesthetic feelings Seem 70
bear? The remark that these feelings afford
comparatively slight amounts Of pleasure must
OF course. be understood as referring to each
separate element regarded in isolation. Yet W,
may concede that even in masses they require d
comparatively free field TO make any great i'm
preston. They cannot be deeply enjoyed IN
sickness. poverty. or depressed conditions o
mind. When, however. they enter largely int,
the current Of n life free from serious pains
privations difficulties or veXations. they un.
questionaby form considerable element o.
happiness To live in a noble building, stand
ing amid beautiful grounds. surrounded by OBJ
iccts Of fine art which lend an ETHEREAL charm
10 the commonost processes Of daily life even t,
eating and drinking. may doubtless be accountc,
the final crown OF beauty To an existence other
wise untrammellcd by urgent cares and tn,
sordd shifts of poverty. Not only does It max,
life swcrtcr bit ii makes life something hr sht
err higher. AMI less earthly. Even to move for
brief spacc in such surroundings sheds grace
ahou, ono'- heine for a." moment. Will IN is re-
mombercd long aftor with delight On tn