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enough to make the whole effect as close to perfection as he could。 Everything he did he had a reason for doing。 Not one thing here did he use gratuitously。 He evidently doesn't agree with the idea that； in architecture； beauty is its own excuse for being； he wants to make it useful； too。〃
Then I was initiated into the details of the workmanship。 〃Observe how the ideas in the structure of the walls of the court are carried on in the ornamental details and in the tower。〃 The primitive man and primitive woman repeated in a row along the upper edge had been finely conceived and executed by Albert Weinert。 And the nobility of outline in the tower was sustained by the three pieces of sculpture in front made by Chester Beach。 That top figure some people believed to be Buddhistic in feeling。 But it belonged to no particular religion。 It stood for the Spirit of Intelligence。 The ornamentation on the head was not an aureole； as bad been reported； but a wreath of laurel； symbolic of success。 The group beneath was mediaeval； depicting mankind struggling for the light； expressed in the torches； through those conflicts that so pitifully came out of the aspirations of the soul； expressed in religion。 The lowest group showed humanity in its elemental condition； related to the animal； close to the beasts。 So； to be followed in sequence； the groups ought to be studied from the lowest to the highest； and then the eyes should be able to catch the meaning of the lovely ornamentation； crowning the tower； the petals of the lily； emblem of spirituality； the arrow…like spires above expressing the aspirations of the soul。
On the sides of the tower the symbolism was consistently maintained； war and religion marking the progress of man toward the state indicated by the single figure of The Thinker。
〃And； speaking of the soul；〃 the architect went on； 〃Observe these great clusters of lights that illuminate this court and the approach on the other side of the tower。 They look like stars； don't they？ And the intention evidently is to use them for their star…like character。 But there is history behind them。 They are like the monstrance used in the Catholic Church； to hold the sacred host； the wafer that is accepted by the faithful as the body and blood of Jesus Christ。 Since the sixteenth century it has been used by the church； a beautiful emblem； made of gold and designed to suggest the prayer of the sun； the Spirit of God in radiance。 Its use here helps to give the court its ecclesiastical character。〃
As we made our way toward the Marina we noted how much the court gained by its general freedom from color。 In the colonnade； to be sure； Guerin had been particularly successful with the shade of blue。 But he would have done better if he had omitted the color； in fact all color； from the niches in the tower。
Viewed from the Marina； the entrance to the court proved to be a vision of loveliness。 There was only one intrusive note to jar the harmony； the coarse sea figure by Sherry Fry； presumably Neptune's； Daughter； standing in the center； with a great fish at her feet； plainly out of place here； in spite of the court's celebration of the sea as the source of human life。
XVI
The Brangwyns
We lingered in the colonnade to view the eight mural decorations by Frank Brangwyn； of London。 In front of The Bowmen we found a friend； a gifted woman painter； fairly bursting with enthusiasm。 〃What delights me in Brangwyn；〃 she said； 〃is his artistic courage。 He dares to put down just what he feels。 This sturdy figure in the foreground； for example； peering through the trees； how many other painters would have allowed him to turn his back on the spectator？ And yet how interesting he is and how alive。〃
〃Some of those heads strike me as curious；〃 I remarked。 〃That fellow closest to the center； just about to let his arrow fly； seems to have no head to speak of。〃
〃Sometimes he's careless with his drawing。 And yet he can draw magnificently； too。 He evidently had a purpose in making so many of the heads in these murals almost deformed。 He wanted to suggest that these types were in no way mental。 They were wholly physical。 Notice the care he has lavished on their muscular bodies； their great shoulders and legs。〃
〃It doesn't seem like English work； does it？〃 said the architect。
〃No； there's something almost Oriental about it both in the feeling and the coloring。 And there's the Pagan love of the elemental life。〃
〃But what a chance Brangwyn had to do something new with this magnificent subject；〃 the architect went on。 〃At last； after centuries of effort； men are actually conquering the air。 They've learned to fly。 They've become birds。 Now why didn't Brangwyn give us a pictorial expression of that miracle？ Why didn't the artist have as much sense as the man of affairs who pays Art Smith to come out here and fly before the multitude？〃
I argued that Brangwyn preferred to deal with antique themes … they were so much more pictorial。
The architect interrupted with some impatience。 〃But that's exactly what they're not。 In my opinion Whistler was perfectly right when he said that if a mural decorator couldn't make modern life pictorial he didn't know his business。 Flying through the air is only one of many wonders in the life of today that cry out for expression in art； but you scarcely catch a note of them here。〃
〃For example？〃 said the painter。
〃Industry … our great machines； the new power they bring into the world； the change in industrial relations and social and moral ideals。 Now in these murals； Brangwyn has simply repeated himself and he hasn't by any means done his best work。 And I question whether his observation is so accurate as you admirers of his try to make it appear。 Look at the way those fellows are holding their bows … with the left hand； presumably for the pictorial effect of the composition。 Well； let that point pass。 One fellow has shot his arrow。 The other is holding his arrow between the fore finger and the middle finger。 Well； it won't go very far。 The Indians know better。 They let the arrow rest on the thumb to give it plenty of freedom to fly。 One of those bows； by the way； has no string。 Brangwyn probably thought it wouldn't be missed。〃
As we looked at the other panels the architect conceded that the points the painter raised for Brangwyn； the brilliant use of color； the dramatic grouping and the fineness of characterization； were true enough。 〃But he's too monotonous。 Though his groups are of different periods； some of them ages apart； they're all essentially alike and the figures are even dressed alike。 I'm perfectly willing to make allowance for artistic convention。 But why should an artist limit himself unnecessarily when he has all the ages to draw on？ Why should he neglect the present； the greatest of all the ages？〃
〃Ah； I'm afraid you're too literal said the painter。 〃You want to limit a genius to rules。〃
We turned from The Bowmen to study in detail the second illustration of Air； much more modern and yet charmingly old…fashioned； the windmill and the little mill high in the background； the group of naked boys flying kites； the toilers and their children； going home as fast as they could； fighti