按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
science； and in the broadest sense； and not in the narrow and
technical sense in which we are now accustomed to use the word art；
all things feelable； all things which stir our emotions； come under
the term of art； in the sense of the subject…matter of the
aesthetic faculty。 So that we are shut up to thisthat the
business of education is； in the first place； to provide the young
with the means and the habit of observation； and； secondly； to
supply the subject…matter of knowledge either in the shape of
science or of art； or of both combined。
Now； it is a very remarkable factbut it is true of most things in
this worldthat there is hardly anything one…sided； or of one
nature； and it is not immediately obvious what of the things that
interest us may be regarded as pure science； and what may be
regarded as pure art。 It may be that there are some peculiarly
constituted persons who； before they have advanced far into the
depths of geometry； find artistic beauty about it； but； taking the
generality of mankind； I think it may be said that； when they begin
to learn mathematics； their whole souls are absorbed in tracing the
connection between the premisses and the conclusion； and that to
them geometry is pure science。 So I think it may be said that
mechanics and osteology are pure science。 On the other hand；
melody in music is pure art。 You cannot reason about it； there is
no proposition involved in it。 So； again； in the pictorial art； an
arabesque； or a 〃harmony in grey；〃＇80＇ touches none but the aesthetic
faculty。 But a great mathematician； and even many persons who are
not great mathematicians； will tell you that they derive immense
pleasure from geometrical reasonings。 Everybody knows
mathematicians speak of solutions and problems as 〃elegant；〃 and
they tell you that a certain mass of mystic symbols is 〃beautiful；
quite lovely。〃 Well； you do not see it。 They do see it； because
the intellectual process； the process of comprehending the reasons
symbolised by these figures and these signs； confers upon them a
sort of pleasure； such as an artist has in visual symmetry。 Take a
science of which I may speak with more confidence； and which is the
most attractive of those I am concerned with。 It is what we call
morphology； which consists in tracing out the unity in variety of
the infinitely diversified structures of animals and plants。 I
cannot give you any example of a thorough aesthetic pleasure more
intensely real than a pleasure of this kindthe pleasure which
arises in one's mind when a whole mass of different structures run
into one harmony as the expression of a central law。 That is where
the province of art overlays and embraces the province of
intellect。 And； if I may venture to express an opinion on such a
subject； the great majority of forms of art are not in the sense
what I just now defined them to bepure art； but they derive much
of their quality from simultaneous and even unconscious excitement
of the intellect。
When I was a boy； I was very fond of music； and I am so now； and it
so happened that I had the opportunity of hearing much good music。
Among other things； I had abundant opportunities of hearing that
great old master； Sebastian Bach。 I remember perfectly well
though I knew nothing about music then； and； I may add； know
nothing whatever about it nowthe intense satisfaction and delight
which I had in listening； by the hour together； to Bach's fugues。
It is a pleasure which remains with me； I am glad to think； but； of
late years； I have tried to find out the why and wherefore； and it
has often occurred to me that the pleasure derived from musical
compositions of this kind is essentially of the same nature as that
which is derived from pursuits which are commonly regarded as
purely intellectual。 I mean； that the source of pleasure is
exactly the same as in most of my problems in morphologythat you
have the theme in one of the old master's works followed out in all
its endless variations； always appearing and always reminding you
of unity in variety。 So in painting； what is called 〃truth to
nature〃 is the intellectual element coming in； and truth to nature
depends entirely upon the intellectual culture of the person to
whom art is addressed。 If you are in Australia； you may get credit
for being a good artistI mean among the nativesif you can draw
a kangaroo after a fashion。 But； among men of higher civilisation；
the intellectual knowledge we possess brings its criticism into our
appreciation of works of art； and we are obliged to satisfy it； as
well as the mere sense of beauty in colour and in outline。 And so；
the higher the culture and information of those whom art addresses；
the more exact and precise must be what we call its 〃truth to
nature。〃
If we turn to literature； the same thing is true； and you find
works of literature which may be said to be pure art。 A little
song of Shakespeare or of Goethe is pure art； it is exquisitely
beautiful； although its intellectual content may be nothing。 A
series of pictures is made to pass before your mind by the meaning
of words； and the effect is a melody of ideas。 Nevertheless； the
great mass of the literature we esteem is valued； not merely
because of having artistic form； but because of its intellectual
content； and the value is the higher the more precise； distinct；
and true is that intellectual content。 And； if you will let me for
a moment speak of the very highest forms of literature； do we not
regard them as highest simply because the more we know the truer
they seem； and the more competent we are to appreciate beauty the
more beautiful they are？ No man ever understands Shakespeare until
he is old； though the youngest may admire him； the reason being
that he satisfies the artistic instinct of the youngest and
harmonises with the ripest and richest experience of the oldest。
I have said this much to draw your attention to what； in my mind；
lies at the root of all this matter； and at the understanding of
one another by the men of science on the one hand； and the men of
literature； and history； and art； on the other。 It is not a
question whether one order of study or another should predominate。
It is a question of what topics of education you shall select which
will combine all the needful elements in such due proportion as to
give the greatest amount of food； support； and encouragement to
those faculties which enable us to appreciate truth； and to profit
by those sources of innocent happiness which are open to us； and；
at the same time； to avoid that which is bad； and coarse； and ugly；
and keep clear of the multitude of pitfalls and dangers which beset
those who break through the natural or moral laws。
I address myself； in this spirit； to the consideration of the
question of the value of purely literary education。 Is it good and
sufficient； or is it insufficient and bad？ Well； here I venture to
say that there are lit