§ 1. MERE THEORY USELESS. o 



a correct ear for music, it is a natural gift. Theory will not 

 form it, as theory will not enable any one to detect a false 

 note. The power depends on the perceptive faculty; and 

 unless any one possess this, he will vainly attempt to lay 

 down rules for the guidance of others. Yet we find that 

 some have based their notions of the proper arrangement of 

 colour solely on theory ; and others, who might have had a 

 proper feeling for it through their own perceptive faculty, 

 or from the study of good models, have occasionally allowed 

 themselves to be led astray by some plausible assertions, 

 founded upon a fanciful basis, and supported by false rea- 

 soning. 



The same hasty attempts have been made to lay down 

 rules for colour as for form and proportion. These are all 

 dependent on the perceptive faculties ; and it is certainly not 

 by beginning with a theory that any of the three can be taught. 

 The Italians have a remarkable perception of true propor- 

 tion, but they did not learn it from a theory, nor do they teach 

 it by rules ; and how would it be possible to define every 

 variety of form and make them all amenable to rules? 

 When we hear a false note, it is not to a theory that we have 

 recourse in order to prove it ; and we can no more help see- 

 ing a discord (if we have a true perception of colour) than 

 we can help being struck by a discord in music. If the ear 

 is correct, it will detect the latter ; if the eye is so, it will 

 perceive the former. Neither the eye nor the ear can do 

 otherwise. Theory will not supply the place of those organs ; 

 and it would be as hopeless to attempt to teach the ear to 

 discriminate between sounds, or the nose to distinguish 

 scents, by rule, as to substitute theory for the perceptive 

 faculty in judging of colour. Mr. Ruskin, in his "Elements 

 of Drawing " (p. 248), observes that composition is unteach- 

 able, and " no one can invent by rule, though there are some 

 simple laws of arrangement," for which he gives some very 



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