CIVIL ARCHITECTURE. 



565 



Principles. 



from dx 

 terity of 

 workman- 

 ship. 



In archi- 

 tecture. 



Glass 



lustre 

 prism. 



biminu- 

 lion of o- 

 liuey. 



Conclu- 



tioui. 



tnd eac. 



exprcuion. 



stitute the mineral kingdom being distinguished by a 

 greater degree of hardness and solidity, although they 

 may be moulded into any form, yet the beauty of the 

 serpentine form will be lost from the want of the asso- 

 ciation of delicacy ; and we shall feel a discontent, from 

 the seeming impropriety of giving such durable substan- 

 ces a character which does not belong to them. But 

 there are cases, when an adventitious delicacy is given to 

 such substances, by which the character is retained, by 

 the form by which we have associated with them from 

 real nature. This effect is produced, "1st, when the 

 quantity of matter is so small, as to overcome our opi- 

 nion of its strength or durability ; and, 2dly, when the 

 workmanship is so excellent, as to produce an opinion 

 of fineness or delicacy, independent of the nature of the 

 subject upon which it is employed." In architecture, 

 it is observed, the great constituent parts require direct 

 and angular lines, in order to convey the expression of 

 stability and strength ; and that no ornament can, with 

 any propriety, be introduced, excepting in the minute 

 and delicate parts of the work ; and even, in such situa- 

 tions, if those ornaments exceed in size or relief that 

 proportion in point of delicacy we expect them to hold 

 with respect to the whole of the building, the imitation 

 of the most beautiful vegetable forms does not preserve 

 them from censure of clumsiness and deformity. 



In further illustrating this subject, it is strongly urged, 

 that, besides the curvilinear form, all those which are ex- 

 pressive of delicacy are also beautiful. Such as the glas 

 lustre, which is all angular, the form of the prism, the 

 sword hilt, watch chain, and the forms of various jewels ; 

 which, in those hard substances, arises from their being 

 the forms in which there is the smallest possible quan- 

 tities of nutter, brine capable of receiving the finest po- 

 lish, and producing the greatest brilliancy. But one of 

 the most striking instances of the beauty of angular forms, 

 is afforded iv the antient tripods, in which there is the 

 utmost possible diminution of solidity, that is consistent 

 with convenience .or use; and by its shape converging, 

 and its dimensions lessening as they descend to the ground, 

 there is scarcely a possibility of contriving a more angu- 

 lar form, or one where the slightness and apparent insta- 

 bility of the whole fabric can be more expressive of de- 

 licacy ; and accordingly, from the principles of this deli- 

 cate model, the greater part of the most beautiful articles 

 of modern furniture are imitated. From the whole of 

 this investigation respecting the beauty of natural forms, 

 the following conclusions are drawn : I. ' That the 

 beauty of such forms arises from the qualities of fineness, 

 delicacy, or ease of which they are expressive. 



2. That in every subject (whether angnlar or cur- 

 vilinear) that which is the most expressive of these qua- 

 lities, ia the^nost beautiful form. And, 



3. That ift general, the curvilinear, or winding form, 

 as mot-t frequently expressive of these qualities, is the 

 most beautiful. With regard also to those arts which 

 are employed in the'imitation or invention of ornamental 

 forms, the following observations may not be without 

 their use. 



1 . That wherever natural forms are imitated, those 

 will be the most beautiful, which are most expressive of 

 delicacy and ease. 



'1. That wherever new or arbitrary forms are invented, 

 that form will be most beautiful, which is composed of 

 the most beautiful lines ; or in other words, by lines 

 wh'ch have the most pleasing expression. And, 



3. That wherever the subject of the form is of a hard 

 or (Durable nature, that form will be most beautiful in 



which the smallest quantity of matter is employed, and 

 the greatest delicacy of execution exerted." 



What has just been stated, relates to simple forms on- 

 ly, or to such as are described by a simple line. But as 

 in the greater part of the beautiful forms of nature or 

 art, lines of different descriptions unite, it is necessary to 

 consider the composition of forms ; and in doing this, it 

 is observed, that simple forms are distinguished to the 

 eye by the uniformity or similarity of the line by 

 which they are described. Complex forms, by the mix- 

 ture of similarity and dissimilarity in those lines, or in 

 other words, by their uniformity and variety. 



Great pains are bestowed to make out distinctly, that 

 the mere composition of uniformity and variety, or simi- 

 larity and dissimilarity of form, is not in itself beautiful, 

 but only where the objects have some general determinate 

 character or expression, and where there is a relation 

 among the different parts of this general character ; 

 that different proportions of uniformity and variety are 

 required in forms! of different character ; that all power- 

 ful emotions, and all emotions bordering upon pain, de- 

 mand uniformity and sameness ; and all weak emotions, 

 and all emotions which belong to positive pleasure, de- 

 mand variety or novelty. 



From the whole of the discussions, the following ex- 

 cellent rules are laid down. 



1. " That whenever beautiful" form is intended, some 

 character or expressive form should be selected, as the 

 ground or subject of the composition. 



2. That the variety, (whether in the form, the num- 

 ber, or the proportion of the parts, ) should he adapted 

 to the peculiar nature of this expression, or of that emo- 

 tion, which this expression is fitted to excite. 



S. Forms of this kind are either simple or dependent. 



In simple or independent forms, their character is at 

 the pleasure of the artist j and that will always be the 

 most beautiful, in which the character is best preserved. 



4. In dependent forms, on the contrary, or those 

 which are designed for particular scenes or situations, 

 their character must be determined by that of the scene 

 or situation ; and that also will be the most beautiful 

 form, in the composition of which the alliance to the 

 general character is most precise and delicate." 



Having discussed what relates to simple and composed 

 forms, or what constitutes their natural beauty, the next 

 object of consideration is the qualities which constitute 

 their relative beauty. From the discovery of fitness or 

 utility, wr infer the existence of design. In forms dis- 

 tinguished by such qualities, the discovery of an end sug- 

 gests intention or design ; and the qualities of form, 

 which signify this fitness or usefulness, are signa of the 

 design or thought which produce thrm. But expression 

 of design may be perceived in an object in which neither 

 fitness or utility are to be discovered : this is evidence, 

 " that there are certain qualities of form which are im- 

 mediately and permanently expressive to us of those qua- 

 lities of mind, and which derive their beauty from their 

 expression." 



The natural quality most powerfully expressive of de- 

 sign, is uniformity or regularity. In every form where 

 this qjality is observed, we infer design ; and from the 

 absence of it, we consider the production the work of 

 chance. 



Vegetable forms, which approach to the resemblance 

 of ammaL ; minerals, which have a resemblance to vege- 

 tables i r animals, are reckoned curious, but are never con 

 sidered as possessing that beauty which excites the emo. 

 tion of delight. Uniformity or regularity in rocks and 



Principle*. 



Delicacy cf 

 execution. 



Composi- 

 tion of 

 form. 



Painful 

 emotion) 

 require 

 uniformity; 



and those 

 of positive 

 pleasure, 

 novelty. 



Rules. 



Eiprtttiou 

 of design. 



