414 



♦ KNOWLEDGE * 



[May 15, 1885. 



is a " Doulton's Patent Regulating Supply Valve," and 

 is so ariaog-d as to give an after -flush -nithout the use 

 of a separate regulator. The overflow pipe, E, enters the 

 body of the trap, A, below the water-line, so that it can 

 never get out of order in the way in which the common 

 form of overflow pipe does invariably. The interior of the 

 tia(), A, is lined with a strong, smooth glaze, which is even 

 acid-resisting; its surface cannot thus become damagfd 

 by ordinary means, and at the same time facilitates 

 thorough flushing. In case of neces.sity, a ventilating pij)e, 

 H, can be taken to the trap, and an aperture for inspection, 

 G (which Consists of a pa'ent cap ground into the opening, 

 and so made that a slight turn either one way or the other 

 is sufficient to disengage or fix it perfectly air-tight), com- 

 pletes what we may with justice term the best appliance of 

 its kinH. 



Totally difierent in type is the form known as the "wash- 

 out " or " flush-out " closet, which has been introduced for 

 the purpo-<e of providing an effective yet cheap substitute 

 for the valvate type which we have just reviewed. As a 

 matter of fact, they are not, as a rule, so cleanly as they 

 ought; to be. The closet basin is so made as to hold a 

 small qututity of water within its hollow, yet without anv 

 pan or valve; hence the opening has to be placed on one 

 side, and a considerable amount of flushing power is there- 

 fore required to keep the trap clear. In our next we shall 

 give a special illustration of this variety of closet. 



THE EYOLUTIOX OF THE SENSE 



OF BEAUTY. 



By Cokstance 0. W. Naden. 



(Continued from page 388.) 



"\TTE have seen that the baby and the bird are much 

 » \ alike in the origin and nature of their love for 

 " pretty things." But the wsthetic faculty in man, though 

 Springing primarily from very simple germs, is subjected 

 ti) very numerous and complex influences, which increase 

 in number and in complexity as he advances in civilisation. 

 Savages, children, and un-ducated persons generally show 

 an aliuoNt unbounded love lor the brilliant and the novel. 

 The Andaman i>l.»nders paint one side I'i the face red, the 

 other geen. One tribe in South America had for its only 

 apparel a macaw's feather stuck in a hole at each corner 

 ot the mouth, and strings of shells hanging from noses, 

 ear.s, and under-iip=. Jn the cave-dwellings are found 

 hollowed stones, used by primitive man for grinding the 

 Ochres with which he painted himself.* 



Why is it that we do not all keep our childish taste ; 

 that we tone down our carpets and wall-papers ; that we 

 pr.-fer an interior by Rembrandt to a gaily-coloured nurseiy 

 picture-book 1 Why do we not tattoo ourselves, punt our 

 faces red, blue, white, black, and yellow ; scar our cheeks 

 and di.stend our lips? And why do we care about, the 

 rambow and the clouds and the sea, which never seem to 

 awaken the slight? st emotion either in a bird or a monkey, 

 and very little in a savage ? 



As civilisation proceed-s, and a leisure class begins to be 

 formed, energies hitherto needed for the maintenance of life 

 are set free tor its adornment. We are more and more 

 inclined to emp'oy ourselves in observing evanescent dis- 

 tinctions, half-shades and half-tones, sulitle lights which 

 n^eit into shaoows, subtle shadows which relieve masses of 

 light. G ariirg contrasts are sufficiently obvious, and have 

 ai,Tict*d enough attention ; and the very same natural love 



* Tylor's "Anthropology." 



of variety, which makes gaudiness pleasing to the savage, 

 inclines the civilised man to seek new and refined combi- 

 nations. In his search for a fresh sensation he becomes 

 unsensatioual. He begins to desire that his art shall be 

 true, as well as attractive and symbolic ; and perfect truth 

 can be attained only by the imitation of soft natural hues. 

 The human cheek cannot be adequately represented by a 

 splash of vermilion, nor the human eye by a dot of blue. 



Accustomed to the prevalence of subdued tints, and to 

 the sparing use ot bright ones, the retina grows more and 

 more sensitive. It is oflended by the immediate juxta- 

 position of complementary colours, while gradation afl'ords 

 the perfection of easy enjoyment. The liner instrument 

 must be kept for finer uses. The razor is unfitted for the 

 function of a hatchet. 



The aesthetic and emotional values of difTerent colours 

 now begin to be more definitely settled. Those at the red 

 end of the spectrum are associated with warmth and 

 pleasure ; those at the violet end, with coldness and com- 

 parative gloom. Tne golden splendour of the sun, the 

 gleam of sunlit water, the golden-brown or golden-green 

 tinge of the landscape on a bright summer day, the orange- 

 led of ordinary flame, the crimson of sunrise and sunset, 

 the scirlet, orange, or purple colours of summer and 

 autumn fruits ; all these belong to the family of reds, and 

 to "the warm precincts ot the cheerful day.' The 

 cloudless sky is indeed blue, but the prevailing tint 

 of a sunshiny day is certainly not blue, but gold. 

 Blue is associated with gloom and coldness, because 

 it is the last colour which remains visible when 

 the shadows fall. Yellow and red and green are 

 lost one after the other, and the prevailing tint of a 

 clear midnight is deep violet blue. It may also be noticed 

 that the brighter among the colours which belong to the 

 violet end of the spectrum are rarely met with in nature, 

 and displease, partly because they seem unnatural, and 

 partly because the nerve-endings are not tuned to their 

 special rate of vibration. Very brilliant blue or violet is 

 much more painful than the very brilliant red which 

 reminds us of sunrise and sunset, of m^untainasli btrries 

 and of poppies. Brilliant green is unpleasant in the same 

 way, while the tender greens of grass and trees can give 

 only a gentle and sober satisfaction. Even magenta would 

 doubtless be a delightful colour if we were accustomed to 

 magenta roses, but the cultured taste finds it stransie and 

 untrue. The highly-evolved organ, being in a state of 

 harmony with external nature, craves for less variety than 

 the imperfect and unstable organ, so that the most culti- 

 vated eye will demand little save what is supplied by the 

 environment. 



But the utilitarian element has playpd a large part in 

 the evolution of that aesthetic faculty which finds its best 

 joy in the contemplation of the human form divine. The 

 hen-bird who preferred the most vigoious partner trans- 

 mitted her taste to her vigorous oflispring, so that the taste 

 went on increasing from generation to generation ; and 

 the same thing happened to man — at least, in his earlier 

 stages. In primeval days the race was to the swift, and 

 the battle to the strong, and swiftness and strength were 

 titles to all jiower, all glory, all honour. Full develop- 

 ment of the muscles, due proportion of the limbs, supple- 

 ness and ease of movement, a broad chest, an erect 

 carriage, were the primitive patents of nobility. They 

 were envied, praised, admired. The woman, though not 

 shaving the dangers of the chase and the field, had yet a 

 variety of occupations, and must be healthy and vigorous 

 that she might do her work and bear warrior-children. 

 Luxuiiant hair and healthy complexion betokened the 

 natural princess. The love of curved lines and of 



