The sun., 1916-12-03
MADE At TIE
ECOLe aSs 6EAUx ARTS.
PARIS, OF THE ACROeOuS nIll
AT TIE CLIMAX or THE ANCIENT
GLORY or ATHENS. TIC VIEW
IS FROM TIE EAST SHOWING
THE PROP>lkEk anal THE
RAR1HENON.

which we docipicr In what Is called the
Greek mythology.
without entering into this essential
spiritual fundamental. we may ad-
miro the grandeur of the Parthenon
and the other ancient survivals: We
may hc moved at the subl:mity of
! their stately pose; we may descant
upon their perfection Of proportions:
we may admire their u~nrivalled sculp-
turc-but never. never shall we under
stand their meaning. Their appeal
will always lee a. superficial AZ the re-
marks of an enthusiastic old gentle
man tourist. who exclaimed, These
beautiful old buildings.'
81 cannot tel how inadequate such
remarks arc. because the whole appeal
- not So much in their beauty of form
rs in their .mpcr.shablc youth. The
crumhliug touch of age may add a
charm. but II is wholly ~advontitious
and not intrinsic. The severe line or
the column which seems tn spring as
naturally from the ground ~ "A Tree
and the firm strength Of tho curves
have nothing to do with TN" beauty
sentiment they pronounce the sem
timen, Of unfaillng youthfulness.
There Is ono person who. perhaps
moro than the others, helps us to
bridge over the gap OF 5000 years.
and he IL tho sociological student OF
the habits OF tho ancients. lie brings
~ nearer to life and to what the
Crock orator declared to he the first.
second and third quality OF great clo-
qucncc, namely. action.
ITO redcsicn a city like Athens. 10
interpret in modern terms this aspect
of perennial youthfulncss. one needs
t. enter into its religion and emotional
life. 10 breathe the air of It's climate.
which like the fountain Of youth re-
news life, and 10 rcpcoplc its streets
with living men and women In their
manifold public and private lives. and
then reconstruct it in its ancient
glory.
Holding ideals such as theirs. II
was natural that when the Athenians
wished to dedicate a place to tho gods
they should blend art and nature suit
ably. Thus they proceeded To crown
in n simple that which nature
had begun. as on the Acropolls hill
with open air art perfectly harmonious
TO II.
"lu tho composition OF the buildings
of tho Acropolis they made no attempt
NJ balanced symmetry or alignment
although there are balance and sym
mctry and a most striking majesty In
the level lines and their proportions of
the horizontal to the perpendicular
No: the whole is built UP as y compo-
sition, in which nature is conductor
and art is first fiddle.
This was the Athenian way. The
Romans acted otherwise, for art with
them was both conductor and orches-
ira. Even to-day an italian or q
F%renchman must always he heroic IN
, his designs. They try to make nature
bend to their Wills, With the ancient
Greeks and with English speaking peo'
pies the case Is just the reverse.
This fact of the blending Of art and
nature is one which the rcplanner OF
Athens must firmly grasp.
Il say with English speaking peo'
pies, for there are traits in the anclen'
Greek and in the English which wei
repay comparison. There Is the sam
love Of liberty and hatred Of oppres
sion, the same love of healthy outdoor
games and the same respectful defer
ence toward natures supremacy owe
art
A dictum that would have t'ispe'
the hair Of n Patcr. n Whistler,
Wildc--thc sclf-appointed a>ntarS u
tho Greek spirit in modern England!
"The intentional contrast Of tn,
rugged angularltics of tho Acrorol.
rock to the mobile and ordered refine
mcnt Of the columns ANA moulding -
the I7rthcnon and civhhoring build