Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-07
CRITICISING THE CRITIC.
The Relation Between Beauty in Struct-
ure and in Action-The Magic Square.

The Relation Between Beauty IN Struct-
ure and in Action-The Magic Square.
EDS. RECoED-UNIoN had the pleasure
on Wednesday evening last Of attending the
regular monthly meeting of the California
Museum Association at the Croker Art
Gallery. One of the most pleasing exer-
cises of the evening was a sort of converse
tional address by George Chainey a visitor,
upon what he termed 1.-The principles of
art as applied to physical culture" and, as
| understood him TO say, according to the
discoveries and methods of Delsarte, a
Frenchman. | should rather say that his
discourse might more correctly have been
designated an inquiry into modes of express
sion in nature with view to their embodi-
ment in art, and their application to physi-
cal culture. But, without wasting time
and type in discussing title, permit me to
criticise mot necessarily adversely the
matter of the discourse. Let me say, how
ever, that in thus presuming to criticise an
evidently carefully studied and highly
elaborated system, founded upon what the
originator has fondly imagined to be the
" alphabet of art" | am conscious that
some friend of quoting turn might MUIR
muir:
Fools rush in, where angels fear to tread.
Nevertheless:
Still am calld. finland me, gentlemen
By heaven I'll make ghost of -
You know the rest. 1t was claimed-if
! am not mistaken-for Delsarte, that he
discovered the principles that form mobiles
junction and, reciprOcally, that function mo-
difie5 form; hence, that beautifully
body causes or compels-so to speak
beautiful living and, conversely, that cor
rect and beautiful ions-livng-causes
beautiful body The truth here embodied
is unquestionable; but it would be more
precisely, as well as more universally ex-
pressed, by saying that structure and func-
ton are necessarily correlated. The propo-
sihCn admits of demonstration apart from
any particular species or example; for
inasmuch as the differences of things must
be differences of structure-make up; and
as we only know things by their effects on
our consciOusness-that is, by their func-
tons or performances, it follows that if
structure and function be not vigorously
correlative, we cannot know things, nor
distinguish between them-which is an
absurdity. Now, inasmuch as form is one
of the elements of structure, it follows that
beauty of form implies beauty of action, and
reciprocally.
How then is beauty of person to be OBJ
tanned by endeavor, or voluntary effort?
Certainly not by subjecting our persons to
physical pressure of kind TO elevate this
part, and depress that; 10 diminish here.
and there to augment. 1t must be by
physiological and psychological processes,
if at all. And here the Delsarte method
whatever may be its prophecies or errors
Of detail, of which | have not yet had an
opportunity to Judges doubtless in the
right direction. BY careful study of the
effect of this or that state of consciousness
whether, in ordinary phrase intellectual,
emotional, or purposiye; whether passive
or .active-upon the body, in the way of
muscular movements; and by systematic
and persistent imitation of these move
ments we shall inevitably accomplish. in
two ways, a greater or less approximation
to the end sought. And this, as l under
standi is, the purpose Of this gentleman,
whose remarks ] speak of, to incite his
hearers TO attempt.
When l come to speak of the magic
square" of Delsarte, however, which, with
the passion for systems so strong in certain
races, he introduces as the foundation or
chart of his method, cannot pronounce so
acCordantly. Not to do more than mention
his fanciful assignment of colors as CORE
spondences to what he calls the trinity in
man, viz, blue 10 the intellect, yellow O.
to the moral, and red 10 the physical nor
to do more than elevate the eyebrows at
his terms, eccentric and eccentric, rs desig-
mating respectively centrifugal and centri-
petal motions or tendencies ! would
dwell moment on one or two of the alb
surdities into which the desire for svmme-
try and system, together with loose apDre-
citation Of the value of words, has led him
If my memory serves me Alright, in the sub
square (Of which there are nine in the
magic square) devoted TO the moral-physi-
cal state, he places temperance as the single
quality while purity is given as the double
or intensified quality. But the central idea
of temperance is " mixture" while the
central idea of purity is the reverse, viz.
freedom from admiXture. singleness, sim
plicity of composition, so to speak. The
terms, therefore, instead of being degrees,
or notifications of each other, are antag-
onistic.
1t may be, however, that in this. his uni
versal or fundamental chart, he has been
betrayed into using the words in their
special and very partial Specification tenn
perance, rs abstinence from this or that of
food or drink; and purity, as related to
chastity, monogamy. In this case it would
fail as to its universally, and could only
be applicable to portions of the body, while
it is claimed that all parts of the body come
under the entire square | fail, too, to per
ceive the essential difference between
" Reason" and Judgment" which he
places in different squares, as the results of
different combinations of the members of
the Trinity But his rules for accom- |
plishing the attainment of healthy and !
beautiful bodies may be faultless. notwith- |
standing the absurdities Of his magic |
square; and while this may be pure child !
of the closet, and smell of the midnight oil, |
that may be the result of q careful study of |
nature, and the result of successful expert |
ment. Success to the search after the |
beautiful AsMopEUs.
Sacramento, November 6, 1885.